PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Kasper Saunders (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Siegfried Durand (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Siegfried Durand has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Saunders
vs
Durand

173 cm
18
145 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

161 cm
18
137 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Decent wrestler
Decent knees
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Kasper Saunders !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Siegfried Durand!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, Andrew Berry and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Durand moves into the clinch.
Durand stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Durand lands a good knee to the midsection. Saunders won't want to take too many of those.
Saunders tries to break the clinch but Durand is controlling the position.
Durand lands a knee to the body.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Durand obliges.
Durand landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
I was talking to Saunders 's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Durand holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Durand has Saunders pressed against the cage.
The crowd are getting on Durand's back here. They're not happy about his lack of aggression in the clinch.
Saunders is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Durand is keeping busy.
The referee is keeping an eye on Durand - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Durand throws a head punch that misses.
Durand taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Durand prevents a body shot from Saunders .
Durand slows down the pace here.
Durand is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Siegfried Durand.
Saunders punishes Durand's body with a nice straight punch.
Durand uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Saunders .

Durand pushes Saunders up against the cage in a clinch.
Durand misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Saunders .
Durand landing knees to the head.
Durand unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Durand scores a nice knee to the body.
Saunders working hard to break the clinch.
Saunders on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Durand's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Durand landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saunders looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Saunders doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Saunders can't break the clinch.
Saunders avoiding damage as Durand throws knees to the body.
Durand leaning against his opponent.
Saunders misses with some punches.
Saunders tries to work over Durand's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Saunders managing to block the knees to the body from Durand.
Durand throws a head punch that misses.
Saunders is trying to break the clinch but Durand has him pressed against the cage.
Saunders is trying to push Durand away but Durand has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Durand tries to land knees in the clinch but Saunders avoids the damage to the body.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Saunders avoiding damage as Durand throws knees to the body.
Durand tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Saunders avoids it.
Durand looks winded!
Durand tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Saunders avoids it.
Durand has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Saunders seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Durand can turn it around.
Saunders misses with a hook to the ribs.
Saunders wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Durand has him pressed against the cage.
Durand tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Saunders avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saunders can't find room to land a body shot as Durand controls the action.
Durand manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Saunders throws a head punch that misses.
Durand tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Saunders avoids it.
Durand misses with some punches.
Durand throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Saunders blocks it with crossed arms.
Saunders misses with a punch on the inside.
Saunders is trying to push Durand away but Durand has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Saunders wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Saunders blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Durand is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Saunders is defending well for now.
Saunders works on Durand's body with a couple of short punches.
Durand utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Saunders is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Saunders misses with a punch to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saunders tries to break free but Durand pushes him back against the cage.
Saunders managing to block the knees to the body from Durand.
Saunders misses with a hook from the clinch.
Saunders misses with a short punch on the inside.
Saunders is trying to break the clinch but Durand is controlling him.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Durand.
Saunders is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Saunders trying to control the position but instead, Durand has worked for underhooks and has pushed Saunders into the cage.
Durand misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Saunders .
Durand has Saunders pressed against the cage, preventing Saunders from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Saunders swings wildly with an uppercut but Durand uses good head movement to avoid it.
A frustrated look appears on Saunders 's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Saunders blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Durand is struggling to control the position.
Saunders wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Siegfried Durand dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Saunders lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Durand at a distance.
Saunders dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Saunders throws a series of punches but Durand avoids them all with ease.
Saunders connects with a body shot that sends Durand's belly button to the back.
Saunders lands with a cross.
Durand tries to close the distance and clinch but Saunders swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Saunders lands a right hook to the body.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Saunders moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Saunders drops Durand with a naaaaasty hook - Durand is in real trouble here! Saunders dives in to side control and pounds out his opponent for a TKO victory! The crowd goes nuts!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:44 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Kasper Saunders !