PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Frank Sinclair (ranked 25116 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Samson (ranked 8835 p4p, 0 weight class). Joe Samson acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Sinclair
vs
Samson

200 cm
18
200 lbs
0 - 6 - 0

200 cm
23
200 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter fighter
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 6 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Frank Sinclair!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Joe Samson!
The judges for this bout are Dirk Anderson, Santiago Holmes and Peter Branson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Samson has closed the distance and engaged Sinclair in a clinch.
Sinclair has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Sinclair effectively controlling the action here.

Sinclair tightens his grip and picks Samson up, before dumping him to the ground. Samson manages to land in guard.

Samson wriggles free and stands up.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Samson goes for a takedown attempt but Sinclair pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Samson tries to close the distance and clinch but Sinclair swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Samson takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Samson throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Sinclair's waist but Sinclair gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Samson off to one side.
Sinclair throwing a counter right hand but Samson manages to avoid it.

Samson closes the distance and clinches.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Samson tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Samson manages to break the clinch.
Samson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Sinclair feinted with a counter takedown.
Sinclair keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Frank Sinclair has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joe Samson.
Samson keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.

Samson moves into the clinch.
Sinclair wants a takedown but no success here.
Samson tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Sinclair just stands there and leans against the cage.
Sinclair tries to pull guard but Samson forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Samson takes a knee to the side of the body.
Samson has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Sinclair after a bit of a struggle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sinclair decides to pull guard.
Samson postures up.
Samson tries to free his leg and advance position but Sinclair is retaining full guard.
Samson trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Sinclair pulls Samson in close to prevent any damage.
Samson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sinclair is keeping the position for now.
Sinclair is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sinclair can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Samson controls the pace.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Samson throws a body kick that misses.
Samson looks winded!
Sinclair fails with a takedown attempt.
Samson with a lazy takedown attempt

so Sinclair counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Sinclair stands up from guard. Let's bang!
The fight stays on the outside here - Samson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Joe Samson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sinclair throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Samson's head.
Samson takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Sinclair avoids a punch combination nicely.

Sinclair scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sinclair controlling the action here.
Sinclair has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Frank Sinclair will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Samson displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Sinclair.
Samson shoots in looking for a takedown but Sinclair manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Samson's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Samson gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Sinclair jumps guard but Samson turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Samson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Samson fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Samson is breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sinclair throws a left and a right that both miss
and Samson counters with a right hand to the body.

Samson closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Samson stalls.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sinclair tries to pull guard but Samson holds him up against the cage and eventually Sinclair drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Frank Sinclair. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Sinclair breaks from the clinch.
Samson throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Samson tries to score a power double leg takedown but Sinclair sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Samson somewhat.
Sinclair shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Samson but Samson pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Sinclair clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sinclair pulls guard successfully.
Sinclair looking to control but Samson passes into half guard.

Samson decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Samson keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Samson tries for a takedown but Sinclair sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Sinclair scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
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!

Sinclair stands up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Samson shoots for a double leg takedown but Sinclair sprawls well. He's pushed Samson's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Samson shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Sinclair kicks off Samson and gets to his feet.
Samson keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Samson scores with a three punch combo!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Samson gets tackled into the cage by Sinclair. Sinclair maintains the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Samson tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Sinclair smiles and moves away.

Sinclair pushes Samson up against the cage in a clinch.

Sinclair escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Samson shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Sinclair as he avoids it easily.
Sinclair dives in and grabs Samson's left leg, looking for a takedown. Samson pushes down on Sinclair's head and hops out.

Samson gets tackled into the cage by Sinclair. Sinclair maintains the clinch.

Sinclair breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Frank Sinclair will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Sinclair moves into the clinch successfully.
Sinclair wants to take the fight to the mat but Samson manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

Sinclair wants the takedown. Samson is fighting it off but Sinclair persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Samson's guard against the cage.
Samson throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Samson looking for a sweep. Not yet Samson, not yet.

Samson manages to escape and get back to his feet.

Sinclair gets tackled into the cage by Samson. Samson maintains the clinch.
Samson looking for a takedown.

Sinclair breaks the clinch.
A slapping leg kick lands for Samson.

Samson moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sinclair looking to throw knees to the head but Samson is blocking nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Sinclair pulls guard.
Samson postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Samson working some strikes from top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Sinclair looking for a guillotine here but Samson defends easily.
Samson stays in close to Sinclair's body and controls the position.
Samson trying to control the position from guard on top but Sinclair is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sinclair is looking for a triangle but Samson pushes his legs off easily.
Sinclair looking to control.
Samson controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Sinclair keeps the fight on the outside.

Samson drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Sinclair has his feet on Samson's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Frank Sinclair is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Samson fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Sinclair avoids it really well and circles away.
Samson shoots for a double leg takedown but Sinclair sprawls well. He's pushed Samson's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Frank Sinclair has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joe Samson.

Sinclair has Samson up against the cage in a clinch.

Sinclair manages to break the clinch.
Sinclair shoots in for a takedown but Samson shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Samson leaves Sinclair with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sinclair swats away the attempt to clinch by Samson.
Samson dives in and grabs Sinclair's left leg, looking for a takedown. Sinclair pushes down on Samson's head and hops out.
Sinclair throws a right hand that Samson ducks under and follows up with a left that Samson also avoids with ease.
Sinclair tries to score a power double leg takedown but Samson sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Sinclair somewhat.
Sinclair closes this distance looking for a takedown but Samson circles away.
Joe Samson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Samson tries to score with a low kick but Sinclair moves his leg out of the way.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Frank Sinclair.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Sinclair, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Dirk Anderson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 28:30
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Joe Samson!