PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Elliot Carpenter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sandy Saunderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Carpenter
vs
Saunderson

180 cm
18
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

176 cm
20
154 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Elliot Carpenter!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Sandy Saunderson!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, Andrew Berry and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Carpenter swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Saunderson lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Good standup being displayed there by Saunderson as he connects with a hook.
Carpenter fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Saunderson.

Saunderson has taken the fight to the clinch.
Saunderson throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.

Saunderson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Carpenter misses with a wild combination.
Carpenter tries to land a front kick but Saunderson steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

Carpenter gets caught flat footed, as Saunderson shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Carpenter trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

Saunderson decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Carpenter looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carpenter shoots and misses
and Saunderson counters with a left to the body.
Saunderson throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Carpenter throws a quick inside leg kick.
Carpenter tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Saunderson misses with a combination

and Carpenter counters with a takedown into side control.
Carpenter throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Saunderson works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Saunderson is not content to let Carpenter control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saunderson tries to kick Carpenter off but Carpenter keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Saunderson looks gassed!
Carpenter trying to mount his opponent but Saunderson defends it.
Carpenter is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Saunderson is looking for a sweep. Carpenter is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Carpenter is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Saunderson sees it coming and defends easily.
Carpenter throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Carpenter lands a jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carpenter is looking to clinch.
Saunderson closes this distance looking for a takedown but Carpenter circles away.
Saunderson scores with a jab.
Carpenter takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Saunderson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Carpenter swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A slow jab from Saunderson misses its intended target.
Carpenter shoots in but no luck this time.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Elliot Carpenter. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Carpenter throws a combination that misses
and Saunderson counters with a three punch combo that has Carpenter backing up. Carpenter nods at Saunderson to acknowledge the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Saunderson circles away from the clinch attempt.
Carpenter fails with the takedown.

Saunderson drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Carpenter tries to bench press Saunderson off him but Saunderson keeps the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Saunderson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Carpenter keeps working.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Sandy Saunderson will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Carpenter is looking to clinch but Saunderson is avoiding it.
A right-left combo lands from Carpenter.
No luck for Carpenter with that takedown attempt.
No luck for Carpenter with that takedown attempt.
Some wild striking there from Carpenter.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Saunderson throws a left and a right that both miss
and Carpenter counters with a nice uppercut.
Carpenter tries to clinch there but Saunderson circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saunderson is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Saunderson works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Saunderson lands an overhand right.
Carpenter closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Saunderson dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Saunderson closes the distance and clinches.
Carpenter cracks Saunderson with a nice body shot.

Saunderson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Carpenter misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Elliot Carpenter. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Saunderson fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carpenter tries to clinch up.
Carpenter dodges the punch combination from Saunderson.
Carpenter moves out of range as Saunderson strikes.
Carpenter swats away the attempt to clinch by Saunderson.
Saunderson thows a body shot but no joy.
Saunderson throws a head kick but Carpenter moves out of range.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Carpenter closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saunderson is trying to get back to full guard.
Carpenter looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Carpenter wants to stand up but Saunderson is controlling the position.

Carpenter is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Carpenter is thwarting Saunderson's attempts to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Carpenter throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Saunderson looks like he's trying to stand up.

Carpenter decides to stand up.
Carpenter really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Carpenter looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Elliot Carpenter dominated that second round.
That's time! Carpenter's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Saunderson dips to his left and cracks Carpenter with an uppercut!
Carpenter scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Carpenter lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Carpenter displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Saunderson sizes up Carpenter with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Carpenter will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Carpenter ducks right into an uppercut from Saunderson.
Carpenter takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

Saunderson shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saunderson is looking to stand up but Carpenter won't let him.
Carpenter bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Saunderson's guard.
Saunderson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Carpenter looking to pass the guard.
Saunderson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Saunderson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Carpenter gets to his feet - Saunderson follows without any prompting.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
The fighters circling - Saunderson throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
An inside leg kick lands from Carpenter.

Carpenter gets the takedown into side control.
Carpenter trying to control the position but Saunderson is working away.

Carpenter thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Carpenter stands up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carpenter fails with the takedown
and Saunderson counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Carpenter thinking.
Saunderson throws out a powerful jab.
Carpenter pulls out of a head kick attempt.
A combination from Carpenter does no damage.
Saunderson lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Carpenter keeps the fight on the outside.

Carpenter bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Carpenter decides to stand back up. Carpenter steps back and let's Saunderson get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Carpenter on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Carpenter scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Carpenter looks for a takedown but Saunderson sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Elliot Carpenter. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Saunderson lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Carpenter is looking to slow Saunderson down with leg kicks.
Saunderson is looking to clinch.
Saunderson might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Carpenter closes this distance looking for a takedown but Saunderson circles away.
Saunderson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Carpenter paws at him with a jab and circles away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Elliot Carpenter showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Carpenter has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Steven Brown scores the fight 29:28
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Elliot Carpenter!