PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Cael Sanderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Day Man (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Sanderson
vs
Man

186 cm
22
193 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

180 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

ANZAC Clothing
TKO Vegas

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Cael Sanderson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Day Man!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Winston Howard and Summer Carpenter.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Man tries to close the distance and clinch but Sanderson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Sanderson throws a series of punches but Man moves out of range.
Sanderson wants to clinch.
Sanderson fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Horrible takedown by Man or perhaps it was just good defense by Sanderson which made him look bad.
Man tries a head kick but it misses.
Sanderson tries for a takedown but Man circles away easily
and Man counters with a three punch combo that has Sanderson backing up. Sanderson nods at Man to acknowledge the strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Sanderson bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sanderson controlling the position from side mount.
Sanderson seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Man for as long as he can get away with.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Man is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Sanderson off and has taken his back!
Man lands a shot to the head.
Sanderson looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Will Man go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Sanderson trying to control the hands but Man won't let him.
Sanderson staying busy and making it hard for Man to control.
Sanderson trying to control but not successfully.
Sanderson just looking to survive in the bad position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Sanderson trying to control the hands but Man won't let him.
Man struggling to keep hold of the position.
Sanderson trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Cael Sanderson just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Sanderson drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Sanderson working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee asks Sanderson politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Sanderson prefers to stall for the moment though.
Man pushes Sanderson away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Sanderson gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Sanderson working away.
Sanderson is staying tight to Man's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Sanderson trying to control the action but Man is working from the bottom.
Sanderson controlling the position from side mount.
Sanderson is breathing heavily.
You can see the frustration on Man's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Man is looking for a sweep.
Sanderson throwing shots but missing, from side control.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Man pushes Sanderson away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Sanderson gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Man is looking to regain half guard here but Sanderson keeps moving and retains side control.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Sanderson misses with a takedown attempt

and Man holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cael Sanderson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Man gets underhooks to prevent Sanderson's takedown attempt.
Sanderson changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Man fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Man gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Man wants to stand and escape but Sanderson is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cael Sanderson dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Sanderson shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Man as he avoids it easily.
Sanderson closes this distance looking for a takedown but Man circles away.
Man throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Sanderson.
Sanderson with a poor takedown
and Man counters with a straight right hand.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cael Sanderson. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Man moves into the clinch successfully.
Man gets underhooks to prevent Sanderson's takedown attempt.

Man manages to break the clinch.

Man forces Sanderson back against the cage and clinches.
Sanderson wants a takedown but no success here.
Man is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Man prevents a takedown attempt there.
Man landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Man tightens his grip and picks Sanderson up, before dumping him to the ground. Sanderson manages to land in guard.
Man wants to control from the top but Sanderson keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanderson has a closed guard, preventing Man from standing up.
Man postures up.
Sanderson keeping moving, preventing Man from controlling successfully.
Sanderson tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Sanderson trying to control the position.
Man wants to stand but Sanderson has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Sanderson working a defensive guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Man throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Sanderson shoots and misses
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.

Man closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Sanderson drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Man pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Man tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sanderson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Sanderson with a poor takedown

and Man counters with a shoot takedown. Sanderson fights it but they end up in guard.
Man loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Sanderson is pulling down on Man's head to control his posture.
Man wants to control from the top but Sanderson keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanderson pulls Man in close to prevent any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Sanderson wants to sweep here but Man controlling him for the moment.
Sanderson knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Man on the ground.
Sanderson is trying to control the position but Man postures up.
Man stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sanderson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Sanderson wants to sweep here but Man controlling him for the moment.
Man is fighting to break Sanderson's control of his arms but Sanderson is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Sanderson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Day Man showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Sanderson tries for a takedown but Man circles away easily
and Man counters with a head kick.
Sanderson tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Man counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Man.
Sanderson tries to score a body lock takedown but Man shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Man slowing the pace effectively.

Man's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Sanderson gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Man counters with a head kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cael Sanderson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sanderson gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Man counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Man is keen to just control but Sanderson is a slippery customer.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanderson is looking for a sweep. Man is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Sanderson wants to get back to full guard but Man has mounted him!
Sanderson can't escape the position.
Man controlling the position easily from mount.
Man is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Sanderson can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Sanderson is working to get back to half guard.
Man trying to control but Sanderson is having none of it.
Day Man has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Sanderson working to try and regain half guard.
Sanderson wants to control but Man is having none of it.
Sanderson is looking to improve his position but Man isn't that keen on the idea.
Sanderson tries to lock up and control but Man gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Sanderson tries to reverse the position but Man maintains control.
Man wants to control the pace but Sanderson is squirming around nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Man prevents Sanderson from getting the reversal.
Sanderson is bucking up trying to escape but Man cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Sanderson is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Sanderson is squirming around, avoiding Man's attempts to control the action.
Sanderson is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's four 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.
Sanderson is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Man trying to control but Sanderson is having none of it.
Man avoids the attempt from Sanderson to control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

And that's the end of the fight!
Day Man comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Man has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 John Mangel scores the fight 28:29
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 28:29
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Day Man!