PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Sheldy Foote (ranked 3818 p4p, 2833 weight class) and Johnny Saigon (ranked 456 p4p, 356 weight class). Saigon comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Run through the jungle kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Foote
vs
Saigon

190 cm
26
205
2 - 2 - 0

211 cm
27
223
4 - 6 - 1

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sheldy Foote!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Johnny Saigon!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, William Gold and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Saigon darts in looking for a takedown but Foote gets double underhooks and turns Saigon into the cage.
Foote is looking for a counter combo.
Saigon with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Saigon changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Saigon avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Saigon uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Foote.
Foote tries to clinch up
and Saigon connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Foote fails with an attempt to clinch.
Saigon tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Foote swivels and escapes.

Foote gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A bit of stalling here from Foote.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Foote working aggressively here.

Saigon manages to break the clinch.
Foote pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Foote fails in his attempt to clinch.
Foote throws a head kick that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Foote pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Foote throws a leg kick
letting Saigon counter with a right hand.
Saigon looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Foote scores with the left hand. Saigon knows he should have avoided that one.
Foote checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Saigon fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Foote manages to avoid it.
Foote closes the distance but Saigon moves to the side
and Saigon counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Foote thinking.
Foote throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Saigon sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Foote throws a sloppy head kick
and Saigon counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Foote throws a body punch but Saigon moves out of range.
Saigon only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Saigon ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Foote moves away.
Foote seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Saigon lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Sheldy Foote seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Saigon lands with a hook. Foote tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
A looping hook to the body misses from Saigon. Foote does a little dance to reset his feet.
Foote is looking to clinch.
Saigon swats away the attempt to clinch by Foote.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Foote throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Saigon counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Foote thinking.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Saigon swats away the attempt to clinch by Foote.
Saigon fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Sheldy Foote has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Johnny Saigon.
Foote throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Foote throws a sloppy head kick and Saigon moves out of range easily.
Saigon throws out a counter right but Foote avoids it with no problem.
Foote throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Foote rushes Saigon and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Saigon escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Saigon misses with a looping right.
Foote throws a head kick but Saigon moves out of range.
Foote tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Foote tries a head kick but it misses.
Saigon now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Foote, as that shot connected.
Foote tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Foote takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice uppercut lands for Saigon. That snapped Foote's head back.
Foote misses with a low kick.
Saigon works Foote's body with a nice hook.
Foote tries to clinch up
and Saigon counters with a stiff right hand.
Foote fails in his attempt to clinch.
Saigon is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Saigon fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Foote looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Saigon tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Foote was well out of range. Poor timing from Saigon.
Foote ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Saigon moves away.
A head kick misses from Foote.
Saigon tests Foote's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Saigon blocks a head kick by Foote.
Saigon comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Sheldy Foote is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Saigon lands a two punch combo.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Foote moves into range and clinches up with Saigon.
I was talking to Foote's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Foote.
Saigon is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Saigon blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Saigon manages to break the clinch.
Saigon ducks under a wild hook from Foote.
Foote lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Foote wants to clinch but Saigon slips to the side
and Saigon counters with a left to the body.
Saigon avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Foote throws a sloppy head kick
and Saigon counters with a nice uppercut.
A shot to the liver by Saigon. Beautiful body shot.
Foote takes one to the chin there.
Foote tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Saigon counters with a right hand to the body.
Foote swings for the body but Saigon moves out of range.
Saigon is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Foote rather than just go for the knockout.
Saigon throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Foote moves to clinch but Saigon breaks away
and Saigon counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Johnny Saigon 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.

Foote takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Saigon fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Some bone on bone action there as Saigon checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Saigon is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Foote dodges the punch combination from Saigon.
Foote wants to clinch
and Saigon cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Foote rushes Saigon and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
A short left from Saigon.
Foote has a couple of punches blocked by Saigon.
Foote misses with a knee to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Foote using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Saigon has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Foote pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Saigon.
Saigon blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Foote makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saigon blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Foote softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

Saigon breaks the clinch.
Saigon ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Foote tries to grapple but his opponent circles
letting Saigon counter with a right hand.
Foote wants to clinch up but Saigon keeps it at a distance.
Saigon scores with a nice head shot.
Foote misses with a double jab.
A punch combination from Foote misses.
Foote misses with a two punch combination.
Foote has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Foote there as he acknowledges the shot.
Foote pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Saigon now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Foote closes the distance looking to clinch
and Saigon counters with a stiff right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Saigon avoids a punch combination nicely.
Saigon scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Saigon has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
A head kick by Foote misses
and Saigon counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Foote has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Foote looks to throw a body kick
and Saigon connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Foote throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Foote misses with a head kick.
Saigon lands a jab-cross combination.
Foote misses with a head kick.
Saigon avoids the head kick by Foote.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Foote throws a lazy head kick
and Saigon counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Saigon misses the shot to the body.
An attempted straight right counter from Foote misses the target.
A head kick misses from Foote.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Foote throws a leg kick that is checked
enabling Saigon to counter with a crisp jab.
Saigon dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Saigon connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Foote momentarily.
Saigon misses with the combination.

Foote has taken the fight to the clinch.
Foote tries to land knees in the clinch but Saigon avoids the damage to the body.
Saigon tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Foote smiles and moves away.
Saigon lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Foote at a distance.
Johnny Saigon seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Saigon lands a nice shot that snaps Foote's head back.
Saigon lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Foote misses with a body kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saigon digs a good body shot into Foote's ribs.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Saigon takes a swing at Foote's ribcage but misses.
An inside leg kick from Foote misses.
Saigon ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Foote throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Saigon just misses with a punch to the body.
Foote misses with a body kick.
Foote checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
It looked like Foote was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Saigon.
Nice straight punches there by Saigon. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Saigon.
Saigon throws a nice looking combination but Foote bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Foote appears to be looking for a big counter.
Saigon lands with a shot to the body.
Sheldy Foote is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Foote throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Foote misses with a hook. Saigon ducked under it nicely.
Foote wants to clinch but Saigon slips to the side
and Saigon counters with a three punch combo that has Foote backing up. Foote nods at Saigon to acknowledge the strikes.
Foote swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Saigon counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Foote thinking.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Johnny Saigon showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Saigon lunges at Foote with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Foote's hand.

Foote moves into range and clinches up with Saigon.

Saigon breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Foote looks to score with a jab to the body but Saigon is just out of range.
Saigon scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Foote throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Foote takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
A looping hook to the body misses from Saigon. Foote does a little dance to reset his feet.
Saigon has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
A slapping leg kick lands for Foote.
Saigon throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Foote steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Saigon.
Saigon throws a shot to the body.
Saigon connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
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!
Foote tries to clinch up.
Foote takes a body punch but keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Foote tries to land a front kick but Saigon steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Foote drops his hands momentarily and Saigon takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Saigon scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.

Foote clinches up with Saigon and pushes him back against the cage.
Sheldy Foote has scored more points in the clinch so far.

Saigon pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Foote clinches with his opponent.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Foote just misses with a elbow thrown towards Saigon's brow.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Saigon.
Foote misses with some punches.
Saigon with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Saigon wants to break the clinch but can't.
Foote misses with some punches.
Saigon is looking to control Foote's arms but Foote gets an underhook and turns him. Now Saigon has his back to the cage.
Foote misses with some punches.
Foote throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Saigon blocks it with crossed arms.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saigon dodges an elbow strike from Foote.
Saigon lands a shoulder strike.
Foote misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Saigon makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
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!

Saigon manages to break the clinch.
Saigon lands a right hook to the body.
Saigon punishes Foote's body with a nice straight punch.
Foote throws a head kick but Saigon moves out of range.
Saigon doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Saigon takes a kick to the side of the head.
Saigon jabs Foote to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Foote tries a head kick but it misses.
It seemed like Saigon was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Saigon avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
It seemed like Saigon was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Foote fails in his attempt to clinch.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Saigon! But no joy.
Saigon listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Foote gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saigon throws a shot to the body.
Foote throws a head kick but Saigon moves out of range.
A little jabbing left from Saigon on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Foote takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Foote tries to clinch up.
Foote tries to clinch up
and Saigon counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Saigon blocks a head kick by Foote.
Saigon avoids a kick to the body.
Foote looks to land a combination but Saigon avoids it well.
Foote tries to clinch up but Saigon circles away and keeps his distance.
Saigon lands a jab to the head.
Saigon takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Foote throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saigon throws a leg kick that misses.
Foote buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Saigon lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Saigon throws a nice looking combination but Foote bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Foote is looking to clinch.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Saigon, as that shot connected.

Foote drives through and clinches with Saigon against the cage.
Saigon managing to block the knees to the body from Foote.
Saigon misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Foote.
Saigon misses with a punch on the inside.
Foote looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Foote being controlled against the cage.
Foote throws a head punch that misses.
Sheldy Foote has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Johnny Saigon is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Foote misses with a punch on the inside.

And that's the end of the fight!
Johnny Saigon comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Saigon winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 27:30
Judge William Gold scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Johnny Saigon!
After the fight, Johnny Saigon was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.