PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between John Chandler (ranked 4421 p4p, 6196 weight class) and Ben Sonnen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). John Chandler has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Chandler
vs
Sonnen

180 cm
19
185
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
188
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Good chin

Good wrestler
Brawler
Can Moonwalk

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, John Chandler!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Ben Sonnen!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Daniel Cesar and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sonnen gets the takedown into side control.
Chandler is looking for a sweep.
Sonnen is looking to take a break and control but Chandler is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Sonnen is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Sonnen lands a few punches from side control.
Chandler takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Chandler taking a bit of punishment here - Sonnen scoring with strikes.
Sonnen scoring with punches from side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sonnen lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Chandler is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Chandler is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Sonnen off and has taken his back!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Chandler is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.

Chandler is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Sonnen has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sonnen tries to roll but Chandler sticks to his back.
Chandler misses with a punch to the head.
Sonnen biding his time here by controlling the hands, looking to escape.
Sonnen wants to control his opponent's hands but Chandler gets his hands free.
Chandler controlling well, preventing Sonnen from escaping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Sonnen is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Chandler gets his way!
Chandler is trying to stick to Sonnen's back but Sonnen is turning into Chandler. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Chandler's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Sonnen.

Chandler throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Sonnen working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Chandler's head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sonnen working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

Chandler escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Sonnen gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Chandler is breathing heavily.
Sonnen is in close to Chandler's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Sonnen postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Chandler is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Sonnen with a nice head shot there.
Sonnen controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Sonnen slips nicely into half guard.
Sonnen takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Ground and pound from Sonnen.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Sonnen lands a nice short elbow.
Sonnen really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Chandler. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Chandler is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Sonnen scores with a couple of nice shots.
Chandler is staying active underneath Sonnen, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Sonnen slips a nice elbow through Chandler's hands, connecting with Chandler's forehead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Sonnen winds up and cracks Chandler with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Sonnen is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

Chandler looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Sonnen slips a nice elbow through Chandler's hands, connecting with Chandler's forehead.
Chandler taking some punishment here, with Sonnen in his half guard.
Sonnen winds up and cracks Chandler with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Sonnen winds up and cracks Chandler with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Chandler is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Sonnen scores with a couple of nice shots.
Sonnen lands strikes from half guard.
Sonnen looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Chandler on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Chandler is refusing to be controlled, as Sonnen sits in half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Sonnen dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Sonnen shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Sonnen was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Sonnen looks up at the clock and then as Chandler takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Sonnen smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Chandler taking a bit of punishment here - Sonnen scoring with strikes.
Chandler stops Sonnen from passing to mount.
Sonnen lands an elbow.
Sonnen scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Chandler to see if he's OK.
Sonnen working the ground and pound.
Ben Sonnen has got the better of the ground game so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sonnen scoring with punches and elbows.
Chandler is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Chandler takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Chandler takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Chandler taking a bit of punishment here - Sonnen scoring with strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sonnen lands a nice forearm strike.

Chandler is rocked!
Check out the look on Sonnen's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Oh Chandler is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Chandler manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Chandler seems to have got his legs back now.
Sonnen looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Sonnen lands a nice short elbow.
Sonnen seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Sonnen working over Chandler with some ground and pound. Chandler looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Chandler taking some punishment here, with Sonnen in his half guard.
Sonnen looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Chandler with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Sonnen lands strikes from half guard.
Chandler slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Sonnen works over Chandler with some ground and pound from guard.
Sonnen with a nice head shot there.

Chandler is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Sonnen defends well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen is working Chandler over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Sonnen cracks Chandler with a solid left hand.
Sonnen controls from within his opponent's guard.
Sonnen lands a couple of elbows.
Sonnen working some strikes from top position.
Sonnen working some strikes from top position.
Sonnen is in close to Chandler's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Sonnen content to stall in guard here.
Sonnen chips away with some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen scoring with some ground and pound.
Sonnen works over Chandler with some ground and pound from guard.
Chandler has momentary wrist control but Sonnen slips an elbow through the middle.
Sonnen makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

Chandler is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Sonnen not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Sonnen lands a couple of elbows.
Sonnen landing with the ground and pound.
Sonnen is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Sonnen tries to free his leg and advance position but Chandler is retaining full guard.
Sonnen is in close to Chandler's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen with a nice head shot there.
Sonnen lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Sonnen stands up over Chandler, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Sonnen scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Sonnen connects with a couple of short punches.
Sonnen cracks Chandler with a solid left hand.
Sonnen content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Sonnen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Chandler swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Sonnen slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Sonnen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. And we move into the final round!

Sonnen fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Chandler sprawls well initially but Sonnen persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Sonnen controlling the action here.
The fighters are battling for position here. Chandler manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Sonnen trying to control but Chandler is working from the bottom.
Sonnen working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Chandler's head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Chandler has thrown up a leg looking for a triangle. Sonnen doesn't defend quickly enough and Chandler has managed to lock this one up! Can Sonnen escape?! NO! He's tapping out! Damn, that was a quick submission - congrats to Chandler on a fantastic submission victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). John Chandler!