PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mark Neilberg (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cael Sanderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Neilberg
vs
Sanderson

185 cm
25
185 lbs
10 - 5 - 0

186 cm
24
193 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Good chin

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Solid chin

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 10 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mark Neilberg!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Cael Sanderson!
The judges for this bout are Steve Erwin, Skip Squint and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Neilberg shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Sanderson as he jumps to the side.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Sanderson.
Neilberg regains half guard, as Sanderson was trying to land strikes.
Sanderson missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Sanderson not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Sanderson thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Neilberg's head.
Sanderson throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Neilberg is looking to escape.
Sanderson thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Neilberg's head.
Neilberg trying to hold on to Sanderson's head to control him but Sanderson postures up.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Neilberg shoots in but Sanderson avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neilberg takes one to the chin there.

Sanderson clinches up against the cage.

Sanderson breaks from the clinch.
Neilberg tries for a takedown but Sanderson circles away easily

and Sanderson counters with a shoot takedown. Neilberg fights it but they end up in guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mark Neilberg. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sanderson throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Neilberg works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Neilberg on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Neilberg tries to get out of the position.
Sanderson missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Sanderson would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Sanderson trying to control the position from guard on top but Neilberg is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sanderson thows a big elbow that misses.
Sanderson connects with a couple of short punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanderson trying to control the position from guard on top but Neilberg is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sanderson working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Sanderson postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Sanderson with a flurry of punches that miss.
Neilberg wants to sweep but no luck.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Sanderson's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Neilberg has control of Sanderson's left arm, preventing Sanderson from doing any damage.
Neilberg is breathing heavily.
Sanderson throws a big right hand that misses.
Sanderson is looking to work some ground and pound but Neilberg has wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanderson won't allow Neilberg to sweep him here.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Sanderson postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Neilberg has momentary wrist control but Sanderson slips an elbow through the middle.
Neilberg working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sanderson.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sanderson tries to free his leg and advance position but Neilberg is retaining full guard.
Sanderson with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Sanderson has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Neilberg is proving hard to escape from.
Sanderson must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Sanderson throws and elbow that misses. Neilberg uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Sanderson's guard. Nice move by Neilberg!
Sanderson trying to strike off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sanderson working a defensive guard here.
Sanderson trying to strike off his back.
Sanderson trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Sanderson is striking from the bottom but Neilberg uses the opportunity to pass into half guard.
Neilberg prevents Sanderson from improving his position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Neilberg swinging wildly here.

Sanderson shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Neilberg manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Sanderson is looking to work some ground and pound but Neilberg has wrist control.
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!

Neilberg throws a nice looking combination but Sanderson bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Neilberg closes the distance and pushes Sanderson back into the cage.
Neilberg prevents the takedown attempt.
Sanderson is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Neilberg gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Neilberg is trying to break the clinch but Sanderson has him pressed against the cage.
Sanderson wants a takedown but no success here.
Mark Neilberg has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cael Sanderson.

Neilberg has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Sanderson is trying to keep an underhook but Neilberg manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Sanderson misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Sanderson throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Sanderson wants to improve his position but Neilberg is controlling well.
Neilberg uses his free foot to push down on Sanderson's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Sanderson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neilberg looking to control but Sanderson is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sanderson tries to hold on but Neilberg pushes him away.
Neilberg prevents Sanderson from getting the reversal.
Sanderson swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Sanderson throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Sanderson is trying to escape the mount.
Sanderson is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Sanderson sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Neilberg controlling the pace.
Sanderson trying to control but Neilberg postures up.
Sanderson missing with punches from the bottom.
Sanderson flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Sanderson trying to get back to full guard but Neilberg takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanderson is wriggling around trying to escape.
Sanderson flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Sanderson is looking to get to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Neilberg looking to control but Sanderson is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Sanderson can't escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Sanderson tries for a takedown but Neilberg sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Sanderson shoots in looking for a takedown. Neilberg tries to sprawl out of it but Sanderson keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Neilberg manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Sanderson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Neilberg pinned against the cage. Neilberg gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Mark Neilberg has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cael Sanderson.
Neilberg looks to land a combination. Sanderson sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

It looks like Cael Sanderson has been cut.
Neilberg wants to clinch.
Neilberg shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Sanderson pinned against the cage. Sanderson gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Sanderson dodges the punch combination from Neilberg.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sanderson goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Sanderson misses with an attempted mid kick.

Sanderson rushes Neilberg and presses him up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sanderson has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Neilberg is trying to keep an underhook but Sanderson manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Sanderson thows a huge punch but Neilberg dodges it nicely.
Sanderson slips a nice elbow through Neilberg's hands, connecting with Neilberg's forehead.
Sanderson throwing shots but Neilberg is blocking nicely.
Sanderson slips a nice elbow through Neilberg's hands, connecting with Neilberg's forehead.
Neilberg is trying to get back to full guard.
Sanderson throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Neilberg wants to get back to his feet.
Sanderson scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanderson not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Sanderson is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Sanderson lands strikes from half guard.
Sanderson wants to control but Neilberg is keeping him busy.
Sanderson is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Sanderson not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Neilberg is looking to improve his position.
Sanderson thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanderson throwing shots but Neilberg is blocking nicely.
Sanderson throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Sanderson missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Sanderson closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Neilberg defending against the ground and pound.
Check out the look on Sanderson's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Check out the look on Sanderson's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Neilberg is trying to control Sanderson's posture but Sanderson avoids it.
Sanderson lands an elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neilberg takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Neilberg regains half guard, as Sanderson was trying to land strikes.
Neilberg avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Sanderson.
Sanderson not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Sanderson sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Neilberg defending well though.
Sanderson throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cael Sanderson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Sanderson has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Steve Erwin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 28:29
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cael Sanderson!