PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Lamont Sanford (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Xavier Naidoo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sanford comes to the cage accompanied by The Streetbeater. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Sanford
vs
Naidoo

187 cm
21
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

189 cm
22
192 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Dangerous GnP
Basic striking
Determined

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 Los Angeles, Lamont Sanford!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Xavier Naidoo!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Jack Bonds and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sanford throws a right and a left that Naidoo avoids nicely.
Sanford connects with a solid leg kick.
Xavier Naidoo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Naidoo throws a chopping leg kick but Sanford manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Sanford looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Naidoo throws a head kick that misses.
A nice leg kick lands there from Naidoo.
Sanford throws a head kick but Naidoo moves out of range.
Sanford misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Sanford fails with a takedown attempt.

Naidoo clinches up against the cage.
Sanford is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Sanford with an attempt at a knee that misses.
The referee calls for Naidoo to work.
Naidoo receives a warning from the referee for stalling.

Naidoo has hold of one of Sanford's legs. Sanford is fighting the takedown attempt but Naidoo gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Sanford keeping moving, preventing Naidoo from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Naidoo trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Naidoo thows a big elbow that misses.
Naidoo working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Sanford's head.
Sanford can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Naidoo controls the pace.
Naidoo wants to pass the guard but Sanford is keeping the position.
Naidoo thows a big elbow that misses.
Naidoo trying to control the position from guard on top but Sanford is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Naidoo has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Naidoo loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Sanford keeping moving, preventing Naidoo from controlling successfully.
Sanford utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Naidoo wants to control from the top but Sanford keeps moving.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Naidoo has managed to clinch.
Naidoo has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Sanford is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Sanford is trying to break the clinch but Naidoo has him pressed against the cage.
Naidoo drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Sanford gets the underhooks and prevents it.
With the fighters up against the cage, Naidoo throws an elbow but misses.

Naidoo escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sanford avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Naidoo tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Naidoo checks a low kick from Sanford.
Sanford throws a leg kick but Naidoo sees it coming and moves out of range.

Naidoo moves into the clinch.
Naidoo wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Naidoo manages to break the clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Naidoo wants a takedown but no success here.
Lamont Sanford has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Xavier Naidoo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanford blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Stalling in the clinch from Naidoo.
Naidoo looks gassed!
Naidoo is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Sanford is keeping busy.

Sanford escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sanford throws a nice looking combination but Naidoo bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
The crowd cheers as Sanford lands an impressive looking overhand right. Naidoo doesn't seem phased though.
Sanford circles away from the clinch attempt.
Sanford shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Naidoo pinned against the cage. Naidoo gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Naidoo tries to clinch there but Sanford circles away.
Sanford shoots for a takedown but Naidoo saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Naidoo clinches up with Sanford and pushes him back against the cage.
Sanford can't break the clinch.
Naidoo pressing his opponent against the cage.
Naidoo drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Naidoo stops a takedown attempt from Sanford.

Naidoo breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Sanford shoots in and drives through. Naidoo sprawls well.

Naidoo fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Sanford, pushing him back against the cage.
Sanford lands a damaging elbow.
Naidoo takes an elbow to the temple.

It looks like Xavier Naidoo has been cut.

Naidoo breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Naidoo moves in looking to clinch but Sanford pushes him off.
Sanford cracks the inside of Naidoo's front leg.

Sanford clinches with his opponent.
Naidoo blocks an elbow strike from Sanford.

Sanford has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Naidoo uses from the top position.
Sanford is controlling Naidoo's posture.
Naidoo stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sanford swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Sanford is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Xavier Naidoo dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Xavier Naidoo's cut.
That's time! Sanford's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Naidoo looks to clinch
and Sanford counters with a series of strikes. Naidoo will be more careful next time no doubt.

Naidoo clinches up with Sanford and pushes him back against the cage.
Sanford missing with knees to the body.
Sanford is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Naidoo tries for a takedown but Sanford manages to get underhooks.

Sanford works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Naidoo is looking to sweep but instead, Sanford has passed into half guard.
Naidoo trying to control here.
Naidoo tries to roll over but Sanford keeps him under control.
Naidoo is trying to maintain the position but Sanford is very close to passing his half guard.
Naidoo is breathing heavily.
Naidoo is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Naidoo is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Sanford trying to control the pace.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Sanford throws a push kick but Naidoo slaps the foot to one side.
Sanford will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Sanford shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Naidoo but Naidoo pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Naidoo wants to clinch

and Sanford counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Naidoo!
Naidoo tries to lock up and control but Sanford gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Sanford tries to control but Naidoo wriggling away.
Naidoo tries to reverse the position but Sanford maintains control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Naidoo slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Naidoo trying to control from the bottom.
Naidoo is looking to get back to full guard here but Sanford has managed to pass to side control instead.
Sanford sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Naidoo is in all sorts of trouble here.
Sanford content just to control the position here.
Sanford seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Naidoo for as long as he can get away with.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Naidoo tries to hold on but Sanford pushes him away.
Sanford trying to control but Naidoo is having none of it.
Naidoo is in all sorts of trouble here.
Sanford controlling the position easily from mount.
Naidoo is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Naidoo is trying to escape the mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sanford can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Naidoo is looking to escape.
Naidoo is wriggling around trying to escape.
Naidoo is squirming around, avoiding Sanford's attempts to control the action.
Naidoo manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Naidoo wants to get back to full guard.
Naidoo throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lamont Sanford dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Xavier Naidoo's cut.
That's time! Sanford's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Naidoo avoids the body shot from Sanford.
Naidoo tries to clinch up.
Naidoo showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Sanford.
Naidoo tries to clinch up but Sanford circles away and keeps his distance.
Lamont Sanford is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Naidoo looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Sanford is fending him off so far but Naidoo persists. Nope, Sanford circles away and we're back to standing.
Naidoo doesn't manage to clinch there - Sanford circles away.
Naidoo checks the leg kick.
A leg kick checked by Naidoo.
Sanford looks to score with a jab to the body but Naidoo is just out of range.

Naidoo drives through and clinches with Sanford against the cage.
Naidoo trying to land knees to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sanford tries to land knees in the clinch but Naidoo avoids the damage to the body.
Sanford keeps control of Naidoo as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Naidoo's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sanford misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Naidoo.
Nice body punch from Sanford - that landed with a thud.

Naidoo escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sanford throws a push kick but Naidoo slaps the foot to one side.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Naidoo drives through and clinches with Sanford against the cage.
Naidoo misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Sanford wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Naidoo escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Sanford clinches up against the cage.
Sanford prevents the takedown attempt.
Naidoo has Sanford pushed against the cage.
Naidoo tries to throw a body punch but Sanford avoids it by throwing Naidoo back against the cage.

Sanford breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Sanford throws a wild body kick that Naidoo sees coming a mile off.
Sanford tries to clinch

and Naidoo counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Naidoo is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Naidoo missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Naidoo trying to pass the guard but Sanford defending well.
Naidoo looks to land a strike but Sanford avoids it nicely and regains full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Naidoo postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Naidoo in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Naidoo looking to sit in guard and control but Sanford gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Sanford has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Naidoo is proving hard to escape from.
Naidoo bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Sanford's guard.
Naidoo throws a strike but Sanford rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Naidoo is trying to hold Sanford in close to prevent damage but Sanford has managed to pass into half guard.
Naidoo gets back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Naidoo working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Sanford has passed into half guard!
Naidoo moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Sanford trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Sanford postures up.
Naidoo wants to improve his position but instead Sanford has moved into half guard.
Sanford seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Naidoo does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Naidoo is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Naidoo is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Sanford's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Sanford's back!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Naidoo is persistently looking for the submission but Sanford is defending it well.
Naidoo misses with a punch to the head.

Sanford showing good submission defense here.
Xavier Naidoo has got the better of the ground game so far.
Naidoo misses with an elbow to the head.
Sanford looking very determined here, making life difficult for Naidoo.

Sanford showing good submission defense here.
Naidoo throwing damaging strikes from the back! Sanford could be in trouble here!
Naidoo lands a shot to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Xavier Naidoo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Naidoo 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Xavier Naidoo!