PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bob Sapp (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Freddy Li (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Sapp
vs
Li

193 cm
27
272 lbs
4 - 7 - 0

175 cm
19
230 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Bob Sapp!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Freddy Li!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Jack Bonds and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Li scores with a nice strike.
Li keeps the fight on the outside.

Li shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Li showed some decent athleticism there.
Li moves nicely into side control.
Sapp tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Li presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Li prevents Sapp from getting the reversal.
Li with shots to the head and body - Sapp looks very uncomfortable down there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Li is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Sapp is trying to escape the mount.
Li controlling the position easily from mount.

Li has control of Sapp's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Sapp regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Sapp is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Li tries to control but Sapp wriggling away.
Sapp tries to reverse the position but Li maintains control.
Li working Sapp over with strikes here.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Li has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Sapp's face.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Li cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Li wants to control the pace but Sapp is squirming around nicely.
Li scoring with strikes but Sapp is staying in there.
Sapp tries to hold on but Li postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sapp wants to try and get back to his feet.
Li lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Li tries to control but Sapp wriggling away.
Sapp taking shots to the head.
Li tries to control but Sapp wriggling away.
Li is landing with some decent strikes but Sapp is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sapp wants to control but Li is having none of it.
Li wants to control the pace but Sapp is squirming around nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sapp is bucking up trying to escape but Li cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Sapp really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Li punishing his opponent with strikes.
A nice elbow there by Li.

Li is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Sapp has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Li sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Li has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A nice elbow there by Li.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Freddy Li dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Sapp closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Li has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Sapp tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Li sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Li slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Sapp will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Sapp trying to control the position from guard on top but Li is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Li manages to escape and get back to his feet.

Sapp feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
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!

Li uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Sapp takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Li closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Sapp to the mat! Sapp manages to get full guard.
Li wants to control from the top but Sapp keeps moving.
Sapp keeping full guard, as Li tries to pass.
Li pushing down on Sapp's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

Li is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Li is working for a submission of some sort.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Li in particular looking to stall.
Li is trying to control the action in half guard but Sapp is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Sapp wants to control but Li is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Li is looking for a kimura here.
Sapp won't allow Li to pass to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Li. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Sapp wants to sweep but Li has passed to side control!
Sapp is looking for a sweep.
Sapp manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Li moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Sapp won't allow Li to sweep him here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Li looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Li looking to try and escape his hips here, looking for a submission. It looks like he's going for a triangle but Sapp is defending well. Li quickly switches to an armbar and extends the arm! Sapp has no choice but to tap, to a very quick submission! Wow, that was lightning fast! Li celebrates on the cage, with the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:25 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Freddy Li!
During a confident post fight interview, Freddy Li thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.