PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Erik Bryant (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rob Sparger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sparger has chosen Smooth Criminal by Alien Ant Farm as his entrance music. 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.

Bryant
vs
Sparger

189 cm
31
272 lbs
19 - 10 - 0

210 cm
30
260 lbs
17 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Mango Nutrition

Ace of Spades Clothing

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 19 - 10 - 0, fighting out of New York, Erik Bryant!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Rob Sparger!
The judges for this bout are Franklyn Lucas, Alyssa Summers and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bryant looks to land a combination but Sparger avoids it well.

Sparger closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Bryant keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Bryant tries to get to full guard but Sparger has control of the leg.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Sparger is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Bryant doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Sparger.
Bryant is staying active underneath Sparger, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sparger is looking to advance position but Bryant won't allow it.
Sparger not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Sparger working the head and body with strikes.
Bryant wants to get back to full guard.
Bryant on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Sparger thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Bryant makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Bryant.
Sparger throws a big right hand that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sparger loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Bryant might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Sparger throws an elbow that misses. Bryant uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Sparger's guard. Nice move by Bryant!
Bryant won't allow Sparger to get back to his feet.
Sparger is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
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!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Erik Bryant wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Sparger looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Bryant is fending him off so far but Sparger persists. Nope, Bryant circles away and we're back to standing.
Sparger works Bryant's body with a nice hook.
Erik Bryant seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bryant misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Sparger. Bryant does a little dance to reset his feet.
Sparger throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Bryant.
Sparger fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Bryant manages to avoid it.
Sparger throws a right hand that misses
and Bryant finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bryant throws a series of punches but Sparger avoids them all with ease.
A big left from Sparger misses.
Bryant keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Bryant moves out of range of the strikes.
Bryant pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Bryant throws a half hearted mid kick.
Bryant misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Sparger.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bryant tries to clinch but Sparger moves away
and Sparger counters with a nice uppercut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bryant throws a head kick but Sparger moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rob Sparger dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

A big left from Sparger misses.
Horrible takedown by Sparger or perhaps it was just good defense by Bryant which made him look bad.
Bryant lands a jab.

Bryant clinches.
Sparger is trying to break free.
Sparger drops down looking for an ankle pick but Bryant pulls his leg out and moves away.
Sparger cracks Bryant with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big right from Sparger misses.
Bryant uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Sparger.
Bryant misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Sparger throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Bryant is looking to clinch but Sparger is avoiding it.
Decent striking displayed by Sparger there.
Bryant throws a body punch but Sparger moves out of range.
Bryant moves away from the strike by Sparger.
Sparger misses with a hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sparger fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Erik Bryant has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rob Sparger.
Crunch! Bryant slams his shin into Sparger's torso.
Sparger misses with an uppercut. Bryant saw that one coming.
Bryant thumps Sparger with a low kick.
Sparger takes a shot right to the bread basket.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bryant scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Sparger doesn't seem bothered though.
Bryant misses with a low kick.
Sparger moves out of range of the strikes.

Bryant has Sparger up against the cage in a clinch.
Sparger wants to break free but Bryant has control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sparger doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Bryant tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Good body shot from Sparger.
Sparger wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Bryant is pressed up against the cage. Sparger has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Bryant down to the mat. Bryant avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Sparger thuds his right hand into Bryant's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Bryant swings for the body but Sparger moves out of range.
Sparger fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Bryant manages to avoid it.
Bryant is looking to wear down Sparger with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Bryant throws a series of punches but Sparger moves out of range.
Bryant tries to clinch but Sparger moves out of range.
Sparger misses with a straight right.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sparger gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Bryant.

It looks like Rob Sparger has been cut.
Bryant tests Sparger's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Bryant lands a nice looking body kick.
Erik Bryant is winning the standup battle so far.
Bryant uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Sparger.
Bryant is looking to clinch but Sparger is avoiding it.
Sparger blocks a head kick by Bryant.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bryant moves away from the strike by Sparger.
Sparger on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Erik Bryant dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Rob Sparger's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Bryant lets loose with a powerful body kick. Sparger will feel that in the morning.
Sparger throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Bryant sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Sparger takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Bryant thows a left - swing and a miss!
Bryant tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sparger paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A big right from Bryant misses.
Bryant fails in his attempt to clinch.
A head kick misses from Bryant.
Bryant misses with a wild body shot.
Sparger throws out a loose jab but Bryant uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bryant wants to clinch up but Sparger keeps it at a distance.
Bryant looks to score with a jab to the body but Sparger is just out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Bryant. Sparger does a little dance to reset his feet.
Bryant jabs Sparger to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Sparger takes a swing at Bryant's ribcage but misses.
Sparger pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Bryant gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Sparger.
Bryant throws a sloppy head kick and Sparger moves out of range easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sparger throws a jab when Bryant was well out of range.
Sparger moves away from the strike by Bryant.
Bryant dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Bryant throws a sloppy head kick and Sparger moves out of range easily.
Bryant misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Bryant slips a jab and a cross from Sparger.
Sparger misses with an uppercut. Bryant saw that one coming.
Sparger circles away from the clinch attempt.
Bryant fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bryant looks to score with a jab to the body but Sparger is just out of range.
A telegraphed right hand from Sparger misses the target.
Sparger waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Bryant.
Bryant tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Bryant is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Sparger on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Bryant delivers a nice body kick.
Bryant wants to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bryant throws the kick towards the body but Sparger avoids it.
Erik Bryant is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Donk. Bryant catches Sparger right on the button with a cross.
Sparger takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Bryant throws a solid leg kick but Sparger takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Bryant.
Sparger misses with a body shot.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A head kick from Bryant lands but Sparger takes it in his stride.

That has opened up Rob Sparger's cut even more.
Bryant tries to clinch but Sparger moves out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Erik Bryant showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Bryant has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 29:28
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Erik Bryant!