PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jackson Sampson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Max McLennan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Sampson
vs
McLennan

185 cm
18
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

181 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Tends to cut

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 Sydney, Jackson Sampson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Max McLennan!
The judges for this bout are Ben Watson, Ben Hemmingworth and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

McLennan looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Sampson!
McLennan is looking to take a break and control but Sampson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
McLennan landing a few strikes.
McLennan lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Sampson wants to control but McLennan postures up.
Sampson is not content to let McLennan control the position.
McLennan wants to stand but Sampson has his arm trapped.
Sampson takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McLennan in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
McLennan trying to control the action but Sampson is working from the bottom.
Sampson tries to get back to half guard but can't.
McLennan wants to control but Sampson is keeping him busy.
Sampson misses with a strike from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sampson is looking for a sweep.
McLennan misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Sampson being controlled for a moment.
McLennan working the strikes but Sampson uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
McLennan wants to stand up but Sampson is controlling the position.

McLennan is looking for a kimura here.
McLennan lands strikes from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sampson is looking to improve his position.
Sampson avoiding damage under a succession of punches from McLennan.
McLennan is trying to control. Sampson wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
McLennan scoring with strikes to the body and head.
McLennan controlling the action here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice strikes from McLennan there.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. McLennan lands a nice short elbow.
Still in half guard, McLennan seems content to control.
McLennan wants to stand but Sampson has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Sampson is not content to let McLennan control the position.
McLennan wants to get back to his feet.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
McLennan working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Max McLennan dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

McLennan clinches up against the cage.
McLennan is pushing Sampson up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

McLennan has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Sampson regains guard immediately.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as McLennan accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Sampson working a defensive guard here.
McLennan tries to free his leg and advance position but Sampson is retaining full guard.
McLennan landing with the ground and pound.
Sampson looking for a sweep. Not yet Sampson, not yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sampson is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
McLennan is looking to work some ground and pound but Sampson has wrist control.
McLennan looking to sit in guard and control but Sampson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
McLennan keeping moving, preventing Sampson from controlling successfully.
McLennan has his hands on Sampson's head, controlling the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sampson preventing the sweep.
Sampson wants to control from the top but McLennan keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McLennan preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
McLennan trying to keep a closed guard but Sampson is proving a slippery customer.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
McLennan leaves Sampson with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

McLennan scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

McLennan goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Sampson has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for McLennan but great work by Sampson.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sampson throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and McLennan works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Sampson throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sampson wants to control but McLennan is keeping him busy.
McLennan is controlling Sampson's trapped leg to prevent Sampson from advancing to side control.
Sampson is looking to take a break and control but McLennan is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Sampson stops McLennan from getting back to his feet.
McLennan is breathing heavily.
McLennan is looking for a sweep. Sampson is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Sampson trying to control the action but McLennan is working from the bottom.

We're going to have a standup here because Jackson Sampson wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Sampson closes this distance looking for a takedown but McLennan circles away.

McLennan shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells McLennan's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McLennan makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Max McLennan has got the better of the ground game so far.
Sampson is trying to control the position from the bottom.
McLennan looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Sampson working a defensive guard here.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
McLennan keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Sampson's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Max McLennan 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. This is the final round!

McLennan closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Sampson's guard.
Sampson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
McLennan trying to control but Sampson is working from the bottom.
McLennan is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
McLennan sitting in guard here, content to control.
McLennan postures up and lands a big shot to Sampson's brow.
McLennan is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
McLennan throwing strikes but missing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sampson has momentary wrist control but McLennan slips an elbow through the middle.
McLennan missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Sampson has momentary wrist control but McLennan slips an elbow through the middle.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Sampson looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
McLennan passes Sampson's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Sampson wants to control but McLennan is keeping busy and won't allow it.
McLennan is nestled in close to Sampson, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ground and pound from McLennan.
McLennan keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Ground and pound from McLennan.
Sampson has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. McLennan is working away from the top position though.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
McLennan tries to stand but can't do so whilst Sampson controls his leg.
McLennan trying to control the pace.
Sampson has hold of McLennan's hands but McLennan slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sampson is refusing to be controlled, as McLennan sits in half guard.
Sampson is trying to maintain the position but McLennan is very close to passing his half guard.
Sampson taking some punishment here, with McLennan in his half guard.
McLennan is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Sampson missing with punches from the bottom.
McLennan working the head and body with strikes.
Sampson is trying to defend against the ground and pound but McLennan scores with a couple of nice shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sampson on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Ground and pound from McLennan.
McLennan seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
McLennan lands with a punch from half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

McLennan seems like he's working for an arm triangle here. He's freed his trapped foot and he's rotating nicely. Sampson is in big trouble! He's tapping out! This one is aaaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Max McLennan!