PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Bill Newton (ranked 2790 p4p, 324 weight class) and Sonny Bradford (ranked 3686 p4p, 404 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.

Newton
vs
Bradford

184 cm
24
197 lbs
9 - 8 - 1

186 cm
32
190 lbs
19 - 16 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

KAISER Nutrition - Q160

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 9 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Bill Newton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 16 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sonny Bradford!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, Jorge Garcia and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bradford throws a body punch but Newton moves out of range.
Newton checks a leg kick.
Newton shoots in but no luck this time.
A punch lands to the side of Bradford 's head but he takes it in his stride.

Newton has closed the distance and engaged Bradford in a clinch.
Newton misses with a punch on the inside.
Bradford misses with a hook to the ribs.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Bradford.

Bradford escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Newton takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Newton takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Bradford misses with an attempted mid kick.
A head kick misses from Bradford.
Newton changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Newton darts in looking for a takedown but Bradford gets double underhooks and turns Newton into the cage.
Newton pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Bradford throws out a leg kick but Newton moves out of range and Bradford only half commits.
Newton tries for a takedown but Bradford sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bill Newton. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bradford throws a head kick that misses

and Newton counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Newton wants to control from the top but Bradford keeps moving.
Bradford keeping full guard, as Newton tries to pass.
Newton wants to control from the top but Bradford keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Newton stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Bradford swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Bradford is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Newton trying to control but Bradford is working from the bottom.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Newton passes into half guard.
Bradford wants to get back to full guard.
Newton is trying to control the action in half guard but Bradford is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Newton is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Bradford sees it coming and defends easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Newton is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Newton looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Newton wants to control but Bradford is keeping him busy.

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.
Bradford controlling the position well.

Newton is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Bradford sees it coming and defends easily.
Newton not doing much here.

Newton is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Newton is working for a kimura but Bradford is defending it quite comfortably.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Bill Newton will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Newton shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Newton is looking for a kimura but Bradford is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Newton to get the leverage.
Well, if Newton is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bradford wants to get back to full guard.

Newton is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Bradford sees it coming and defends easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Newton is looking to take a break and control but Bradford is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Newton looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Bradford is refusing to be controlled, as Newton sits in half guard.
Newton is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Bradford tries to lock up and control but Newton gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Newton working for a submission but Bradford is keeping him at bay.
Bradford tries to lock up and control but Newton gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Newton looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Bradford tries to reverse the position but Newton maintains control.

Newton is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Bradford can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Newton can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Bradford is looking to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bradford tries to reverse the position but Newton maintains control.
Newton looking to control but Bradford is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Bradford can't escape the position.
Newton trying to control but Bradford is having none of it.
Newton sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

Newton with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

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.
Newton controlling from the full mount.
Newton tries to control but Bradford wriggling away.
Newton wants to control but instead Bradford manages to regain half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Newton wants to pass to mount but Bradford is defending the position.

Newton is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Bradford defends it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bill Newton dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Newton tries to close the distance and clinch but Bradford swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Newton tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Bradford defends well and Newton ends up having to push Bradford into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Newton takes the fight into the clinch.
Newton wants a takedown.
Bradford gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Newton.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bill Newton. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Bradford escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bradford displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Newton.
Bradford feints a counter leg kick.

Newton shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Bradford napping and manages to drive through into side control!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bradford tries to bench press Newton off him but Newton keeps the position.

Newton is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Bradford is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Bradford is trying to improve his position.
Newton controls the position from side control.

Newton is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Bradford is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Newton is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Bradford has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Newton wants to control but Bradford is keeping him busy.

Newton looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Newton wants to control for a moment but Bradford uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Bradford really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Newton. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Newton is looking for a kimura here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Newton is looking for a kimura here.
Newton wants to pass the guard but Bradford is defending well.
Sonny Bradford has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Newton wants to control but Bradford is keeping him busy.
Bradford is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Bradford has one foot on Newton's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Newton fails with the takedown
and Bradford counters with a two punch combo.
Newton doesn't manage to clinch there - Bradford circles away.
Newton goes for a double leg but Bradford avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Bradford continues to drive forward.
Bradford scores with a kick to the midsection.
Bill Newton is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Bradford shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Bradford showed some decent athleticism there.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Newton tries to get to full guard but Bradford has control of the leg.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sonny Bradford comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Newton 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 Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bill Newton!