PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Branden Sexton (ranked 7250 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steve McNights (ranked 5311 p4p, 546 weight class). Steve McNights will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Sexton
vs
McNights

154 cm
25
194 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

190 cm
22
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Can Moonwalk

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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Branden Sexton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Steve McNights!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Ivan Kurochkin and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sexton shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Sexton got a little sloppy there for a moment and McNights has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Sexton has managed to get both his arms back between McNights's legs - danger averted.
Sexton knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for McNights on the ground.
Sexton working some strikes from top position.
McNights working a defensive guard here.
McNights wants to sweep but no luck.
Sexton scoring with some ground and pound.
McNights throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sexton trying to stand up but can't free himself from McNights's guard.
Sexton with a nice head shot there.
Sexton lands a couple of digs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sexton lands a couple of elbows.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sexton lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Sexton with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
McNights working a defensive guard here.
Sexton working some strikes from top position.

Sexton gets to his feet. McNights looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Sexton 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.
Sexton works over McNights with some ground and pound from guard.

Sexton gets to his feet. McNights looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Sexton circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

McNights fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Sexton to the ground. McNights is now in Sexton's guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
McNights preventing the sweep.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as McNights accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Sexton has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but McNights can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Sexton throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! McNights escapes and throws Sexton's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Sexton takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sexton wants to control but McNights postures up.
McNights has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Sexton!
Sexton blocking the ground and pound.

McNights stands up from mount. Strange move.

McNights shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Sexton manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
McNights looks winded!
Sexton is pulling down on McNights's head. It's preventing any offense from McNights, at least for the moment.
McNights stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sexton swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sexton lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Sexton wants to stand but McNights is controlling his posture from full guard.

McNights looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Branden Sexton dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Ouch! a nice leg kick from McNights, right into the meat.

McNights closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Sexton quickly recovers to half guard.
McNights is looking to take a break and control but Sexton is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
McNights missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sexton is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Sexton actively working from the bottom here.
McNights stops Sexton from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McNights is looking to advance position but Sexton won't allow it.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

McNights closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Sexton is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
McNights trying to control from Sexton's half guard. Sexton has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Sexton pulls McNights in close to prevent any damage.
Sexton might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sexton pushes McNights off and scrambles back to his feet.
Steve McNights is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
McNights stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and McNights wants it to stay on the feet.
Sexton avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
McNights tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Sexton counters with a nice double leg into guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sexton accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Branden Sexton overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Sexton with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
McNights is breathing heavily.
McNights doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Sexton postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Sexton really is a fat lump.
McNights looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sexton is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Sexton stands up over McNights, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
McNights is trying to control the position but Sexton postures up.
Sexton is working McNights over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

Sexton decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Steve McNights seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
McNights tries to clinch but Sexton moves out of range.

McNights fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Sexton to the ground. McNights is now in Sexton's guard.
McNights trying to control the position from guard on top but Sexton is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sexton is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that McNights can do to turn this around?
Sexton lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sexton working some strikes from top position.
Sexton postures up and lands a big shot to McNights's brow.
Sexton stands up over McNights, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Sexton stands and steps away. McNights gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Sexton looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
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!

Sexton escapes and gets back to his feet.

Sexton shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. McNights manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Branden Sexton dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

A nice leg kick lands there from Sexton.

McNights shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Sexton is trying to defend but McNights finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
McNights is trying to control the action in half guard but Sexton is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Sexton manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. McNights keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Sexton gets control of McNights's arms and successfully pulls guard. Sexton will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
McNights preventing the sweep.

Sexton had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. McNights defends it easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McNights throws a strike but Sexton rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Sexton working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of McNights's head.
McNights working a defensive guard here.

Sexton stands up from McNights's guard - Sexton perhaps looking for a knockout.
Sexton tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

McNights shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Sexton is trying to control but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sexton is staying active underneath McNights, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Sexton has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. McNights is working away from the top position though.
Sexton moves into full guard.
Sexton has a closed guard, preventing McNights from standing up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McNights trying to control the position from guard on top but Sexton is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sexton wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
McNights tries to clinch there but Sexton circles away.

Sexton gets a double leg takedown into McNights's guard.
Sexton postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Sexton tries to stand but McNights is controlling from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sexton is in close to McNights's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Sexton stands and steps away. McNights gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
McNights explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Sexton keeps the fight on the outside.

Sexton gets a double leg takedown into McNights's guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sexton stopping the sweep attempt from McNights.
Sexton makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Steve McNights has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Branden Sexton is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
McNights being controlled here, momentarily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Branden Sexton showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Sexton has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Branden Sexton!