PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jaxon Sanders (ranked 3664 p4p, 0 weight class) and Norman Young (ranked 4890 p4p, 0 weight class). Norman Young has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Jaxon Sanders's chin.

Sanders
vs
Young

168 cm
25
158 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

173 cm
25
158 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Self confident

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jaxon Sanders!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Norman Young!
The judges for this bout are Joseph Jones, Lou da Vinci and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sanders closes this distance looking for a takedown but Young circles away.
Nice takedown defense from Sanders. No joy for Young on that attempt.

Young gets a double leg takedown into Sanders's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Young slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Sanders dodges the ground and pound from Young.
Sanders gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Sanders is working to get back to half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Young looking to control and managing it successfully.
Sanders wants to hold on but Young pushes him away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Young cracks Sanders with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

Young is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Sanders is surviving well by controlling Young's body position as best he can.
Young controlling his opponent.
Sanders has given up his back here.
Young missing with strikes.

Young is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Sanders is defending well though. Young let's go of the attempt for now.
Sanders covering up well under a series of strikes from Young.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanders tries to roll but Young sticks to his back.

Young tightening his grip on Sanders, looking for the choke.
Sanders avoids the strikes from Young.

Sanders showing good submission defense here.
Young trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Sanders doesn't escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Young's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

Young is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Sanders knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Sanders for a finish.
Sanders knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Young on the ground.
Sanders wants to get back to his feet.
Sanders trying to control the position but Young manages to sink in the hooks.

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.
Sanders tries to break free.
Young missing with strikes from the back.
Young trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Sanders doesn't escape.
Sanders has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Young.
Young has good solid back control here.

Young working for the choke.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Young is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Norman Young dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Sanders tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Young paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Young misses with a takedown attempt - Sanders sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Young has a takedown stuffed.
Sanders scores with a push kick.
Young throws a sloppy head kick and Sanders moves out of range easily.
Young shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Sanders defends it nicely.
Jaxon Sanders has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Norman Young.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Young fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Sanders is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Young.
Young goes for a double leg but Sanders avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Sanders continues to drive forward.

Sanders closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Young did well to prevent Sanders getting side control.

Young kicks off Sanders and gets to his feet.
Young is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanders shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Young defends it nicely.
Jaxon Sanders is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sanders connects with a looping right hand.
Sanders goes for a double leg but Young avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Young continues to drive forward.
Young throws a chopping leg kick but Sanders manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Sanders shoots for a takedown but Young saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Young lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Young throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Sanders quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Young has a takedown stuffed.
Sanders shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Young defends it nicely.
Young uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Sanders.
Sanders tries to close the distance and clinch but Young swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Young throws a head kick that misses.
Sanders is trying hard to land a takedown here. Young sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sanders stuffs the takedown.
Sanders fails with the takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head kick by Young misses
and Sanders counters with a body kick that stops Young in his tracks momentarily.
Young shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Sanders counters with a flying knee. Nice.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Young.

Sanders closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Young's guard.

Young pushes Sanders off and scrambles back to his feet.
Jaxon Sanders is winning the standup battle so far.
Sanders dodges the punch combination from Young.
Sanders tries to clinch but Young is having none of it.
Young feints the counter takedown.
Young slaps away a takedown attempt from Sanders, before circling back to the center of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sanders bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Young fails with an attempt to clinch.
Young shoots and misses
and Sanders counters with a nice low kick that buckles Young's knee momentarily.
Sanders shoots in for a takedown but Young shows good takedown defense.
Sanders scores with a head kick.

Young shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Sanders manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Sanders wants to improve his position but instead Young has moved into half guard.
Young not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Norman Young will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Young.
Sanders tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
Young has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Young just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.

Young is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Sanders is defending well though. Young let's go of the attempt for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sanders is in bad spot here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Young looking for the choke from the back.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.
Sanders can't escape the position.

Young has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Young really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Sanders.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Let's hope that Young has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

Young working for a choke but Sanders is defending well.
Sanders tries to roll but Young sticks to his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Young trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Sanders doesn't escape.
Sanders covers up after taking a massive shot to the side of the head.

Young tightening his grip on Sanders, looking for the choke.

Young working for the choke.
Sanders is trying to get back to his feet but Young has full control of the position and if anything, Sanders has just worked his way into a worse spot.

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.
Young keeps control of the position as Sanders tries to break free.

Sanders defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Young's arms.
You can see the frustration on Sanders's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Sanders is trying to stand back up.
Jaxon Sanders has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Norman Young is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Young has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.

And that's the end of the fight!
Norman Young comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Young winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Joseph Jones scores the fight 27:30
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Norman Young!