Test Night 2 PBP Commentary

Undercard bout

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nikos Giannopoulos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Daniel Harding (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.

Giannopoulos
vs
Harding

184 cm
18
207 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
18
188 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 1 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Nikos Giannopoulos!
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, Daniel Harding!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, William Gold and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Giannopoulos throws a jab when Harding was well out of range.
Giannopoulos jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Harding lands with a nice body punch.
Harding pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Harding scores with a nice right hand.
Harding smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Giannopoulos scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Harding doesn't seem bothered though.
Harding ducks under a wild hook from Giannopoulos.
Harding fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Giannopoulos swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Harding lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Giannopoulos changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Giannopoulos just misses with a punch to the body.
Harding dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Giannopoulos dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Giannopoulos lands with a right hand.
Giannopoulos throws out a loose jab but Harding uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nice body kick from Harding.
Giannopoulos fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Harding manages to avoid it.
That kick from Harding tenderised Giannopoulos's leg. Giannopoulos is trying to keep his angry face on.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Giannopoulos has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Harding.
Giannopoulos misses with a looping left.
Harding looks for the body kick but Giannopoulos saw that one coming.
Giannopoulos lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Harding defending well as Giannopoulos loads up on a big left hand.
Giannopoulos needs to keep his hands up - Harding had a free shot at his head there.
Giannopoulos tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Harding slips under a jab.
Harding misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Giannopoulos.
Harding keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Giannopoulos.
Giannopoulos cracks a nice hook into Harding's ribs.
Harding buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Giannopoulos loads up on a big right hand but Harding slips the punch.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Giannopoulos checks a leg kick.
Giannopoulos swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Harding pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Giannopoulos throws an overhand right that lands on Harding's shoulder, as Harding tries to avoid the shot.
Harding tries to land a body kick
and Giannopoulos counters with a nice uppercut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Giannopoulos's corner calls for a 1-2. Giannopoulos obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harding scores with a shot to the body.
Giannopoulos misses with a hook
enabling Harding to counter with a crisp jab.
Harding misses with a kick to the body.
Harding thuds his right hand into Giannopoulos's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Giannopoulos drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Harding slips under a jab.
Giannopoulos misses with a hook.
Harding scores with a spinning back kick!
Harding lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Harding fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Giannopoulos manages to avoid it.
Giannopoulos throws the left hand but Harding avoids the punch easily.
Harding lands a nice looking kick to the body. Giannopoulos takes a step back to recover.
Giannopoulos misses with a left hand
and Harding counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Giannopoulos takes one to the chin there.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Harding connects with a right hand. Giannopoulos shakes it off.
Harding takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Harding steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Giannopoulos.
Giannopoulos takes a head kick and keeps coming.

And that's the end of the fight!
Daniel Harding comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Harding has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1 round of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 9:10
Judge William Gold scores the fight 9:10
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 9:10

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Daniel Harding!

C
A

C
B

energy
A | B

hype
A | B

pop
A | B

mgr
A | B

FIGHT
RATING
99%

Undercard bout

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Sloan Lenner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rey Sanchez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sloan Lenner had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 156.7lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Lenner
vs
Sanchez

178 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

176 cm
18
163 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Solid chin

Sully's Bar & Grill

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 1 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Sloan Lenner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Rey Sanchez!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Andrew Berry and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lenner throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Lenner throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Good leg kick by Sanchez there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Lenner pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Sanchez tries to clinch up.
Lenner tries a head kick but it misses.
Lenner misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Sanchez, right into the meat.
Sanchez tries to clinch but Lenner moves out of range.
Lenner tries a head kick but it misses.
Sanchez is trying to counter with his kicks.
Lenner throws a head kick but Sanchez moves out of range.
Lenner tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Lenner throws a head kick but Sanchez moves out of range.
Lenner tries a head kick but it misses.

Sanchez fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Lenner, pushing him back against the cage.
Sanchez is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Lenner pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Sanchez wants to stall.
Lenner working aggressively here.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Sanchez gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.

Lenner scrambles and gets back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez tries to close the distance and clinch up but Lenner swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Lenner throws a head kick but Sanchez moves out of range.
Sanchez throws a nice outside leg kick.
Lenner throws a sloppy head kick and Sanchez moves out of range easily.
Lenner pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Lenner takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Sanchez tries to close the distance and clinch but Lenner swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A solid leg kick lands there for Sanchez.
Lenner tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Lenner tries a head kick but it misses.

Sanchez instigates a clinch.
Lenner avoiding damage as Sanchez throws knees to the body.
Sanchez jumps guard but Lenner turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Lenner trying to control the position but instead, Sanchez has worked for underhooks and has pushed Lenner into the cage.
Lenner jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Sanchez walks away with a smile on his face. Lenner gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sanchez avoids the head kick by Lenner.
Lenner misses with a head kick.
Sanchez scoring well with a low kick there.

Sanchez clinches.
Lenner fails to pull guard.
Sanchez dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Sanchez misses with a hook from the clinch.
Lenner tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sloan Lenner. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sanchez scores with a knee to the head.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Sanchez tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sanchez successfully pulls guard.

Sanchez looking for a guillotine here but Lenner defends easily.
Sanchez is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Lenner drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Sanchez dives on top into guard.

Sanchez wants to control from the top but Lenner keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lenner wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

Lenner is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Sanchez is aware though and is defending well.

Lenner looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Lenner is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Lenner keeping moving, preventing Sanchez from controlling successfully.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Lenner managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Sanchez.
Who's going to make the next move?
Lenner is looking for a sweep.
Sanchez trying to control the position but Lenner is working away.
Lenner gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Lenner is trying to get back to full guard.
Sanchez is trying to control the action in half guard but Lenner is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Sanchez has closed the distance and engaged Lenner in a clinch.
Sanchez throws a punch but it's blocked by Lenner.
Lenner stalling in the clinch but Sanchez improves position.
Lenner wants to break the clinch but can't.
Lenner is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Sanchez gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Lenner is fighting off a takedown attempt but Sanchez is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Lenner to the mat. Lenner regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Lenner is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez wants to control from the top but Lenner keeps moving.
Lenner looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sanchez prevents Lenner from getting back to his feet.
Sanchez wants to stand and escape but instead Lenner has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Lenner prevents Sanchez from getting back to his feet.
Sanchez trying to keep a closed guard but Lenner is proving a slippery customer.

Sanchez escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Lenner gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Lenner seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Lenner has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Lenner is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Sanchez looking to control but Lenner passes into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Ground and pound from Lenner.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lenner landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Lenner passes into side control, despite Sanchez's attempt to control the position.
Lenner throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

Lenner is trying to get an arm triangle but Sanchez is defending well.
You can see the frustration on Sanchez's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Lenner cracks Sanchez with a big elbow.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Sloan Lenner.
I think Lenner 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 1 round of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 10:9
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 10:9
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 10:9

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sloan Lenner!
After the fight, Sloan Lenner was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.