PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alojz Sanel (ranked 1431 p4p, 912 weight class) and John Muir (ranked 190 p4p, 128 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Sanel
vs
Muir

175 cm
34
220
14 - 8 - 0

180 cm
36
226
24 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Core Combat
Conquer

Conquer
Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Alojz Sanel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, John Muir!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Shigeki Fujiwara and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Muir uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Sanel has time to react.
Sanel looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Muir steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Sanel.
Muir misses with a jab to the body
enabling Sanel to counter with a crisp jab.
A looping hook to the body misses from Muir. Sanel does a little dance to reset his feet.
An attempted straight right counter from Sanel misses the target.
Sanel misses with an uppercut.
Sanel dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Muir misses with a wild body shot.
Sanel throws a body punch but Muir moves out of range.
Sanel misses with a looping right.
Sanel with a hook.
Alojz Sanel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Muir throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Muir shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Sanel slips under a jab from Muir.
Sanel tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Muir was well out of range. Poor timing from Sanel.
Sanel looks to land a left hand but Muir moved out of range nicely.
Sanel throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A little jabbing left from Muir on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Muir slips under a jab from Sanel.
Muir throws a low kick, looking for Sanel's leg but Sanel calmly moves out of range.
Muir scores with a body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanel thows a left - swing and a miss!
Sanel swings for the body but Muir moves out of range.
Sanel comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Muir misses with an uppercut. Sanel saw that one coming.
Muir connects with the punch.
Muir swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Sanel misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Muir looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Muir misses with a hook.
Muir ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Nice straight punches there by Muir. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Muir.
A telegraphed right hand from Sanel misses the target.
Muir misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Sanel swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Sanel misses the shot to the body.
It seemed like Muir was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Muir misses the shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanel keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Muir throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Sanel sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Sanel checks the leg kick nicely there.
Muir just misses with a punch to the body.
A cross from Sanel lands.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sanel takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Muir throws a body shot but no joy.
A big right from Sanel misses.
Muir blocks a jab.
Nice shot by Muir.
Muir getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Sanel takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Muir throws a lazy right hand but Sanel sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Muir throws a body punch but Sanel moves out of range.
An attempted straight right counter from Sanel misses the target.
Muir takes a swing at Sanel's ribcage but misses.
Muir ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big left from Sanel misses.

Muir scores with a takedown into Sanel's guard.
Muir throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sanel works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Muir working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Sanel is pulling down on Muir's head to control his posture.
Sanel continues to stall.
Muir has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sanel keeping full guard, as Muir tries to pass.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Muir with a flurry of punches that miss.
Sanel looking for a sweep. Not yet Sanel, not yet.
Sanel working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Muir.
Sanel is pulling down on Muir's head. It's preventing any offense from Muir, at least for the moment.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Muir scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Nice uppercut lands for Sanel. That snapped Muir's head back.
Sanel ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Muir moves away.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but John Muir will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Muir takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Sanel throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Muir sees it coming and avoids it easily.
A little jabbing left from Muir on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Sanel keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Muir.
Alojz Sanel is winning the standup battle so far.
Muir misses with a two punch combination.
Muir lands a nice shot that snaps Sanel's head back.
Sanel takes a shot right to the bread basket.
A looping hook to the body misses from Sanel. Muir does a little dance to reset his feet.
Muir throws out a counter right but Sanel avoids it with no problem.
Sanel throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Muir throws a low kick, looking for Sanel's leg but Sanel calmly moves out of range.
A shot to the liver by Sanel. Beautiful body shot.
A looping hook to the body misses from Sanel. Muir does a little dance to reset his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Muir throws a jab when Sanel was well out of range.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Muir, as that shot connected.
Muir keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Sanel misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Muir.
A little jabbing left from Muir on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Muir does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
An attempted straight right counter from Sanel misses the target.
Sanel takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Muir scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Muir jabs Sanel right on the nose. Sanel blinks but takes it well.
Muir swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Sanel moves out of range as Muir throws a body kick.
Muir keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Sanel.
Sanel misses with a hook
and Muir counters with a straight right hand.
Sanel misses the jab.
Sanel doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Sanel misses with a hook
letting Muir counter with a right hand.
Sanel misses with a hook.
Muir has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
A solid leg kick lands there for Muir.

Muir closes the distance and clinches.
Sanel tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Muir tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Muir is leaning against Sanel and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Muir blocks a body shot from Sanel.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!
A right handed body shot lands from Muir.
Sanel throws a head punch that misses.
Muir lands a right hand.
Muir tries to throw a body punch but Sanel avoids it by throwing Muir back against the cage.
Muir throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Sanel lands with a short shot to the head.
Muir tries to throw a body punch but Sanel avoids it by throwing Muir back against the cage.
Muir looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Sanel throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Muirs head.

Sanel escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sanel throws a good cross that connects.
Muir throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Muir looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Sanel is fending him off so far but Muir persists. Nope, Sanel circles away and we're back to standing.
Sanel lands with a right hand.
Sanel swats away the attempt to clinch by Muir.
Sanel throws an overhand right that lands on Muir's shoulder, as Muir tries to avoid the shot.
Sanel lands a nice hook to Muir's body. Muir takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanel misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Muir.
Nice defenses there by Muir.
Sanel ducks right into an uppercut from Muir.
Muir buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Sanel bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Sanel was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Muir staying out of range there.
Muir swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Sanel ducks under a wild hook from Muir.
Muir keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Sanel.
Muir shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Sanel swings widly with a right hand
and Muir connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Sanel is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Muir.
Muir on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Sanel lands a right hook to the body.
Sanel throws a body shot but no joy.
Sanel waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Muir.
Sanel works the jab nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Muir fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sanel throws a jab when Muir was well out of range.
Sanel walks into a straight right hand from Muir.
Muir loads up on a big right hand but Sanel slips the punch.
An attempted straight right counter from Sanel misses the target.
Muir avoids the body shot from Sanel.
Muir swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Muir throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Sanel fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Muir manages to avoid it.
Sanel takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Muir tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Sanel manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Sanel throws a body punch but Muir moves out of range.

Muir drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Sanel wriggles free and stands up.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A nice inside leg kick there by Muir. That's going to slow Sanel down.
Sanel checks a low kick from Muir.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but John Muir will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Muir misses with an uppercut.
Muir throws a leg kick
and Sanel counters with a stiff right hand.
Muir throws a leg kick but Sanel moved away.
Sanel looks to land a right hand but Muir moved out of range.
Muir lands a slapping body shot.
Muir doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Sanel throws a body punch but Muir moves out of range.
Sanel throws a big shot that misses.
Sanel on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Muir. Muir obviously looking to wear him down.
Muir misses with an uppercut. Sanel saw that one coming.
Muir wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Muir lands a nice shot to the body.
Muir ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Sanel misses with a body punch
and Muir counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Muir misses with a hook. Sanel ducked under it nicely.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Good work by Sanel as he checks the leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Muir misses the jab.
Muir misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Sanel.
Muir ducks under a wild hook from Sanel.
Sanel checks the leg kick nicely there.
Sanel swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Sanel throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Muir looks like he wants to counter punch here.
An inside leg kick lands from Muir.
Sanel fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Sanel scores with a body shot.
Sanel lands with an uppercut that bounces Muir off the cage and back into range.
Muir dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
A punch lands to the side of Muir 's head but he takes it in his stride.
No joy there for Muir, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Muir gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Muir tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Sanel's elbow.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Muir as Sanel tries to tie him up.
Muir blocking some punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanel misses with a short punch on the inside.
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!
Muir struggles to land a body shot inside as Sanel controls his hands.
Sanel lands a body punch.
Sanel tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Muir lands a right hand.
Muir misses with a body punch.
Sanel tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Muir's elbow.
Muir swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Muir goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Muir tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Sanel's elbow.
Sanel lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Sanel gets through Muir's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Sanel tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Sanel blocks a body shot from Muir.
Muir throws a head punch that misses.
Muir blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Still in the clinch, Sanel scores with a nice short uppercut.
Sanel lands a right hand.
Muir takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Muir.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Muir has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Sanel clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Sanel tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Sanel sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Muir missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Muir seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Muir lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Sanel preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Sanel regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sanel is controlling Muir's posture.
Alojz Sanel has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sanel avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sanel lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Sanel pushes down on Muir's leg and manages to get into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sanel controlling the pace.

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 Alojz Sanel.
I think Muir has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Muir!
An out of breath John Muir thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.
The defeated Alojz Sanel had this to say: 'Thanks for coming...I'll be back'.