PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Arnoldas Sireika (ranked 3571 p4p, 3185 weight class) and Valentin Saric (ranked 126 p4p, 112 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.

Sireika
vs
Saric

180 cm
37
197
20 - 12 - 0

200 cm
28
195
10 - 10 - 0

Decent wrestler
World class MT
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Core Combat

Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 20 - 12 - 0, fighting out of New York, Arnoldas Sireika!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Valentin Saric!
The judges for this bout are Percy O'Donnell, Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Saric is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Sireika throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Saric throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Saric missing with a left hand there. Sireika was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Saric thows a left - swing and a miss!
Sireika looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Saric dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Saric scores with a jab to the body.
Saric stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Jab by Saric.
Saric uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Sireika.
Saric is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
A decent looking cross lands there for Saric.
Saric blocks a low kick nicely.
Saric walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Saric ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Sireika moves away.
Sireika displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Saric.
Sireika's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Saric connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Sireika scrambles back to his feet.
Saric throws an off balance right hand
and Sireika counters with a left to the body.
Saric misses with a right hand
and Sireika counters with a right hand to the body.
Sireika walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Saric missing with a left hand there. Sireika was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Sireika takes one to the chin there.
Valentin Saric seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sireika moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Saric swings for the body but Sireika moves out of range.
Sireika throwing a counter right hand but Saric manages to avoid it.
Sireika pivots, looking for a leg kick but Saric is out of range and Sireika settles back down.
Sireika misses with a hook. Saric ducked under it nicely.
Saric slips a jab from Sireika.
Saric slips a straight right by Sireika.
Sireika uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Saric.
Sireika gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Sireika throws a hook but Saric blocks it.

Sireika gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Saric to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Sireika is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Sireika working a defensive guard here.
Saric is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saric works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Saric looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Saric content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
It looks like Saric might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Saric frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Sireika on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Sireika tries to get out of the position.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Saric controlling his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Let's hope that Saric 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.
We're seeing a lot of stalling here from Saric.
Sireika holds on, trying desperately to control.
Saric seems to be looking to move to his opponent's back but Sireika is holding on tight.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Saric is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Sireika can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Saric content just to control the position here.
Sireika is desperately trying to improve his position but Saric has a good base and remains in mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saric controlling his opponent.
Saric moves to his opponent's back but Sireika bucks him off and ends up in guard. A bit of a disaster there for Saric.
Saric pulls Sireika in close to his closed guard and prevents Sireika from doing any damage or advancing position.
Saric looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Saric pulls Sireika in close to prevent any damage.
Saric bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Sireika's guard.

And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Sireika misses with a hook. Saric ducked under it nicely.
Saric swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Sireika.
Saric fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sireika manages to avoid it.
It looked like Sireika was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Saric.
Saric lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Sireika pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Saric uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Sireika.
Sireika tries a low kick but Saric avoids it.

Saric manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Sireika on his heels. He'll look to pass Sireika's guard now, I'm sure.
Saric looking to pass the guard.
Saric is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Saric tries to free his leg and advance position but Sireika is retaining full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Saric content to stall in guard here.
Sireika knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Saric on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saric's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Valentin Saric has got the better of the ground game so far.
Sireika wants to sweep here but Saric controlling him for the moment.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Saric scores with a body shot.
A lazy left from Saric finds it's target.
Sireika takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Saric moves away from the strike by Sireika.
Saric throws a body shot but no joy.
A big left from Sireika misses.
Saric's jab looks to have found its range, popping Sireika under the eye.
Saric sizes up Sireika with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sireika misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Sireika throws a right and a left that Saric avoids nicely.
Valentin Saric seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Saric throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Sireika on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Saric scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
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!
Sireika throws a body punch but Saric moves out of range.
Saric lands a body shot.
Saric cracks Sireika with an open hand slap.
Saric lands a jab to the head.
Saric is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Nice defenses there by Saric.
Some bone on bone action there as Saric checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

Saric closes the distance and pushes Sireika back into the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Saric.
Sireika has a couple of punches blocked by Saric.
Sireika with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Sireika is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Saric's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Sireika tries to land a knee to the head but Saric blocks with his arms.
Saric has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Sireika.
Saric swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Saric decides to pull guard.
Saric is pulling down on Sireika's head. It's preventing any offense from Sireika, at least for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sireika might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Saric wants to sweep here but Sireika controlling him for the moment.
Saric is controlling Sireika's posture.

That's four 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.
Yet more stalling tactics from Saric.

Sireika got a little sloppy there for a moment and Saric has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Sireika has managed to get both his arms back between Saric's legs - danger averted.
Saric wants to sweep here but Sireika controlling him for the moment.
Saric looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

Saric looking to try and escape his hips here, looking for a submission. It looks like he's going for a triangle but Sireika is defending well. Saric quickly switches to an armbar and extends the arm! Sireika has no choice but to tap, to a very quick submission! Wow, that was lightning fast! Saric celebrates on the cage, with the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Valentin Saric!