PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Charles Pepper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Davor Sakic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sakic has chosen Hail mary Tupac Shakur as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Pepper
vs
Sakic

188 cm
24
191 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

188 cm
24
196 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Charles Pepper!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Davor Sakic!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, John Kavanagh and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pepper misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Pepper tries to clinch but Sakic is having none of it.
Pepper staying out of range there.
Pepper goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Sakic throws a combination that misses
letting Pepper counter with a right hand.
Pepper doesn't manage to clinch there - Sakic circles away.
Pepper blocks a head kick by Sakic.
Pepper wants to clinch.
Pepper keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Sakic.
Sakic pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Sakic keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Pepper.
Pepper dodges the punch combination from Sakic.
Sakic misses with a takedown attempt

and Pepper holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Pepper stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Sakic tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Sakic misses with a knee strike.
Sakic looking to throw knees to the head but Pepper is blocking nicely.
Pepper has Sakic pushed against the cage.
Sakic is trying to break free.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The is referee keeping an eye on Pepper - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Sakic is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Pepper unloads a knee to the mid-section. Sakic lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Pepper using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Sakic has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Sakic looking to slow down the pace here.
Sakic looks gassed!
Sakic blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Pepper wants to get back to striking at distance but Sakic won't allow it.
Pepper gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Sakic.
Charles Pepper has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Davor Sakic.
Pepper has Sakic pressed against the cage.

Pepper has picked Sakic up - he's going for a ride! Pepper dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Pepper perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Pepper takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Pepper is nestled in close to Sakic, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Pepper tries to pass to full mount but Sakic defends it.
Pepper is trying to control the action in half guard but Sakic is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pepper perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Sakic is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Pepper is pressing down on Sakic's thigh, looking to free his foot. Sakic is holding on for now.
Pepper is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Pepper prevents Sakic from improving his position.
Sakic gets back to full guard.
Sakic manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pepper wants to hold on but Sakic pushes him away.
Sakic with a couple of short strikes.
Pepper is bucking up trying to escape but Sakic cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Pepper wants to hold on but Sakic pushes him away.
Sakic tries to control but Pepper wriggling away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sakic breaks from Pepper's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Pepper wants to control but Sakic is having none of it.
Sakic putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Sakic scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Pepper?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakic looking to finish Pepper with some ground and pound. This is bad for Pepper!
Sakic lands with some strikes.
Sakic lands a big shot there that rocks Pepper but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Pepper taking shots to the head.
Pepper is squirming around, avoiding Sakic's attempts to control the action.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Sakic avoids the attempt from Pepper to control.
Sakic with the ground and pound from mount.
Sakic scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Pepper is looking to get to half guard.
Sakic trying to control but Pepper is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Charles Pepper dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Sakic looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Sakic darts in and clinches Pepper up against the cage.

Sakic has clasped his hands together around Pepper's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Sakic wants to control but Pepper is keeping him busy.
Pepper throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
Pepper is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Pepper tries to get to full guard but Sakic has control of the leg.

Pepper pushes Sakic off and gets back to his feet.
Davor Sakic seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sakic tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Pepper swivels and escapes.
Good work by Sakic as he checks the leg kick.
Pepper slips a straight right by Sakic.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jab from Sakic.

Pepper fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Sakic, pushing him back against the cage.
Pepper with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Sakic throws a knee to the head but misses.
Pepper scores with a nice hook to the head.
Pepper slowing the pace effectively.
Sakic throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Pepper blocks it with crossed arms.
Pepper throws an elbow that misses.
Sakic goes for a takedown attempt but Pepper pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Charles Pepper has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Davor Sakic.
Sakic turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Sakic avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sakic wants to clinch
and Pepper counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Sakic tries to clinch up but Pepper circles away and keeps his distance.
Pepper moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Sakic throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Pepper's waist but Pepper gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Sakic off to one side.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pepper misses with a looping right.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Pepper stuffs the takedown attempt from Sakic. Sakic gets slowly back to his feet.
Pepper misses with a jab, cross combination.
Pepper avoids the head kick by Sakic.
Sakic shoots for a takedown but Pepper saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Pepper rushes Sakic and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Sakic tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Sakic misses with a knee to the head.
Sakic with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Sakic tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Sakic tries to land a knee to the head but Pepper blocks with his arms.
Sakic avoids the elbow strike from Pepper, against the cage.
Sakic looking to throw knees to the head but Pepper is blocking nicely.
Sakic landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Sakic tries to land a knee to the head but Pepper blocks with his arms.
Pepper is pushing Sakic up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Sakic with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakic changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Pepper fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Sakic shoots in and drives through. Pepper sprawls well.
Sakic takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Sakic has a takedown stuffed.
Sakic uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Pepper.
Sakic closes the distance and clinches up with Pepper, looking for a takedown. Sakic pushes Pepper against the cage but Pepper circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Pepper has taken the fight to the clinch.

Sakic breaks the clinch.
Charles Pepper is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Sakic looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Sakic lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Pepper lands a slapping body shot.
Sakic misses with a double jab

and Pepper counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakic goes for a takedown attempt but Pepper pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
A swing and a miss from Sakic.
Sakic will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Pepper takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Sakic throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Pepper.
Sakic fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Sakic walks into a jab.
Charles Pepper is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sakic fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Sakic tries a head kick but it misses.
Sakic shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Pepper but Pepper pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Pepper swinging wilding here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Charles Pepper dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Pepper misses with a looping right.
Sakic looks to land a left hand but Pepper moved out of range nicely.
Pepper looks to land a right hand but Sakic moved out of range.

Pepper closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Sakic has picked Pepper up - he's going for a ride! Sakic dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Pepper connecting with a few gentle strikes.
Sakic wants to control but Pepper is keeping him busy.
Pepper is looking to escape.
Pepper is positioning himself well to prevent Sakic advancing to mount.
Pepper is looking for a sweep. Sakic is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Pepper is refusing to be controlled, as Sakic sits in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakic working over Pepper with some ground and pound. Pepper looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Sakic darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Pepper regains full guard. Nicely done.
Sakic wants to control from the top but Pepper keeps moving.
Pepper preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Pepper bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Sakic's guard.
Pepper trying to control the position from guard on top but Sakic is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Davor Sakic has got the better of the ground game so far.
Pepper is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Sakic is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Pepper content to stall in guard here.
Sakic has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pepper wants to control from the top but Sakic keeps moving.
Sakic lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Pepper!
Pepper wants to control but Sakic is having none of it.
Sakic with a couple of short strikes.
Sakic working Pepper over with strikes here.
Pepper working to try and regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pepper in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Sakic landing shots from mount.
The referee warns Pepper that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Pepper tries to hold on but Sakic postures up.
Sakic prevents Pepper from getting the reversal.

Sakic looking to secure an arm triangle but Pepper defends it well.
Sakic landing punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Pepper is looking to get to half guard.
Sakic lands a heavy elbow.
Pepper is looking to improve his position but Sakic isn't that keen on the idea.
Sakic with shots to the head and body - Pepper looks very uncomfortable down there.
Sakic has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Pepper's face.
Davor Sakic has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Pepper is looking to get to half guard.
Sakic tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Charles Pepper is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Sakic lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Davor Sakic comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Pepper 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 29:28
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 29:28
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Charles Pepper!