PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Cael Sanderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bruce Banner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bruce Banner has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Sanderson
vs
Banner

186 cm
22
193 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

180 cm
22
192 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
KO power

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Determined

Hellbent, Inc.

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 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Cael Sanderson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Bruce Banner!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Hogan, Summer Carpenter and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sanderson moves into the clinch.
Sanderson throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Banners head.

Sanderson breaks the clinch.
Sanderson shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Banner as he avoids it easily.

Sanderson has taken the fight to the clinch.
Banner slows down the pace here.

Sanderson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sanderson shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Banner throws a sloppy head kick and Sanderson moves out of range easily.
Banner slips a jab and a cross from Sanderson.

Banner gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Banner breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Sanderson tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Banner counters with a shoot takedown. Sanderson fights it but they end up in guard.
Banner thows a big elbow that misses.
Banner sitting in guard here, content to control.
Banner working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Sanderson's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Banner stands and steps away. Sanderson gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Sanderson throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Banner swinging wilding here.
Nice shot lands for Sanderson.
Sanderson shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Banner holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cael Sanderson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sanderson throws a head punch that misses.

Banner escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A head kick misses from Banner.
Sanderson tries to clinch but Banner moves away

and Banner counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Banner in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Sanderson preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Banner stands up over Sanderson, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanderson is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Banner is controlling him.
Banner wants to control from the top but Sanderson keeps moving.
Banner works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Sanderson on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Sanderson tries to get out of the position.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sanderson on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Sanderson wants to control but Banner is keeping busy and won't allow it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sanderson is breathing heavily.
Sanderson tries to get to full guard but Banner has control of the leg.
Banner lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Banner works his foot free and advances to mount.
Banner is landing with some decent strikes but Sanderson is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banner landing punches.
Sanderson is desperately trying to improve his position but Banner has a good base and remains in mount.
Banner lands a big elbow.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sanderson taking shots to the head.
Banner cracks Sanderson with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Banner lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Sanderson hang on?
Sanderson wants to control but Banner is having none of it.
Sanderson is wriggling around trying to escape.
Banner trying to control but Sanderson is having none of it.
Banner unloading with bombs!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banner lands a big elbow.
Banner has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Sanderson can't escape the position.
Banner can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Sanderson is looking to escape.
Banner pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Sanderson tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Banner in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Banner content just to control the position here.
Sanderson wants to control but Banner is having none of it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Banner working away from the top, dropping strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bruce Banner dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Sanderson shoots in looking for a takedown. Banner tries to sprawl out of it but Sanderson keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Banner manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Sanderson tries to clinch but Banner moves away

and Banner counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Banner.
Sanderson wants to sweep here but Banner controlling him for the moment.
Banner stands up over Sanderson, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Banner keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Sanderson's head.
Banner with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Sanderson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Banner works over Sanderson with some ground and pound from guard.
Banner in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Banner distracts Sanderson with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Banner postures up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Banner trying to control the position from guard on top but Sanderson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Banner might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Sanderson kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanderson managing to control the position.
Sanderson working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Banner.
Banner 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.
Sanderson is trying to control the position but Banner postures up.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Banner accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Banner misses with a wild combination.

Banner rushes Sanderson and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's two 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.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Sanderson.

Banner escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Cael Sanderson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Banner closes the distance and clinches.

Banner ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Banner no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Banner tries to strike from the bottom.
Banner keeping moving, preventing Sanderson from controlling successfully.
Banner trying to control the position.
Banner looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sanderson is one step ahead there.
Sanderson wants to control from the top but Banner keeps moving.
Banner wants to sweep here but Sanderson controlling him for the moment.
Sanderson is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanderson would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Sanderson misses with a takedown

and Banner counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Banner will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Sanderson up against the cage.
Sanderson tries a body shot but Banner blocks it.
The is referee keeping an eye on Banner - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Banner receives a warning from the referee for stalling.
Sanderson trying to stall but Banner improves his position.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Banner.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Banner will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Sanderson up against the cage.
Sanderson lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Banner backwards.
Banner is struggling to control the position.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Bruce Banner.
Banner misses the shot to the body.
Sanderson tries to clinch but Banner moves away

and Banner counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Sanderson pushes off an throws an elbow but Banner leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Banner is pressed up against the cage. Sanderson has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Banner down to the mat. Banner avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cael Sanderson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sanderson tries to clinch

and Banner holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Banner has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Sanderson regains guard immediately.
Bruce Banner has got the better of the ground game so far.
Banner wants to pass the guard but Sanderson is keeping the position.
Sanderson is trying to control the position but Banner postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bruce Banner showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Banner instigates a clinch.
Sanderson is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Sanderson.
Sanderson is working for takedown but Banner is calmly controlling the position for now.

Banner gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Banner sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Sanderson's guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Sanderson wants to control but Banner is keeping busy.
Banner is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Banner scoring with strikes to the body and head.

Banner is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Sanderson has managed to free his arm - good work.
Banner throwing shots but Sanderson is blocking nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Banner is thwarting Sanderson's attempts to control the position.

Banner is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanderson is doing well to control the position and prevent Banner from advancing to side control.
Banner thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Sanderson keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Sanderson closes the distance but Banner moves to the side

and Banner counters with a shoot takedown. Sanderson fights it but they end up in guard.
Sanderson can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Banner controls the pace.
Banner trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Sanderson has control of Banner's left arm, preventing Banner from doing any damage.
Banner wants to control from the top but Sanderson keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Banner trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Banner trying to control the position from guard on top but Sanderson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sanderson controls Banner momentarily but Banner frees himself.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Banner doesn't manage to clinch there - Sanderson circles away.
Sanderson wants to clinch

and Banner holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Sanderson manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanderson tries to clinch

and Banner counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Banner.
Sanderson prevents a takedown attempt there.
Sanderson lands an uppercut.
Sanderson is looking to break free of the clinch but Banner has double underhooks.
Banner tries to stall but Sanderson uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Sanderson gets underhooks to prevent Banner's takedown attempt.
Sanderson tries to land a knee to the head but Banner blocks with his arms.
Sanderson wants to get back to striking at distance but Banner won't allow it.
Sanderson swings wildly with an uppercut but Banner uses good head movement to avoid it.
Banner has Sanderson pressed against the cage.
Sanderson lands a body shot in the clinch.
Banner letting Sanderson take a breather here.
Banner tries to score a body lock takedown but Sanderson shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Cael Sanderson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bruce Banner.
Sanderson goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Sanderson is working for takedown but Banner is calmly controlling the position for now.
Sanderson is trying to break free.
Banner stalling the fight.
Sanderson misses with some punches.
Sanderson wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Sanderson wants to break free but Banner has control.
Banner has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Banner misses with some punches.

Banner breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Sanderson throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Sanderson slips a straight right by Banner.
Sanderson throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Banner jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Cael Sanderson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bruce Banner is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Banner swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Banner looks to score with a jab to the body but Sanderson is just out of range.
Banner avoids the body shot from Sanderson.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bruce Banner comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Banner 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 Bruno Hogan scores the fight 27:30
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 27:30
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bruce Banner!