PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Daniel Sanninen (ranked 3030 p4p, 3130 weight class) and Fiore Azul (ranked 390 p4p, 399 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Sanninen
vs
Azul

190 cm
27
200
9 - 10 - 0

182 cm
26
199
9 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Very quick

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Heavy handed

Fantasy Threads (Laundry 15%)

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 9 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Daniel Sanninen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Fiore Azul!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Sam Margolis and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A swing and a miss from Azul.
Sanninen is looking to land body kicks.
Sanninen is looking to clinch but Azul is avoiding it.
Azul throws the left hand but Sanninen avoids the punch easily.
Sanninen throws a low kick but it's checked well by Azul.
Azul swats away the attempt to clinch by Sanninen.
Azul blocks a head kick by Sanninen.
Some wild striking there from Sanninen.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Sanninen pushes Azul up against the cage in a clinch.
Azul lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Azul misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Sanninen misses with an elbow over the top.
Nice elbow from Sanninen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Azul misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Azul misses with a punch to the body.
Azul fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Azul misses with a hook from the clinch.
A short right from Azul on the inside.

Azul's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Azul takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
A head kick misses from Sanninen.
Azul throws a head kick but Sanninen moves out of range.
A jab from Azul misses.
Sanninen misses with a combination
and Azul counters with a leg kick.
Azul thuds his right hand into Sanninen's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
A head kick misses from Sanninen.
Azul looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.

Sanninen moves into the clinch.
A nice right hand lands inside from Azul.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sanninen creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Azul blocks an elbow strike.
Azul drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Sanninen gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Azul misses with the head strike.
Sanninen tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Azul tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Sanninen pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Sanninen throws an elbow but it misses.
A short uppercut from Azul.
Azul swings wildly with an uppercut but Sanninen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Sanninen pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Sanninen lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

It looks like Fiore Azul has been cut.
Sanninen throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Azul working aggressively here.
Azul misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Azul takes an elbow to the temple.
Azul tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Sanninen tries a knee to the head but Azul blocks it.
Sanninen throws an elbow but it's blocked.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Azul breaks the clinch.
Sanninen swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Azul counters with a thumping low kick.
Azul misses with an uppercut.

Sanninen clinches up against the cage.
Our sources have told us that Sanninen has been working on his knees in the buildup to the fight.
Azul has a couple of punches blocked by Sanninen.
Azul can't find room to land a body shot as Sanninen controls the action.
Azul tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Sanninen.
Azul struggles to land a body shot inside as Sanninen controls his hands.
Sanninen misses with an elbow over the top.
Azul misses with a punch on the inside.
Azul working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Sanninen tries a knee to the head but Azul blocks it.
Azul tries a body shot but Sanninen blocks it.
Azul works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Sanninen pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Sanninen lands with a light punch inside.
Sanninen blocking some punches.
Sanninen throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
With the fighters up against the cage, Sanninen throws an elbow but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Azul breaks from the clinch.
Azul keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Sanninen moves out of range of the leg kick from Azul.
A nice inside leg kick there by Azul. That's going to slow Sanninen down.
Sanninen misses with an uppercut
letting Azul counter with a right hand.
Sanninen feints a jab promting Azul to slip. Sanninen then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Azul slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Azul misses with a hook. Sanninen ducked under it nicely.
Sanninen is looking to counter the offense by Azul and move into the clinch.
Sanninen avoids the body shot from Azul.
Daniel Sanninen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sanninen uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Azul.
Azul uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Sanninen has time to react.

Sanninen is rocked!
A head kick by Sanninen misses
and Azul counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Oh Sanninen is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Sanninen doesn't manage to clinch there - Azul circles away.
Azul digs a good body shot into Sanninen's ribs.
Sanninen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Azul swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Azul walks into a straight right hand from Sanninen.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Fiore Azul will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Fiore Azul's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Azul throws a leg kick that misses.
Sanninen seems to have got his legs back now.
Sanninen fails with an attempt to clinch.
Azul just misses with a punch to the body.
Sanninen tries to clinch there but Azul circles away.
Sanninen tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Azul let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Sanninen misses with a looping right.
It seemed like Azul was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Sanninen has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Azul.
Azul closes the distance looking to clinch
and Sanninen counters with a nice uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sanninen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Sanninen lands with a slapping head kick.
Azul ducks down and throws a hook to the body.

Sanninen instigates a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
With the fighters up against the cage, Sanninen throws an elbow but misses.
Azul wants to take the fight to the mat but Sanninen manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Azul dodges an elbow strike from Sanninen.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Azul.
Azul blocking some punches.
Sanninen tries a knee to the head but Azul blocks it.
Sanninen throws an elbow but it misses.
Azul's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Azul misses with a punch on the inside.
Azul throws a punch but it's blocked by Sanninen.
Sanninen tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Daniel Sanninen has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Azul takes an elbow to the forehead.
A nice right hand lands inside from Azul.
With the fighters up against the cage, Sanninen throws an elbow but misses.
Sanninen gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

Azul escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sanninen lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Fiore Azul seems to be getting the better of the standup.
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!
Azul tries to land a front kick but Sanninen steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Daniel Sanninen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Azul tries for a takedown but Sanninen sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanninen moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Sanninen uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Azul.
Sanninen tries to clinch up.
Azul scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Sanninen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Azul looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.

Sanninen moves into the clinch.
Azul lands with a left to the head.
Sanninen throws an elbow but it misses.
A right hand to the body from Azul.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Azul swings wildly with an uppercut but Sanninen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Azul can't find room to land a body shot as Sanninen controls the action.
Azul takes an elbow to the temple.
Azul misses with a body punch.
Sanninen lands on the inside with an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanninen blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Azul throws a head punch that misses.
Sanninen lands an elbow just above Azul 's eye.
Azul blocks an elbow strike from Sanninen.
Azul throws a head punch that misses.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Azul avoids a wild elbow strike from Sanninen.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Sanninen just misses with a elbow thrown towards Azul's brow.
Sanninen blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Sanninen pushes Azul back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Azul tries to throw a body punch but Sanninen avoids it by throwing Azul back against the cage.
Azul softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Azul misses with a punch on the inside.
Azul tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Azul digs a right hand into Sanninen's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Sanninen's gas tank.
Sanninen throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Azul gets through Sanninen's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Azul misses with a short punch on the inside.
Azul avoids a wild elbow strike from Sanninen.
Azul misses with the head strike.
Azul avoids a wild elbow strike from Sanninen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Azul can't find room to land a body shot as Sanninen controls the action.
Azul misses with a short punch on the inside.
Sanninen pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sanninen pushes off an throws an elbow but Azul leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Sanninen lands an elbow inside that Azul shrugs off.
Sanninen's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Sanninen throws an elbow that misses.

Azul breaks the clinch.
Daniel Sanninen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Good shot there by Azul.
Horrible takedown attempt by Azul or perhaps it was just good defense by Sanninen, which made it look bad.
Daniel Sanninen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Fiore Azul.

Sanninen gets tackled into the cage by Azul. Azul maintains the clinch.
Azul tries to throw a body punch but Sanninen avoids it by throwing Azul back against the cage.
Azul misses with a punch to the body.
Sanninen looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Sanninen prevents a body shot from Azul.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Daniel Sanninen will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Fiore Azul's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Sanninen attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Sanninen connects with a solid leg kick.
Sanninen uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Azul.
Azul attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Sanninen keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Azul.
Azul keeps the fight on the outside.
Sanninen lands a two punch combo.
Azul blocks a head kick by Sanninen.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Azul checks a leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Azul scores with a jab.
Sanninen looks to land a left hand but Azul moved out of range nicely.
Sanninen takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Azul weaves into range and cracks Sanninen right on the temple with a beautiful overhand right! Sanninen goes down! He's out cold! Wow, what a beautiful knockout! Azul is strutting round the canvas like a movie star as the camera bulbs flash frantically.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Fiore Azul!
A very excited looking Fiore Azul made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.