PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Keenan Berry (ranked 5038 p4p, 4161 weight class) and Ray Sambo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Berry's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Ladies and Gentleman. Ray Sambo will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Berry
vs
Sambo

165 cm
23
275
2 - 2 - 0

188 cm
21
220
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Keenan Berry!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ray Sambo!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Dmitry Maklakov and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sambo throws a head kick that Berry semi-blocks.
Berry takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Berry is trying hard to land a takedown here. Sambo sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Berry clinches up against the cage.
Sambo is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Berry is defending well.
Sambo prevents the takedown attempt.
Sambo wants to break free but Berry has control.
Nice body punch from Sambo - that landed with a thud.

Sambo escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sambo throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A head kick by Sambo misses

and Berry counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Berry.
Sambo tries for a takedown but Berry manages to get underhooks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sambo tries to score a body lock takedown but Berry shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Keenan Berry has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ray Sambo.
Sambo looks winded!
Sambo wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Sambo breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Berry forces Sambo back against the cage and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sambo is trying to break the clinch but Berry is controlling him.
Sambo told us before the fight that he's been working on his elbows. An under utilised technique these days - let's see if it can sway the outcome of the fight.
Sambo landing knees to the body.
Sambo wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Berry leaning against his opponent.

Berry decides to pull guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Berry is on top in guard.

Sambo wants to stand up but Berry is controlling him.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sambo looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Berry is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Berry wants to pass the guard but Sambo is keeping the position.
Berry 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.
Berry pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sambo is keeping the position for now.
Berry might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Berry is working hard here to advance position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Berry decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Berry goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Berry lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Berry.
Berry dives in and grabs Sambo's left leg, looking for a takedown. Sambo pushes down on Berry's head and hops out.
Berry changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Sambo tries to avoid it but Berry manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Sambo to the ground. Sambo escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Sambo throws a counter combo.

Berry closes the distance and clinches.

Berry escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Berry shoots in but no luck this time.
Sambo throws a head kick that misses
and Berry counters with a lovely shot to the body.

Berry tries to keep at a distance but Sambo has taken the fight into the clinch.

Berry jumps into guard, dragging Sambo to the mat.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Sambo wants to stand but Berry is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Berry pulls Sambo in close to prevent any damage.
Berry tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Sambo wants to stand and escape but instead Berry has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

This has been an exciting period of action!
Berry is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Berry stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sambo swivels though and keeps the full guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Keenan Berry dominated that round.
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.

Berry moves into range and clinches up with Sambo.
Sambo can't break the clinch.
Sambo is trying to force a seperation but Berry has the dominant position.
Sambo is looking to break free of the clinch but Berry has double underhooks.
Berry tries for a takedown. No joy.
Sambo pushes off an throws an elbow but Berry leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Sambo's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Berry closes this distance looking for a takedown but Sambo circles away.
Sambo connects with a solid leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sambo throws a sloppy head kick and Berry moves out of range easily.
Sambo misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Sambo tries to land a front kick but Berry steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Sambo is breathing heavily.
Sambo shoots in but Berry avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Berry tries to counter by clinching up but Sambo breaks away and moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Berry pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Sambo throws a sloppy head kick and Berry moves out of range easily.

Berry gets a clinch.

Berry manages to break the clinch.
Berry fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Keenan Berry. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Berry shoots in for a takedown but Sambo shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Berry throws a head kick that misses.

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

Berry wriggles free and stands up.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Berry fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Nice body kick from Sambo.
Ray Sambo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sambo tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Berry manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Berry shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Sambo sprawls well. Sambo wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Berry gets slowly back to his feet.
Keenan Berry is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sambo bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Sambo stuffs the takedown.
Good leg kick by Sambo.
Ray Sambo seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Sambo scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Berry looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Sambo is fending him off so far but Berry persists. Nope, Sambo circles away and we're back to standing.
Sambo throws a head kick that Berry semi-blocks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Berry closes the distance and clinches.

Berry ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Berry no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

Berry had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Sambo defends it easily.

Sambo gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Sambo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Berry tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Sambo manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
A head kick from Sambo lands but Berry takes it in his stride.
Sambo throws a sloppy head kick
and Berry counters with a three punch combo that has Sambo backing up. Sambo nods at Berry to acknowledge the strikes.
Berry blocks the body kick.
Berry attempts a counter takedown but Sambo avoids it well and moves away.
Berry shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Sambo defends it nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A slapping leg kick lands for Sambo.
Sambo tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Berry manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Berry swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Sambo throws a sloppy head kick and Berry moves out of range easily.
Berry fails with the takedown.
Berry tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Horrible takedown attempt by Berry or perhaps it was just good defense by Sambo, which made it look bad.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ray Sambo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Sambo misses with a combination
and Berry counters with a series of strikes. Sambo will be more careful next time no doubt.
Good leg kick by Sambo.
Berry darts in looking for a takedown but Sambo gets double underhooks and turns Berry into the cage.
Sambo unloads a knee to the mid-section. Berry lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Sambo with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Sambo breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Sambo misses with a head kick.
Berry is looking for a counter combo.
Sambo misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Berry moves into the clinch successfully.
Berry tries to land knees in the clinch but Sambo avoids the damage to the body.
Sambo has had enough of the clinch but Berry keeps him there for the moment.
Sambo wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Berry has him pressed against the cage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Berry breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Berry throws a sloppy head kick and Sambo moves out of range easily.
Berry swats away the attempt to clinch by Sambo.
Berry looks for a takedown but Sambo sprawls well.
Sambo thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Berry if he has to take too many more of those.
Sambo wants to clinch.
Berry throws a body kick that misses
and Sambo counters with a body kick that stops Berry in his tracks momentarily.
Berry on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Berry tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sambo stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Sambo wants it to stay on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Keenan Berry. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Sambo gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Sambo is trying to break the clinch but Berry is controlling him.

Sambo breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Berry dives in for a single leg takedown but Sambo sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
The referee is keeping an eye on Berry - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

Sambo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Berry gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Sambo counters with a left and a right that stings Berry.
Sambo lands a nice looking body kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sambo misses with an attempted mid kick.
Berry tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Sambo manages to circle out of the way.
Sambo takes a body punch but keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sambo misses the shot to the body.
Berry tries to score a power double leg takedown but Sambo sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Berry somewhat.
Sambo works over Berry's head and body with a nice combination.
Sloppy strikes from Sambo. Those never looked like landing.
Berry looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Sambo is fending him off so far but Berry persists. Nope, Sambo circles away and we're back to standing.
Sambo throws a head kick that misses.
Sambo throws a half hearted mid kick.

Sambo fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Berry, pushing him back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sambo breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Berry blocks a head kick by Sambo.
Sambo fails with an attempt to clinch.
Berry tries to bum rush Sambo with a series of wild strikes but Sambo uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Berry darts in and clinches Sambo up against the cage.
Sambo is looking to break free of the clinch but Berry has double underhooks.
Berry pushes Sambo back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Sambo tries to circle away but Berry has him pinned against the cage.
Berry's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Berry digs a right hand into Sambo's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Sambo's gas tank.
Sambo with an attempt at a knee that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ray Sambo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Sambo 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ray Sambo!
The defeated Keenan Berry had this to say: 'I'd like to contribute my loss to my crack dealer, the casino hall by my house I go toinstead of training and that crackhead homeless girl that does dirty things to me for crack rocks. I Love you, Bridget!'.