PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kade Williams (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Scott Sanford (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Williams
vs
Sanford

180 cm
20
178 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
22
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Likes ground

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Kade Williams!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Scott Sanford!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Gregory Folan and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Williams fails with the takedown.

Williams shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Williams was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Sanford is wriggling around trying to escape.
Williams trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Williams is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Sanford is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Sanford tries to lock up and control but Williams gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Williams goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Sanford is on top in guard.

Sanford drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Sanford jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Williams is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Sanford wants to pass the guard but Williams is keeping the position.

Sanford avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Sanford tries to free his leg and advance position but Williams is retaining full guard.

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.
Williams has a closed guard, preventing Sanford from standing up.
Sanford slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Sanford trying to control the position but Williams is working away.
Williams struggling a bit here.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Williams shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Sanford but Sanford pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Williams is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
The fight stays on the outside here - Williams looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Sanford avoids the head kick by Williams.
Sanford tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Williams looks frusrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kade Williams. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Williams stuffs the takedown attempt from Sanford. Sanford gets slowly back to his feet.
Sanford doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Williams counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Sanford gets back to full guard.

Williams postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Sanford is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Williams, into his guard.
Sanford trying to control the position from guard on top but Williams is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Williams pushes Sanford off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Sanford misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Sanford fails in his attempt to clinch.
Williams tries for a takedown but Sanford circles away easily
and Sanford counters with a big head kick but Williams shrugs it off.
Williams keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Williams fails with the takedown.

Williams shoots in and bounces Sanford off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Sanford wants to sweep here but Williams controlling him for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kade Williams dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Williams tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Sanford swivels and escapes.
Williams tries to clinch but Sanford moves away

and Sanford counters with a single leg into guard. Williams didn't expect that.
Williams trying to control the position here.
Williams wants to control but Sanford passes easily into half guard.
Williams won't allow Sanford to pass to mount.
Williams keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Sanford working over Williams with some ground and pound. Williams looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Williams is looking to get back to is feet but Sanford passes into side control.
Williams misses with an elbow from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
You can see the frustration on Williams's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Williams is looking for a sweep.
You can see the frustration on Williams's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Sanford tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Sanford has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Williams can't do much from the bottom here.

That's two 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.
Sanford trying to control the position but Williams is working away.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Williams closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Williams lands in his opponent's guard.

Williams avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Williams is looking to stand up but Sanford won't let him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanford looking for a sweep. Not yet Sanford, not yet.
Williams throws a strike but Sanford rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Sanford tries to stand but Williams is controlling from the bottom.

Williams has his foot on Sanford's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Sanford works his way back into a safe position though.
Sanford slips nicely into half guard.
Williams is looking to control Sanford's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Williams avoid being mounted?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Williams is trying to stand.
Williams trying to control but Sanford postures up.
Sanford is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Williams!
Williams's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Sanford has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Williams's face.
Sanford avoids the attempt from Williams to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Scott Sanford 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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Sanford throws a push kick but Williams slaps the foot to one side.
Sanford shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Williams but Williams pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Williams tries for a takedown but Sanford sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Sanford.
Nice takedown defense from Sanford. No joy for Williams on that attempt.
Williams tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Sanford swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kade Williams. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Williams misses with a takedown

and Sanford counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Williams's guard now.
Williams looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sanford tries to free his leg and advance position but Williams is retaining full guard.
Williams looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sanford is one step ahead there.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Williams lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Sanford!
Williams controlling from the full mount.
Sanford regains half guard.

Williams decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice cross by Williams.
Sanford wants to clinch.
Williams lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

Sanford is rocked!

It looks like Scott Sanford has been cut.
Sanford tries to clinch there but Williams circles away.
Sanford shoots in but Williams avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Sanford misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Williams tries to clinch there but Sanford circles away.
Sanford misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Sanford throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Sanford shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Williams fails with the takedown.
Sanford shoots in and drives through. Williams sprawls well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Williams drives through with a takedown into guard.

Williams has gone for a leg lock! Sanford slips out almost immediately though and dives into Williams's guard.
Sanford works over Williams with some ground and pound from guard.
Williams controls Sanford momentarily but Sanford frees himself.
Sanford pushes down on Williams's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Sanford is nestled in close to Williams, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

Sanford is working for a kimura but Williams is defending it quite comfortably.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sanford is thwarting Williams's attempts to control the position.
Sanford is tying to control. Williams wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Williams is in trouble now - Sanford has advanced to mount!

Sanford looking to secure an arm triangle but Williams defends it well.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sanford looking to control but Williams is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Scott Sanford.
I think Sanford 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 William Peck scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Scott Sanford!