PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Matt Sams (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bryan Bernie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Matt Sams had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Sams
vs
Bernie

188 cm
19
219 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
19
220 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Powerful

Uncle Sam's Nutrition Superstore

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Matt Sams!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Bryan Bernie!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Trevor Gratis and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sams throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Sams throws a shot from downtown. Bernie moves away and avoids it.

Bernie rushes Sams and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Bernie fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Bernie's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Sams.
Bernie slips a jab and a cross from Sams.

Bernie clinches.
Sams is trying to break the clinch but Bernie has him pressed against the cage.
Sams tries to circle away but Bernie has him pinned against the cage.

Bernie has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Sams uses from the top position.
Bernie working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sams.
Bernie looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sams trying to control the position from guard on top but Bernie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Bernie looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Sams tries to free his leg and advance position but Bernie is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sams has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Bernie is proving hard to escape from.
Bernie looking for a sweep. Not yet Bernie, not yet.
Sams not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Sams has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Sams stopping the sweep attempt from Bernie.
Sams knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Bernie on the ground.
Sams postures up in Bernie's guard and throws a big left but Bernie blocks it.
Sams tries to free his leg and advance position but Bernie is retaining full guard.
Sams is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Sams lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Sams avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sams goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
A jab from Sams finds it's way through Bernie's defenses.
Bernie takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Sams lands a nice shot that snaps Bernie's head back.
Bernie moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Sams scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Matt Sams is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Bernie closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Bernie fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Bernie has Sams pressed against the cage.

Bernie breaks from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sams thumps Bernie with a low kick.
A left lands for Sams.
Sams moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Sams throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Good standup being displayed there by Sams as he connects with a hook.
Sams ducks under a wild hook from Bernie.
Nice jab there from Sams.
Matt Sams seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sams connects with a right hand. Bernie shakes it off.
Sams throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sams throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
The fighters circling - Sams throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Sams throws a right and a left that both miss.
Sams is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Sams does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Bernie wants to clinch up but Sams keeps it at a distance.
Bernie bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Bernie uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Sams.
Bernie takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Sams tests Bernie's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Sams misses with a straight right.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Sams dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Sams throws a right hand that Bernie ducks under and follows up with a left that Bernie also avoids with ease.
Sams swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Bernie.
Sams is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Jab from Sams.
Bernie tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Sams throws a shot to the body.
Bernie gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Sams throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bernie throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Sams counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Sams looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Sams scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

It looks like Bryan Bernie has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sams scores with a nice strike.
Sams lands a head shot.
Sams lands a glancing blow to the side of Bernie's head.
Sams lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Sams.
Bernie takes one to the side of the head.
Sams throws a right hand that Bernie ducks under and follows up with a left that Bernie also avoids with ease.
Bernie has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Bernie on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Sams cracks Bernie with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Matt Sams is winning the standup battle so far.
A shot to de liver by Sams. Beautiful body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sams cracks a nice hook into Bernie's ribs.
Bernie walks into a left hand.
Sams misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Sams connects with a jab.
Sams lands a body shot.
The crowd cheers as Sams lands an impressive looking overhand right. Bernie doesn't seem phased though.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sams tries to bum rush Bernie with a series of wild strikes but Bernie uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Bernie ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Bernie is looking to clinch but Sams is avoiding it.
Sams ducks down and throws a hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bernie tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Bernie on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Sams throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Bernie on the side of the head.
Sams misses with a leg kick.
Sams circles away from the clinch attempt.
Bernie steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Sams.
Nice shot lands for Sams.
Bernie on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Sams dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Good leg kick by Sams there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Sams scores with a jab to the jaw.
Bernie changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Sams tries to avoid it but Bernie manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Sams to the ground. Sams escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Sams misses with an uppercut.
Sams scores with a one two! Bernie had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Sams misses with a few strikes there.
Sams dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bernie gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Sams swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Sams dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Bryan Bernie's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Sams fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Bernie on the side of the head.
Bernie is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Sams looks to land a combination but Bernie avoids it well.
Bernie uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Sams.
Bernie wants to clinch but Sams slips to the side
and Sams connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Bernie walks into a jab.
Good standup being displayed there by Sams as he connects with a hook.
Sams digs a good body shot into Bernie's ribs.
Sams connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Sams thows a left - swing and a miss!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sams jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Sams throws a series of strikes that have Bernie backpedaling.
Sams with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Bernie takes one on the button.
Bernie walks into a stiff left hand from Sams.
A nice combination there by Sams.
Bernie tries to clinch up.
Sams looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Sams throws a right and a left that both miss.
Bryan Bernie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sams throws out a powerful jab.
Sams avoids a kick to the body.
Sams scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Bernie doesn't seem bothered though.
Sams scores with a three punch combo!
Bernie tries to clinch up.
Sams misses with a few strikes there.
Sams listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Sams thuds his right hand into Bernie's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Nice shot by Sams.
Matt Sams is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bernie on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Sams lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Bernie throws a jab when Sams was well out of range.
Sams misses with a head kick.
Sams connects with a crisp jab.
Sams scores with a hook to the body. Bernie takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Bernie on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Bryan Bernie is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sams throws a right and a left that both miss.
Bernie is looking to clinch but Sams is avoiding it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sams ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Sams lands a right hook to the body.
Sams lands the left hand.
Sams swinging wilding here.
Sams smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Bernie shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sams lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Sams.
Sams is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Bernie can do to turn this around?
Sams connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt Sams showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Sams, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Alec Ball scores the fight 30:25
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 30:25
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 30:25

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matt Sams!