PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Manny Sessions (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rage Phillips (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Sessions
vs
Phillips

169 cm
21
156 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

170 cm
21
158 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

Decent wrestler
Great low kicks
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Mayhem Black Market Pharmaceuticals

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Manny Sessions!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Rage Phillips!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Phillips scores with a body shot.
Phillips throws a shot from downtown. Sessions moves away and avoids it.
Phillips throws a big shot that misses.
A looping hook to the body misses from Phillips. Sessions does a little dance to reset his feet.
Phillips misses with a straight left.
Good leg kick by Sessions there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Sessions slips a straight right by Phillips.
Phillips looks to land a left hand but Sessions moved out of range nicely.
Sessions misses with a low kick.
Phillips blocks a low kick nicely.
Phillips lands a head shot.
Rage Phillips seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sessions moves in looking to clinch but Phillips pushes him off.
Sessions lands a head kick!
Phillips thows a left - swing and a miss!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Sessions.
Sessions defending well as Phillips loads up on a big left hand.
Sessions throws a predictable looking body shot
and Phillips counters with a left and a right that stings Sessions.
Sessions on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Sessions darts in trying to clinch
and Phillips counters with a stiff right hand.
Phillips uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Sessions.
Phillips fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Sessions looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Sessions thuds his shin into the meat of Phillips's side.
Phillips moves out of range of the leg kick from Sessions.
Good exchange - Phillips coming out on top.
Sessions stuns Phillips with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Phillips throws a hook but Sessions avoids it easily.
Phillips misses with a straight right.
A left lands for Phillips.
Phillips stuns Sessions with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Sessions throws a half hearted mid kick.
Phillips throws a big shot that misses.
Phillips smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Phillips takes a shot to the body in his stride.
The fight stays on the outside here - Sessions looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Phillips fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Sessions looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Phillips lands with a hook. Sessions tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Sessions thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Phillips if he has to take too many more of those.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Phillips moves out of range of the leg kick from Sessions.
Sessions tries to clinch there but Phillips circles away.
Sessions lands a nice looking kick to the body. Phillips takes a step back to recover.

Sessions darts in and clinches Phillips up against the cage.
Phillips misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Phillips'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.
Phillips blocks an elbow strike from Sessions.
Phillips dodges an elbow strike from Sessions.
Sessions misses with an elbow over the top.
Sessions lands a damaging elbow.
Phillips is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Sessions landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Phillips looks gassed!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sessions stalling.
Sessions pushes off an throws an elbow but Phillips leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Sessions gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Sessions scores a nice knee to the body.
Sessions has Phillips pushed against the cage.
Sessions softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Phillips blocks the elbow strike.
Phillips avoids a wild elbow strike from Sessions.
Phillips lands a body punch.
Sessions misses with an elbow over the top.
Sessions lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Phillips blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Sessions just misses with a elbow thrown towards Phillips's brow.
Phillips taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sessions throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Phillips blocks it with crossed arms.
Sessions trying to land knees to the body.
Phillips avoids a wild elbow strike from Sessions.
Phillips dodges an elbow strike from Sessions.
Sessions throws an elbow but it misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Manny Sessions will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Phillips fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Sessions looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Sessions tries to clinch up
and Phillips counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Phillips misses with a body shot
and Sessions counters with a body kick that stops Phillips in his tracks momentarily.
Sessions staying out of range there.
Phillips takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
A thudding body kick lands there by Sessions!
The fighters circling - Phillips throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Sessions tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Phillips with a nice cross.
A swing and a miss from Phillips.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Phillips misses with an uppercut.
Phillips throws a right and a left that both miss.
A nice inside leg kick there by Sessions. That's going to slow Phillips down.
Phillips looks to land a left hand but Sessions moved out of range nicely.
Phillips chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Sessions can pounce on him.
Sessions swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Nice defenses there by Sessions.
Sessions wants to clinch up but Phillips keeps it at a distance.
Sessions closes the distance looking to clinch
and Phillips counters with a straight right hand.
Sessions scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Sessions uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Phillips.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sessions moves out of range as Phillips strikes.
Phillips fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sessions manages to avoid it.
Sessions scores with a spinning back kick!
Sessions connects with a solid leg kick.
Phillips misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Sessions counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Phillips is breathing heavily.
Phillips throws an overhand right that lands on Sessions's shoulder, as Sessions tries to avoid the shot.
Sessions throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Sessions ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Phillips waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Sessions.
Phillips throws an overhand right that lands on Sessions's shoulder, as Sessions tries to avoid the shot.
Sessions throws a body punch but Phillips moves out of range.
Phillips ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Sessions moves away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sessions has Phillips up against the cage in a clinch.
Sessions throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Phillips is trying to force a seperation but Sessions has the dominant position.
Sessions lands a damaging elbow.
Knees in the clinch landing for Sessions.
Phillips takes a knee right on the jaw!
Phillips blocks an elbow strike.
Phillips blocks the elbow strike.
Sessions has Phillips pressed against the cage.
With the fighters up against the cage, Sessions throws an elbow but misses.
Sessions with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Phillips has had enough of the clinch but Sessions keeps him there for the moment.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Sessions just misses with a elbow thrown towards Phillips's brow.
Phillips blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Phillips can't break the clinch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Sessions looking to throw knees to the head but Phillips is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice elbow from Sessions.
Phillips has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Sessions.
Sessions misses with an elbow over the top.
Sessions pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Nice elbow from Sessions.
Phillips goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Phillips on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Sessions lands a nice elbow.
Sessions taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Phillips avoids a wild elbow strike from Sessions.
Phillips avoids the elbow strike from Sessions, against the cage.
Sessions throws an elbow that misses.
Phillips blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Sessions lands an elbow that stopped Phillips in his tracks for a moment.
Phillips lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Sessions backwards.
Sessions lands an elbow just above Phillips 's eye.
Sessions lands an elbow inside that Phillips shrugs off.
Sessions pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Manny Sessions dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Sessions throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Sessions keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Sessions doesn't manage to clinch there - Phillips circles away.

Sessions forces Phillips back against the cage and clinches.
Phillips blocks an elbow strike from Sessions.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Sessions as Phillips tries to tie him up.
Sessions tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Phillips avoids it.
Phillips wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Phillips stalling in the clinch.
Phillips avoids a wild elbow strike from Sessions.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Phillips breaks the clinch.
Sessions throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Sessions throws the kick towards the body but Phillips avoids it.
Phillips throws a shot from downtown. Sessions moves away and avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Phillips thows a body shot but no joy.
Sessions defending well as Phillips loads up on a big left hand.
Sessions lands with a kick to the temple. Phillips shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

Sessions gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Phillips lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Sessions has a couple of punches blocked by Phillips.
Sessions lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Phillips or not.
Phillips avoids the elbow strike from Sessions, against the cage.
Sessions throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Sessions tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Phillips is pushing Sessions up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Phillips has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Sessions is trying to keep an underhook but Phillips manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Phillips takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Phillips trying to control the pace.
Manny Sessions is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Phillips frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Sessions is desperately trying to improve his position but Phillips has a good base and remains in mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Phillips stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Phillips fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Phillips misses with a straight right.
Sessions takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Decent striking displayed by Phillips there.
Sessions is looking to clinch but Phillips is avoiding it.
Sessions tries to score with a low kick but Phillips moves his leg out of the way.
Sessions keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Phillips looks to throw the jab but Sessions is out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sessions moves out of range of the strikes.
Sessions ducks under a wild hook from Phillips.
Phillips chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Sessions can pounce on him.
Sessions takes a jab right on the kisser.
A good leg kick by Sessions.
Nice defenses there by Sessions.
Sessions slips under a jab from Phillips.
Rage Phillips has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A chopping leg kick lands by Sessions.
Phillips swings away with a body shot that misses
and Sessions counters with a thumping low kick.
Sessions uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Phillips.
Phillips throws an overhand right that lands on Sessions's shoulder, as Sessions tries to avoid the shot.
Sessions scores with a jab to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Rage Phillips.
I think Sessions has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Manny Sessions!