PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Bob Jardine (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marcus Saplin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jardine comes to the cage accompanied by Calm Like A Bomb- Rage Against the Machine. Saplin has chosen Invincible as his entrance music. Marcus Saplin acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Jardine
vs
Saplin

185 cm
25
193 lbs
10 - 3 - 0

195 cm
22
185 lbs
6 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Boomerang! Costume Shop ($12 Fun Gear)

Phoenix Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Bob Jardine!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Marcus Saplin!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, Hugh Johnson and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Saplin stuffs the takedown.
Saplin tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Jardine paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A combination from Jardine does no damage.
Jardine misses with a low kick.
Jardine misses with a hook.
Jardine lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Saplin backs up against the cage.

It looks like Marcus Saplin has been cut.
Jardine shoots in but no luck this time.
Jardine throws a right and a left that both miss.
Saplin lands with a shot to the body.
Saplin tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Jardine paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Saplin tries to clinch up but Jardine circles away and keeps his distance.
Saplin cracks a nice hook into Jardine's ribs.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Jardine keeps the fight on the outside.

Saplin drives through and clinches with Jardine against the cage.
Jardine has Saplin pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Saplin manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bob Jardine. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Saplin misses with a knee to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jardine working hard to break the clinch.
Saplin misses with a knee strike.
Saplin with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Saplin with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Jardine wants a takedown but no success here.
Saplin utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Saplin with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Saplin landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Jardine can't break the clinch.
Jardine blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Saplin stops a takedown attempt from Jardine.
Saplin tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Saplin lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Saplin has Jardine pressed against the cage, preventing Jardine from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Saplin tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Knees to the body from Saplin.
Saplin landing knees to the head.
Jardine has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Jardine breaks the clinch.
A looping hook to the body misses from Jardine. Saplin does a little dance to reset his feet.
Nice sprawl there from Saplin as Jardine shoots in.
Jardine is breathing heavily.
Jardine misses with an uppercut. Saplin saw that one coming.
Jardine scores with a nice strike.
Marcus Saplin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Jardine moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Jardine misses with an uppercut. Saplin saw that one coming.
Jardine swats away the attempt to clinch by Saplin.
Saplin doesn't manage to clinch there - Jardine circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Saplin gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Saplin misses with a knee to the head.
Saplin with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Saplin connects with a knee to the head.
Jardine working hard to break the clinch.
Jardine managing to block the knees to the body from Saplin.
Saplin tries to land a knee to the head but Jardine blocks with his arms.
Saplin landing knees to the head.
Jardine has Saplin pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Saplin manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Saplin lands a knee to the head.
Saplin tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Jardine wants to get back to striking at distance but Saplin won't allow it.
Saplin trying to land knees to the body.
Jardine wants to get back to striking at distance but Saplin won't allow it.
Saplin is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jardine is trying to break the clinch but Saplin is controlling him.
Saplin throws a knee to the head but misses.
Saplin is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Jardine is trying to break the clinch but Saplin is controlling him.
Saplin with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Saplin tries to land a knee to the head but Jardine blocks with his arms.
Saplin misses with a knee to the head.
Saplin landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Saplin trying to land knees to the body.
Saplin looking to throw knees to the head but Jardine is blocking nicely.
Saplin tries to land a knee to the head but Jardine blocks with his arms.
Jardine working hard to break the clinch.
Jardine is looking to break free of the clinch but Saplin has double underhooks.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Saplin with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Jardine avoiding damage as Saplin throws knees to the body.
Saplin with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Marcus Saplin will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Marcus Saplin's cut.
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.

Jardine jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Saplin doesn't manage to clinch there - Jardine circles away.
Saplin avoids a punch combination nicely.
Bob Jardine seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Decent striking displayed by Jardine there.
Jardine throws a right and a left that Saplin avoids nicely.
Saplin avoids the body shot from Jardine.
Bob Jardine is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Jardine gets the takedown into side control.
Jardine working the head and body with strikes.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Jardine in side control lands a decent elbow.
Jardine working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Saplin is trying to get back to half guard.
Jardine lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jardine misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Jardine works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Jardine works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Jardine working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Jardine tries to score with some ground and pound. Saplin controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Jardine working the ground and pound.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Saplin is looking for a sweep.
Jardine scoring with punches and elbows.
Jardine looks up at the clock and then as Saplin takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Jardine smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!

Jardine is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Saplin is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jardine misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Jardine throwing strikes but Saplin manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Jardine is looking to regain half guard here but Saplin keeps moving and retains side control.

Saplin stands up.
Jardine swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Jardine avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jardine looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Saplin is fending him off so far but Jardine persists. Nope, Saplin circles away and we're back to standing.
Jardine throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Jardine swats away the attempt to clinch by Saplin.
Saplin tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Jardine paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Jardine shoots in and drives through. Saplin sprawls well.
Jardine misses with a hook to the body
and Saplin counters with a nice leg kick.
Jardine getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Jardine tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

Saplin gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Jardine fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bob Jardine. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Saplin prevents a takedown attempt there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saplin connects with a nasty looking knee right to Jardine's face.
Jardine is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Saplin gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Saplin keeps control of Jardine as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Saplin misses with a knee strike.
Jardine tries to score a body lock takedown but Saplin shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Saplin with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Saplin misses with a knee strike.
Jardine tries to break the clinch but Saplin is controlling the position.
Saplin landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Saplin with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Saplin tries to land a knee to the head but Jardine blocks with his arms.

Jardine breaks the clinch.
Jardine misses with a jab to the body

and Saplin moves into the clinch.
Saplin looking to throw knees to the head but Jardine is blocking nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bob Jardine dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Marcus Saplin's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Saplin has closed the distance and engaged Jardine in a clinch.
Saplin keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Jardine's efforts to push away.
Jardine tries to break the clinch but Saplin is controlling the position.
Saplin misses with a knee strike.
Saplin trying to land knees to the body.
Saplin tries a knee to the head but Jardine blocks it.
Jardine blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Saplin tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Saplin tries to land a knee to the head but Jardine blocks with his arms.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Saplin tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Saplin using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Jardine has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Jardine tightens his grip and picks Saplin up, before dumping him to the ground. Saplin manages to land in guard.
Jardine connects with a couple of short punches.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Jardine is looking to work some ground and pound but Saplin has wrist control.
Jardine has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jardine lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Jardine scoring with punches to the head and body.
Saplin avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Jardine working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Jardine in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Saplin really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Jardine. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Jardine makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Saplin keeping full guard, as Jardine tries to pass.

Saplin is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Jardine defends well.
Jardine scoring with some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jardine loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Jardine throws and elbow that misses. Saplin uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Jardine's guard. Nice move by Saplin!
Jardine bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Saplin's guard.
Jardine trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Jardine throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Saplin works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Jardine is working Saplin over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Jardine postures up in Saplin's guard and throws a big left but Saplin blocks it.

Saplin looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jardine postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Jardine with a flurry of punches that miss.
Jardine throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Saplin works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Jardine content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Jardine works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Bob Jardine overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Jardine is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Jardine throwing shots but Saplin is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saplin keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jardine looks to land a strike but Saplin avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Jardine working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Jardine throws and elbow that misses. Saplin uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Jardine's guard. Nice move by Saplin!
Jardine tries to strike from the bottom.
Jardine has a closed guard, preventing Saplin from standing up.
Saplin won't allow Jardine to sweep him here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Jardine gets the takedown into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bob Jardine clearly takes that round.
The cut man is working on Marcus Saplin's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Jardine shoots in for a takedown but Saplin shows good takedown defense.
Bob Jardine is winning the standup battle so far.

Saplin moves into the clinch.
Saplin connects with a nasty looking knee right to Jardine's face.
Saplin tries to land a knee to the head but Jardine blocks with his arms.
Jardine wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Saplin misses with a knee to the head.
Jardine blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Jardine tries to circle away but Saplin has him pinned against the cage.
Saplin with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jardine on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Jardine takes a knee to the side of the body.
A knee to the head by Saplin.
Jardine can't break the clinch.
Jardine tries to break the clinch but Saplin is controlling the position.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saplin looking to throw knees to the head but Jardine is blocking nicely.
Saplin misses with a knee to the head.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Saplin obliges.
Saplin with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Saplin using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Jardine can't break the clinch.
Saplin misses with a knee to the head.

Jardine breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Jardine tries to bum rush Saplin with a series of wild strikes but Saplin uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Jardine misses with the combination.
Saplin thuds his shin into the meat of Jardine's side.
Saplin tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jardine swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Saplin instigates a clinch.
Saplin with a knee to the head.
Saplin tries to land knees in the clinch but Jardine avoids the damage to the body.
Saplin scores with a knee to the head.
Jardine on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Jardine takes a knee right on the jaw!
Knees to the body from Saplin.
Saplin keeps control of Jardine as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Saplin lands a nice knee to the body.
Saplin with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Jardine has had enough of the clinch but Saplin keeps him there for the moment.
Jardine wants to break the clinch but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jardine drops down looking for an ankle pick but Saplin pulls his leg out and moves away.
Saplin wants to clinch up but Jardine keeps it at a distance.
Saplin tries to close the distance and clinch up but Jardine swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Saplin wants to clinch.
Jardine throws a shot from downtown. Saplin moves away and avoids it.
Saplin slaps away a takedown attempt from Jardine, before circling back to the center of the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bob Jardine. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Jardine throws a left and a right that both miss

and Saplin holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Saplin is pressed up against the cage. Jardine has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Saplin down to the mat. Saplin avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

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.

Saplin closes the distance and clinches.
Saplin tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Saplin unloads a knee to the mid-section. Jardine lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Saplin with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Saplin tries a knee to the head but Jardine blocks it.
A knee to the head by Saplin.
Saplin misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Jardine.
Saplin misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Jardine.
Jardine takes a knee to the side of the body.
Saplin lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Jardine is trying to break free.
Saplin with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Saplin misses with a knee strike.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus Saplin dominated that fourth round.
The cut man is working on Marcus Saplin's cut.
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!

Jardine shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Saplin wants to clinch up but Jardine keeps it at a distance.
Saplin tries to clinch but Jardine is having none of it.
Jardine throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Saplin.
Saplin fails in his attempt to clinch.

Saplin pushes Jardine up against the cage in a clinch.
Saplin using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Jardine has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Jardine goes for a takedown attempt but Saplin pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Jardine shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Saplin but Saplin pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bob Jardine. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Saplin is looking to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jardine lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Saplin circles away quickly and effectively.
Both of our modern day gladiators look out of it here - an gruelling 5 rounds of action taking it's toll on them, no doubt.
Saplin tries to close the distance and clinch up but Jardine swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Jardine thows a leg kick but Saplin checks it
and Saplin counters with a leg kick.
Jardine dives in and grabs Saplin's left leg, looking for a takedown. Saplin pushes down on Jardine's head and hops out.
Saplin is looking to clinch.
Saplin tries to clinch up but Jardine circles away and keeps his distance.
Saplin tries to clinch there but Jardine circles away.
Saplin stuffs the takedown.
Jardine keeps the fight on the outside.
Saplin is looking to clinch.

Saplin closes the distance and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Jardine takes a knee right on the jaw!
Saplin tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Jardine avoids it.
Jardine drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Saplin unloads a knee to the mid-section. Jardine lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Saplin tries a knee to the head but Jardine blocks it.
Saplin tries a knee to the head but Jardine blocks it.
Saplin throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Jardine blocks it with crossed arms.
Jardine has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Saplin is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Saplin landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Jardine managing to block the knees to the body from Saplin.
Saplin tries a knee to the head but Jardine blocks it.
Saplin lands a knee to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jardine drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Saplin gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Saplin lands a good knee to the midsection. Jardine won't want to take too many of those.
Jardine wants to break the clinch but can't.
Jardine looking for a takedown.
Saplin throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Jardine blocks it with crossed arms.
Jardine blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Saplin tries to land knees in the clinch but Jardine avoids the damage to the body.
Saplin tries to land a knee to the head but Jardine blocks with his arms.
Saplin misses with a knee to the head.
Saplin using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Jardine has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Saplin tries a knee to the head but Jardine blocks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Jardine tries to break the clinch but Saplin is controlling the position.
Saplin throws a knee to the head but misses.
Saplin tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Jardine has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Jardine tries to circle away but Saplin has him pinned against the cage.
Saplin using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Jardine has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Jardine's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Jardine circles away from the clinch attempt.
Saplin is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Jardine scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Saplin takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Jardine cracks Saplin with an elbow. That is naaassty.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marcus Saplin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Saplin 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 47:48
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 48:48
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 47:48

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Marcus Saplin!
Marcus Saplin is the new middleweight champion!