PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Marcus Saplin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jake Sully (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Saplin kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Invincible. Sully has chosen I See You as his entrance music. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Jake Sully was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Saplin
vs
Sully

195 cm
23
185 lbs
8 - 6 - 0

194 cm
22
191 lbs
8 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

.: AFFAKETION :.
Boomerang! Boomeroids! 157 Muscle PROOF

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 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Marcus Saplin!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jake Sully!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, Bruno Hogan and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sully throws a nice looking combination but Saplin bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Saplin tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sully swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Sully scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Sully fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Saplin manages to avoid it.
Saplin uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Sully.
Sully misses with a looping left.
Sully lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Good shot there by Sully.
Sully misses with a jab, cross combination.
Saplin takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Sully tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Saplin was well out of range. Poor timing from Sully.
Sully shoots for a double leg takedown but Saplin sprawls well. He's pushed Sully's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Sully scores with a jab to the jaw.
Jake Sully seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Saplin tries to close the distance and clinch but Sully swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Saplin slips a jab from Sully.
Good exchange - Sully coming out on top.
Saplin fails in his attempt to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Saplin looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A left and a right from Sully both land. Nice combination.
Sully throws a right and a left that both miss.
Saplin ducks under a wild hook from Sully.
Sully connects with the punch.
Saplin keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
The crowd cheers as Sully lands an impressive looking overhand right. Saplin doesn't seem phased though.
Saplin takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Sully scores with a sloppy right hand. Saplin should have avoided that one.
Sully tests Saplin's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Saplin is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Saplin tried to score with a low kick but Sully checks it.
Sully avoids a kick to the body.
Saplin walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saplin slips a jab from Sully.
The fight stays on the outside here - Saplin looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Left hook, right uppercut from Sully.
Saplin is looking to clinch but Sully is avoiding it.
Sully comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Saplin drops his hands momentarily and Sully takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sully misses with a wild body shot.
Sully tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Saplin swivels and escapes.
Sully swats away the attempt to clinch by Saplin.
Sully looks for a takedown but Saplin sprawls well.
Marcus Saplin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jake Sully.
Sully connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Decent striking displayed by Sully there.
Saplin is looking to clinch but Sully is avoiding it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saplin tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sully paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Saplin walks into a left hand.
Sully misses with a hook.
Marcus Saplin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Sully bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Sully tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Sully has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Saplin tries to improve position but can't.

Sully thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Sully working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The ground and pound from Sully seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Sully lands some shots froms side control.

Sully working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Saplin is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Sully has just dragged him back down to the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Saplin tries to improve position but can't.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sully landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jake Sully dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Saplin closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Sully shoots in for a double leg but Saplin sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Jake Sully is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sully misses with a hook.
Saplin uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Sully.
Decent striking displayed by Sully there.
Saplin really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Sully throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Saplin turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Sully!

Saplin has closed the distance and engaged Sully in a clinch.
Saplin tries to land a knee to the head but Sully blocks with his arms.
Sully lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Saplin connects with a nasty looking knee right to Sully's face.
Saplin tries a knee to the head but Sully blocks it.
A frustrated look appears on Sully's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Saplin misses with a knee strike.
Sully tries to break the clinch but Saplin is controlling the position.
Sully wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Saplin looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sully is looking to break free of the clinch but Saplin has double underhooks.
A frustrated look appears on Sully's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Saplin missing with knees to the body.
Sully is trying to force a seperation but Saplin has the dominant position.
Saplin throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Sully blocks it with crossed arms.
Saplin tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
The referee calls for Sully to work.
Saplin keeps control of Sully as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Saplin tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Sully avoiding damage as Saplin throws knees to the body.
Sully tries to break free but Saplin pushes him back against the cage.
Saplin keeps control of Sully as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Saplin tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Saplin prevents Sully from breaking the clinch.
Saplin scores with a knee to the head.
Saplin tries a knee to the head but Sully blocks it.

Sully manages to break the clinch.
Saplin tries to clinch up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Saplin is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Sully throws a jab but it's blocked by Saplin.
Sully throws the left hand but Saplin avoids the punch easily.
Saplin tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sully swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Sully misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Sully throws a nice looking combination but Saplin bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Sully works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Saplin takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Sully looks to score with a jab to the body but Saplin is just out of range.
Saplin uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Sully.
Sully throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Sully is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Saplin.
Sully throws a right and a left that Saplin avoids nicely.
Nice takedown defense from Saplin. No joy for Sully on that attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saplin is looking to clinch.
Sully lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Saplin circles away quickly and effectively.
Sully looks to land a right hand but Saplin moved out of range.
Saplin moves in looking to clinch but Sully pushes him off.
Saplin avoids a punch combination nicely.
Sully cracks Saplin with a good jab.
Sully throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Sully ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Saplin uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Sully.
Saplin fails in his attempt to clinch.
Saplin moves out of range of the strikes.
Sully misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Saplin slips a jab from Sully.
Sully missing with a left hand there. Saplin was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sully throws a body punch but Saplin moves out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Saplin looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
No joy there for Sully, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Saplin has taken the fight to the clinch.
Saplin misses with a knee strike.
Saplin prevents the takedown attempt.
Marcus Saplin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jake Sully.
Saplin looking to throw knees to the head but Sully is blocking nicely.
Saplin misses with a knee strike.
Saplin tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Sully's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Saplin takes the fight into the clinch.
Sully blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Saplin tries to land a knee to the head but Sully blocks with his arms.
Saplin tries to land a knee to the head but Sully blocks with his arms.
Sully blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jake Sully 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.

Sully throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Sully circles away from the clinch attempt.
Sully misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Sully circles away from the clinch attempt.
Sully throws a right hand that Saplin ducks under and follows up with a left that Saplin also avoids with ease.
Sully lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Saplin circles away quickly and effectively.
Saplin wants to clinch up but Sully keeps it at a distance.
Saplin is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Sully throws a hook to the side of Saplin's head but Saplin sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sully circles away from the clinch attempt.
Sully avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sully scores with a nice strike.
Sully connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saplin wants to clinch up but Sully keeps it at a distance.
Sully lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Saplin circles away quickly and effectively.
Sully takes a swing at Saplin's ribcage but misses.
Sully throws a hook but Saplin blocks it.
Saplin uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Sully.
Sully waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Saplin.
Saplin tries to clinch up.

Saplin rushes Sully and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Sully tries to circle away but Saplin has him pinned against the cage.
Sully tries for a takedown. No joy.
A knee to the head by Saplin.
A right hook to the body lands for Sully.
Sully is trying to force a seperation but Saplin has the dominant position.
Sully on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Sully has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Sully is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Saplin gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Marcus Saplin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jake Sully.
Saplin throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sully is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Saplin pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Saplin throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Sully blocks it with crossed arms.
Saplin tries to land a knee to the head but Sully blocks with his arms.
Sully is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Saplin throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Sully blocks it with crossed arms.
Saplin tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Saplin keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Sully's efforts to push away.
Sully wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Sully escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Saplin throws a low kick but it's checked well by Sully.
Sully fails with the takedown.
Sully misses with a wild body shot.
Sully lands a jab to the head.
Sully misses the jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saplin tries to clinch up.
Sully scores with a punch to the head.
Saplin steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Sully.
Saplin fails in his attempt to clinch.
Sully throws a right hand that Saplin ducks under and follows up with a left that Saplin also avoids with ease.
Sully takes a kick to the side of the head.
Saplin is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Sully misses with a straight right.
Saplin doesn't manage to clinch there - Sully circles away.
Sully just misses with a punch to the body.
Saplin cracks the inside of Sully's front leg.
Sully circles away from the clinch attempt.
Saplin is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Sully misses with a series of wild punches.
Sully avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sully circles away from the clinch attempt.
Sully misses with a jab, cross combination.
Saplin lands with a thumping leg kick.
Saplin tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sully swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Saplin needs to keep his hands up - Sully had a free shot at his head there.
Sully swats away the attempt to clinch by Saplin.
Saplin takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
The crowd cheers as Sully lands an impressive looking overhand right. Saplin doesn't seem phased though.
Saplin takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Saplin scores with a leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jake Sully really dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Sully avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sully shoots in for a takedown but Saplin shows good takedown defense.
The fight stays on the outside here - Saplin looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Saplin misses with an attempted mid kick.
Saplin tries to clinch but Sully moves out of range.
Saplin is looking to clinch but Sully is avoiding it.
Sully's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Sully duly obliges.
Sully throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Saplin.
Sully keeps the fight on the outside.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sully looks to score with a jab to the body but Saplin is just out of range.
Sully connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Sully throws the left hand but Saplin avoids the punch easily.
Saplin tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Sully fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice uppercut lands for Sully. That snapped Saplin's head back.
Saplin wants to clinch up but Sully keeps it at a distance.
Sully fails to land with a series of punches.
Sully tries to score a power double leg takedown but Saplin sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Sully somewhat.
Marcus Saplin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jake Sully.

Saplin has managed to clinch.
Saplin throws a knee to the head but misses.
Saplin tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Sully breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Sully looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Saplin is fending him off so far but Sully persists. Nope, Saplin circles away and we're back to standing.
Saplin moves in looking to clinch but Sully pushes him off.
Sully scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Sully moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
No joy there for Sully, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
The fight stays on the outside here - Saplin looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Saplin tries to clinch up.
Saplin tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sully paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Jake Sully seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Sully throws a series of punches but Saplin avoids them all with ease.
Sully throws a looping overhand right but Saplin ducks down to avoid it.
Sully clobbers Saplin with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Sully throws a right hand that Saplin ducks under and follows up with a left that Saplin also avoids with ease.
Sully looks to score with a jab to the body but Saplin is just out of range.
Saplin doesn't manage to clinch there - Sully circles away.
Sully lands the left hand.
Saplin tries to clinch up.
A chopping leg kick lands by Saplin.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sully looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Saplin has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Sully can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Sully connects with a couple of short punches.
Saplin has momentary wrist control but Sully slips an elbow through the middle.
Sully thows a big elbow that misses.

Saplin working for a triangle but Sully defends it easily.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
Sully postures up and lands a big shot to Saplin's brow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sully slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Sully creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Saplin sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

Sully swings around for an armbar but Saplin sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Sully's guard.

Sully working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Saplin doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Saplin manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Sully has a closed guard, preventing Saplin from standing up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jake Sully dominated that fourth round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Sully ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Saplin moves away.
Sully looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Sully throws a hook but Saplin avoids it easily.
Sully fails to land the takedown.
Sully lands with a right hand.
Saplin is looking to clinch.
Sully avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sully throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sully circles away from the clinch attempt.
Sully misses with a double jab.
Sully tries to bum rush Saplin with a series of wild strikes but Saplin uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A slow jab from Sully misses its intended target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saplin is looking to clinch.
Sully throws out a loose jab but Saplin uses good head movement to avoid it.
Sully is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Saplin.
Sully is trying hard to land a takedown here. Saplin sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Sully works Saplin's body with a nice hook.
Saplin avoids the body shot from Sully.
A punch combination from Sully misses.
Saplin slips a jab and a cross from Sully.
Sully throws a looping overhand right but Saplin ducks down to avoid it.
An inside leg kick lands from Saplin.
Saplin misses with a head kick.
Sully rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Saplin moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Saplin moves out of range of the strikes.
Sully lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.

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.
Sully tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Saplin was well out of range. Poor timing from Sully.
Saplin fails with an attempt to clinch.

Saplin drives through and clinches with Sully against the cage.
Sully is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Saplin is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Sully is defending well for now.
Sully on the defensive, avoiding the 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.
Saplin landing knees to the head.
Saplin misses with a knee to the head.
A frustrated look appears on Sully's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Sully breaks from the clinch.
A big right from Sully misses.
Sully scores with a sloppy right hand. Saplin should have avoided that one.
An inside leg kick lands from Saplin.

Sully fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Saplin sprawls well initially but Sully persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sully missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Sully is wobbling all over the place through exhaustion. Will he make it to the final bell?

Sully seems to be working for a kimura but Saplin defends the submission attempt.
Saplin keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Saplin taking some punishment here, with Sully in his half guard.

Saplin actively working from the bottom here.

Sully is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Saplin has managed to free his arm - good work.
Saplin avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Sully.

That's four 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.
Sully throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Saplin is refusing to be controlled, as Sully sits in half guard.
Saplin has hold of Sully's hands but Sully slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Marcus Saplin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sully working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Jake Sully is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Saplin avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Sully.
Sully sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Saplin defending well though.
Sully sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Saplin defending well though.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jake Sully comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Sully winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 45:50
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 45:50
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 44:50

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jake Sully!
Jake Sully is the new middleweight champion!