PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Manny Pacquiao (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joseph Sarmiento (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Pacquiao
vs
Sarmiento

175 cm
25
200 lbs
1 - 7 - 1

185 cm
20
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Very quick

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Inexperienced

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 - 7 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Manny Pacquiao!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Joseph Sarmiento!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Ivan Kurochkin and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pacquiao throws a series of punches but Sarmiento moves out of range.
Pacquiao could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Pacquiao looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Pacquiao misses with a double jab.
Pacquiao misses with a two punch combination.
Pacquiao throws a series of punches but Sarmiento moves out of range.
Sarmiento throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Sarmiento will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Sarmiento tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Sarmiento fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Pacquiao throws a right and a left that Sarmiento avoids nicely.
Sarmiento avoids a punch combination nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sarmiento throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Pacquiao uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Sarmiento.
Sarmiento fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Manny Pacquiao has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joseph Sarmiento.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sarmiento avoids a punch combination nicely.
Sarmiento will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Pacquiao tries to bum rush Sarmiento with a series of wild strikes but Sarmiento uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Sarmiento closes the distance and clinches up with Pacquiao, looking for a takedown. Sarmiento pushes Pacquiao against the cage but Pacquiao circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Sarmiento with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Sarmiento fails with the takedown.
Sarmiento dives in and grabs Pacquiao's left leg, looking for a takedown. Pacquiao pushes down on Sarmiento's head and hops out.
Sarmiento shoots in for a takedown but Pacquiao shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Sarmiento fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Sarmiento misses with a head kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sarmiento shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Pacquiao as he avoids it easily.
Manny Pacquiao seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pacquiao keeps the fight on the outside.
Pacquiao misses with a jab, cross combination.
Sarmiento looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Sarmiento shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Pacquiao will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Sarmiento tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Pacquiao swivels and escapes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pacquiao keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Sarmiento.
Pacquiao throws a right and a left that Sarmiento avoids nicely.
Sarmiento fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Pacquiao avoids it really well and circles away.
Pacquiao misses with a wild combination.
Sarmiento looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Pacquiao is fending him off so far but Sarmiento persists. Nope, Pacquiao circles away and we're back to standing.
Sarmiento is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
No luck for Sarmiento with that takedown attempt.

That's four 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.
Sarmiento avoids a punch combination nicely.
Sarmiento showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Pacquiao.
Sarmiento shoots in looking for a takedown. Pacquiao tries to sprawl out of it but Sarmiento keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Pacquiao manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Pacquiao avoids the head kick by Sarmiento.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sarmiento waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Pacquiao.
Sarmiento shoots in and drives through. Pacquiao sprawls well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Manny Pacquiao 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.

Pacquiao works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Sarmiento lands a jab to Pacquiao's midsection.
Sarmiento closes the distance and clinches up with Pacquiao, looking for a takedown. Sarmiento pushes Pacquiao against the cage but Pacquiao circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Horrible takedown by Sarmiento or perhaps it was just good defense by Pacquiao which made him look bad.
Horrible takedown by Sarmiento or perhaps it was just good defense by Pacquiao which made him look bad.
Manny Pacquiao has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joseph Sarmiento.
Pacquiao tries to bum rush Sarmiento with a series of wild strikes but Sarmiento uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Sarmiento throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Pacquiao throws a nice looking combination but Sarmiento bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sarmiento shoots for a takedown but Pacquiao saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pacquiao circles away from the clinch attempt.
Sarmiento shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Pacquiao defends it nicely.
Pacquiao throws a series of punches but Sarmiento moves out of range.
Sarmiento looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Pacquiao misses with a few strikes there.
No joy there for Pacquiao, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Sarmiento shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Sarmiento takes one on the chin but keeps coming.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Pacquiao misses with a few strikes there.
Sarmiento shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Pacquiao as he avoids it easily.
Pacquiao will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Sarmiento is defended easily by Pacquiao.
Pacquiao swinging wildly here.
Sarmiento shoots in looking for a takedown. Pacquiao tries to sprawl out of it but Sarmiento keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Pacquiao manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Pacquiao slips under a jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sarmiento throws a head kick that half lands.
Sarmiento fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Pacquiao avoids it really well and circles away.
Manny Pacquiao is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sarmiento fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Pacquiao cracks a nice hook into Sarmiento's ribs.
Sarmiento looks for a takedown but Pacquiao sprawls well.
Pacquiao rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Sarmiento moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
A jab from Pacquiao misses.
Sarmiento throws a head kick but Pacquiao moves out of range.
Pacquiao swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Sarmiento shoots in for a double leg but Pacquiao sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Pacquiao throws a right hand that Sarmiento ducks under and follows up with a left that Sarmiento also avoids with ease.
Pacquiao throws a right and a left that both miss.
Sarmiento slips a jab and a cross from Pacquiao.
Sarmiento fails with the takedown.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Sarmiento throws the kick towards the body but Pacquiao avoids it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Manny Pacquiao dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Pacquiao defending well as Sarmiento loads up on a big left hand.
Pacquiao leaves Sarmiento with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Sarmiento is looking to clinch.
Pacquiao will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Sarmiento shoots in but no luck this time.
Pacquiao lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Sarmiento.
Manny Pacquiao has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joseph Sarmiento.
Left hook, right uppercut from Pacquiao.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pacquiao swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Sarmiento avoids a punch combination nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sarmiento closes this distance looking for a takedown but Pacquiao circles away.
Pacquiao throws a nice looking combination but Sarmiento bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A combination from Pacquiao does no damage.
Pacquiao leaves Sarmiento with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Pacquiao swinging wildly here.
Nice sprawl there from Pacquiao as Sarmiento shoots in.

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.
Pacquiao throws a right and a left that both miss.
Pacquiao misses with a series of wild punches.
Sarmiento fails with a takedown attempt.
Sarmiento takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Sarmiento throws the kick towards the body but Pacquiao avoids it.
Sarmiento shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Pacquiao sprawls well. Pacquiao wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Sarmiento gets slowly back to his feet.
Pacquiao throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Sarmiento.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pacquiao throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Sarmiento.
Sarmiento goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Sarmiento tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Pacquiao swivels and escapes.
Pacquiao stuffs the takedown attempt from Sarmiento. Sarmiento gets slowly back to his feet.
Sarmiento dives in and grabs Pacquiao's left leg, looking for a takedown. Pacquiao pushes down on Sarmiento's head and hops out.
Pacquiao throws a series of punches but Sarmiento moves out of range.
Sarmiento tries for a takedown but Pacquiao sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Pacquiao defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Sarmiento.
Pacquiao swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Sarmiento counters with a nice double leg into side control. Pacquiao won't be happy with that.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pacquiao is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Pacquiao trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Pacquiao avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Sarmiento.
Pacquiao is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Joseph Sarmiento has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sarmiento in side control lands a decent elbow.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joseph Sarmiento comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Pacquiao 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Manny Pacquiao!