PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Lando Strauss (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sam Synephrine (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Synephrine has chosen Hammerfall - Hearts On Fire as his entrance music. Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Strauss
vs
Synephrine

185 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
18
172 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Lando Strauss!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Sam Synephrine!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Robert Douchet and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Synephrine is looking to clinch but Strauss is avoiding it.
Synephrine shoots in and drives through. Strauss sprawls well.
Synephrine fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Strauss's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Strauss duly obliges.

It looks like Sam Synephrine has been cut.

Synephrine closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Strauss breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Strauss shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Synephrine eats them both and turns towards Strauss to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Synephrine fails with the takedown.
Lando Strauss has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sam Synephrine.
Strauss fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Strauss stuffs the takedown.
Synephrine looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Strauss is fending him off so far but Synephrine persists. Nope, Strauss circles away and we're back to standing.
Synephrine looks gassed!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Strauss scoring well with a low kick there.
Synephrine takes a jab right on the kisser.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Strauss.

Strauss feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Synephrine keeping full guard, as Strauss tries to pass.
Synephrine being controlled here, momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strauss throws a big right hand that misses.
Strauss in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Strauss knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Synephrine on the ground.
Strauss sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Synephrine's guard.
Synephrine is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Synephrine is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Strauss scores with a couple of nice shots.
Strauss controlling the pace.
Strauss's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Nice strikes from Strauss there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strauss scoring with strikes to the body and head.

Synephrine is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Strauss pulls his head out easily.

Strauss decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Synephrine gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Strauss connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Strauss drives through and clinches with Synephrine against the cage.

Strauss escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Strauss connects with a jab.
Strauss scores with a push kick.
Strauss throws a series of strikes that have Synephrine backpedaling.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Strauss lands with a nice body punch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

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

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Strauss'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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strauss is working for takedown but Synephrine is calmly controlling the position for now.
Synephrine drops down looking for an ankle pick but Strauss pulls his leg out and moves away.
Synephrine tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Synephrine takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Strauss throws out a leg kick but Synephrine moves out of range and Strauss only half commits.
Strauss circles away from the clinch attempt
and Strauss counters with a nice uppercut.
Strauss scores with a jab to the body.
Strauss lands a nice shot that snaps Synephrine's head back.
Strauss clobbers Synephrine with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.

Strauss clinches with his opponent.

Strauss escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sam Synephrine seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Good exchange - Strauss coming out on top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strauss paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Synephrine closes the distance but Strauss moves to the side
and Strauss counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

Strauss moves into the clinch.

Strauss manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Synephrine tries to free his leg and advance position but Strauss is retaining full guard.
Strauss manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Strauss controlling from mount.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Strauss with a couple of short strikes.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Strauss controlling his opponent.
Synephrine tries to reverse the position but Strauss maintains control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lando Strauss dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Sam Synephrine's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Strauss shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Strauss wants to free his trapped foot but Synephrine is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Strauss controlling the action here.
Strauss lands strikes from half guard.
Synephrine is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Synephrine is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Synephrine is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice strikes from Strauss there.
Synephrine makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Synephrine.
Synephrine working a defensive guard but Strauss passes into half guard.

Strauss seems to be working for a kimura but Synephrine defends the submission attempt.

Synephrine actively working from the bottom here.
Strauss is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Synephrine can do to turn this around?
Still in half guard, Strauss seems content to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Synephrine is trying to maintain the position but Strauss is very close to passing his half guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Good exchange - Strauss coming out on top.

Synephrine shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Synephrine trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Synephrine being controlled here momentarily.
Strauss tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strauss is working hard here to advance position.
Synephrine looking to sit in guard and control but Strauss gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Synephrine is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Strauss is aware though and is defending well.
Strauss stopping the sweep attempt from Synephrine.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Strauss is stalling in the full guard.
Strauss with a nice head shot there.
Strauss wants to pass the guard but Synephrine is keeping the position.
Synephrine manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Strauss manages to get himself to full guard.
Strauss wants to sweep here but Synephrine controlling him for the moment.
Strauss can't keep his opponent in guard - Synephrine advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lando Strauss dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Sam Synephrine's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! 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.

Synephrine with a lazy takedown attempt
and Strauss counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Synephrine with a lazy takedown attempt
and Strauss counters with a nice body shot.
Strauss lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Synephrine backs up against the cage.
Strauss throws a series of strikes that have Synephrine backpedaling.
Synephrine takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Strauss connects with a body shot that sends Synephrine's belly button to the back.

Strauss has closed the distance and engaged Synephrine in a clinch.

Strauss breaks from the clinch.
Strauss scores with a nice head shot.
Synephrine takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.

Strauss closes the distance and pushes Synephrine back into the cage.
Strauss gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Synephrine.
Lando Strauss has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sam Synephrine.
Strauss gets underhooks to prevent Synephrine's takedown attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Strauss avoiding damage.
Strauss stops a takedown attempt from Synephrine.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strauss lands a body punch.

Strauss turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Strauss manages to end up in side control.
Synephrine tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The referee asks Strauss politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Strauss prefers to stall for the moment though.
Synephrine is trying to get back to his feet.
Synephrine tries to bench press Strauss off him but Strauss keeps the position.
Synephrine seems a little lost for a moment, as Strauss dominates the positioning.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Lando Strauss.
A punch combination from Strauss misses.
Synephrine tries for a takedown but Strauss circles away easily
and Strauss counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strauss lands with a nice body punch.
Strauss scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Synephrine doesn't seem bothered though.

Strauss darts in and clinches Synephrine up against the cage.
Synephrine drops down looking for an ankle pick but Strauss pulls his leg out and moves away.
Left hook, right uppercut from Strauss.
Synephrine on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

Strauss gets a clinch.

Synephrine has hold of one of Strauss's legs. Strauss is fighting the takedown attempt but Synephrine gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Synephrine drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Synephrine jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Strauss looking for a sweep. Not yet Strauss, not yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Synephrine looking to pass the guard.
Synephrine trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Strauss manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Strauss is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Synephrine tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Synephrine being controlled here, momentarily.
Strauss makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

That's four 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.
Strauss is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Synephrine looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Lando Strauss overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Synephrine can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Strauss controls the pace.
Sam Synephrine has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Lando Strauss just wasn't active enough.
A cross from Strauss lands.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lando Strauss showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Strauss has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Steve Smith scores the fight 30:26
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 30:26
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lando Strauss!