PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Anderson McLane (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ruslan Sagajew (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Anderson McLane has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

McLane
vs
Sagajew

197 cm
24
259 lbs
2 - 8 - 0

178 cm
22
220 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Anderson McLane!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ruslan Sagajew!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Stewart Dunkirk and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sagajew moves in looking to clinch but McLane pushes him off.
Sagajew tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. McLane manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Sagajew drops McLane with a nice combination! Sagajew dives into McLane's guard, looking to finish!

It looks like Anderson McLane has been cut.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Sagajew wants to stand but McLane is controlling his posture from full guard.
McLane wants to get back to his feet but Sagajew is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Sagajew decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on McLane, up you get!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sagajew tries to sprawl but McLane drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Sagajew is trying to stand back up but McLane is controlling him
McLane working over Sagajew with some ground and pound. Sagajew looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
McLane will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
McLane looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Sagajew with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
McLane thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Sagajew pushes McLane off and gets back to his feet.

Sagajew gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Sagajew misses with a hook to the ribs.
Sagajew tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
McLane tries for a takedown but Sagajew manages to get underhooks.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
McLane is working for takedown but Sagajew is calmly controlling the position for now.
Sagajew lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
McLane goes for a takedown in the clinch but Sagajew prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Anderson McLane. That's going to take a lot out of him.
McLane is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sagajew escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sagajew will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
McLane tries to score a power double leg takedown but Sagajew sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten McLane somewhat.
Sagajew tries to close the distance and clinch but McLane swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Sagajew moves in looking to clinch but McLane pushes him off.
Sagajew moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Sagajew tries to clinch but McLane is having none of it.
Some wild striking there from Sagajew.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sagajew rushes McLane and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Sagajew wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Sagajew has dropped down and is working for a takedown. McLane is trying to keep an underhook but Sagajew manages to get the takedown into half guard.

Sagajew stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Sagajew throws a series of punches but McLane moves out of range.
Sagajew throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Sagajew fails with a takedown attempt.
Sagajew tries to clinch

and McLane counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sagajew wants to stand up but McLane is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McLane in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
McLane throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sagajew works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
McLane with a flurry of punches that miss.
McLane stops Sagajew from standing up.
McLane in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

McLane decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Sagajew, up you get!
McLane checks a leg kick.
McLane looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
McLane defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Sagajew.

McLane closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Sagajew did well to prevent McLane getting side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ruslan Sagajew dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Anderson McLane's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Sagajew misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from McLane.
Sagajew doesn't manage to clinch there - McLane circles away.
Sagajew wants to clinch but McLane slips to the side

and McLane counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Sagajew is looking to escape.
McLane is nestled in close to Sagajew, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
McLane is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
McLane working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Sagajew's thigh. Sagajew counters though and makes it back to full guard.
McLane 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.
McLane is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McLane connects with a couple of short punches.
McLane throws and elbow that misses. Sagajew uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in McLane's guard. Nice move by Sagajew!
Sagajew prevents McLane from getting back to his feet.

Sagajew decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on McLane, up you get!
Sagajew catches McLane with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Sagajew's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Sagajew duly obliges.
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!
Sagajew fakes a jab and throws a low kick but McLane checks it well.
Sagajew throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Sagajew fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sagajew moves in looking to clinch but McLane pushes him off.
Sagajew tries to clinch but fails miserably

and McLane counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Sagajew's guard now.
Sagajew wants to get back to his feet but McLane passes into half guard.
McLane throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
McLane wants to pass the guard but Sagajew is defending well.

Sagajew has one foot on McLane's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Sagajew tries to clinch

and McLane counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
McLane drops an elbow to the side of Sagajew's head.
McLane prevents Sagajew from standing back up.

McLane looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McLane is nestled in close to Sagajew, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Sagajew wants to get back to his feet.

McLane is looking for a kimura here.
McLane lands strikes from half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McLane throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
McLane throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
McLane seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Sagajew does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
McLane throwing shots but Sagajew is blocking nicely.
McLane thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Sagajew kicks off McLane and gets to his feet.
McLane keeps the fight on the outside.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Sagajew throws a right and a left that both miss.

Sagajew has taken the fight to the clinch.
McLane blocks a body shot from Sagajew.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Anderson McLane will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Anderson McLane's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

McLane avoids a punch combination nicely.
Sagajew tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. McLane manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Sagajew doesn't manage to clinch there - McLane circles away.
McLane fails to land the takedown.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Sagajew enables McLane to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Sagajew manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Sagajew wants to stand but McLane is controlling the position.
McLane chips away with some ground and pound.
McLane postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Sagajew scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Sagajew tries to clinch up but McLane circles away and keeps his distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McLane fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Sagajew lands a nice looking body shot.
Sagajew throws a nice outside leg kick.

Sagajew shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. McLane manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
McLane has a closed guard, preventing Sagajew from standing up.

McLane pushes Sagajew off and gets back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sagajew feints a jab promting McLane to slip. Sagajew then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. McLane slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Sagajew will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Sagajew scores with a hook to the body. McLane takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
That kick from Sagajew tenderised McLane's leg. McLane is trying to keep his angry face on.
Sagajew wants to clinch

so McLane counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sagajew wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and McLane manages to pass to side control.
Sagajew is trying to defend against the ground and pound but McLane scores with a couple of nice shots.
McLane looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Sagajew with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Sagajew tries to kick McLane off but McLane keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McLane trying to control the action but Sagajew is working from the bottom.
McLane drops an elbow to the side of Sagajew's head.
McLane prevents Sagajew from standing back up.
McLane with the ground and pound but Sagajew uses the opportunity to regain guard.
McLane scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
McLane loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
McLane stops Sagajew from standing up.
McLane lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ruslan Sagajew.
I think Sagajew 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 29:28
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 28:29
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Ruslan Sagajew!