PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tom Sawyer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ming Young (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ming Young has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Tom Sawyer's chin.

Sawyer
vs
Young

191 cm
26
199 lbs
8 - 6 - 1

180 cm
20
200 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Tom Sawyer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ming Young!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sawyer looks to clinch

and Young decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Sawyer's guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Young loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Sawyer trying to keep a closed guard but Young is proving a slippery customer.
Young trying to control the position from guard on top but Sawyer is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sawyer tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Young landing with the ground and pound.
Young throws and elbow that misses. Sawyer uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Young's guard. Nice move by Sawyer!
Sawyer scoring with some ground and pound.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Young wants to get back to his feet but Sawyer is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Sawyer looking to pass the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sawyer is working hard here to advance position.
Young wants to sweep here but Sawyer controlling him for the moment.
Young is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Young trying to control the position here.
Young looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sawyer with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Sawyer trying to control but Young is working from the bottom.
Sawyer 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.
Young tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Sawyer is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Young pushes Sawyer off and scrambles back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sawyer darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Sawyer is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Young is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Sawyer lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Sawyer not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Sawyer is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Young is just riding it out for now. Sawyer eventually gives up the hold.
Young regains full guard. Nicely done.
Sawyer trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Young pulls Sawyer in to control the position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Young can do anything to dispel that myth.
Young keeping moving, preventing Sawyer from controlling successfully.
Young is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Young wants to stand up but Sawyer is controlling him.
Young has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Sawyer has passed into side control.
Young avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Sawyer.
Young is trying to buck Sawyer off.
Sawyer fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Young is looking for a sweep.
Young struggling a bit here.
Young tries to improve position but can't.
Young looks gassed!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sawyer tries for a kimura but Young is defending well.
Young is looking to reverse the position.
Young is holding Sawyer down, trying to stall.
Young tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Sawyer advances nicely into full mount.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Sawyer is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Young has managed to escape the submission attempt.

Sawyer is working for a guillotine from mount but Young frees his head quite easily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Sawyer wants to finish this one by submission but Young is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Sawyer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Tom Sawyer will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Sawyer gets tackled into the cage by Young. Young maintains the clinch.
Young is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Sawyer has picked Young up - he's going for a ride! Sawyer dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.

Sawyer is trying to work for a kimura but Young is defending well.
Young tries to get to full guard but Sawyer has control of the leg.

Sawyer 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.
Young makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Young.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Young is adopting a defensive guard.
Young looking for a sweep. Not yet Young, not yet.
Sawyer wants to pass the guard but Young is keeping the position.
Sawyer prevents Young from getting back to his feet.
Sawyer won't allow Young to sweep him here.
Young is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Sawyer is controlling him.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Young keeping moving, preventing Sawyer from controlling successfully.
Sawyer controls from within his opponent's guard.
Sawyer wants to pass the guard but Young is keeping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Sawyer falls off balance throwing a combination

and Young counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Sawyer is pressed up against the cage. Young has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Sawyer down to the mat. Sawyer avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Sawyer misses with a jab, cross combination.
Sawyer connects with a solid leg kick.
Sawyer lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

Young rushes Sawyer and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Young has Sawyer pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Young pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Sawyer tumbling to the mat - Young dives into Sawyer's guard.
Young is breathing heavily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Young throwing strikes but missing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sawyer working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Young.
Young throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Sawyer trying to control the position.
Young throwing strikes but missing.
Sawyer looking to control.
Sawyer avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Sawyer will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Sawyer has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Young can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Young working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Young loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Young throwing strikes but missing.
Young throwing strikes from guard but Sawyer blocks nicely.
Sawyer working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Young.
Sawyer working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Young.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Young wants to control from the top but Sawyer keeps moving.
Sawyer looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ming Young showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Sawyer darts in trying to clinch

and Young moves into the clinch.

Young tightens his grip and picks Sawyer up, before dumping him to the ground. Sawyer manages to land in guard.
Young wants to control from the top but Sawyer keeps moving.
Young missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Sawyer has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Young throws a strike but Sawyer rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Young looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sawyer passes Young's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

Young kicks off Sawyer and gets to his feet.
Sawyer turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Sawyer wants to clinch.

Young shoots in and bounces Sawyer off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Young takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Young thows a big elbow that misses.
Young working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Young makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Young stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sawyer swivels though and keeps the full guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Sawyer holds on and takes a little breather.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sawyer keeping moving, preventing Young from controlling successfully.
Young tries to free his leg and advance position but Sawyer is retaining full guard.
Sawyer is trying to keep Young in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Tom Sawyer just wasn't active enough.

Sawyer gets a clinch.
Young is trying to drag Sawyer to the mat but Sawyer just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Sawyer prevents the takedown attempt.
Young is trying to drag Sawyer to the mat but Sawyer just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Tom Sawyer has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ming Young.
Young is trying to drag Sawyer to the mat but Sawyer just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Young can't get the takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sawyer tries for a takedown but Young manages to get underhooks.
Young stops a takedown attempt from Sawyer.
Sawyer effectively controlling the action here.
Young wants a takedown.
Sawyer drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Young gets the underhooks and prevents it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sawyer stops a takedown attempt from Young.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ming Young comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Young 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ming Young!