PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Aira Panganiban (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dante Sparda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Panganiban
vs
Sparda

180 cm
25
197 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

189 cm
26
185 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Determined

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Aira Panganiban!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Dante Sparda!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Don Winkell and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sparda misses with a takedown attempt

and Panganiban counters with a takedown into side control.
Panganiban postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Sparda managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Panganiban.
Panganiban with the ground and pound but Sparda regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Sparda regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Panganiban.
Panganiban missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Panganiban in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Panganiban lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Sparda has momentary wrist control but Panganiban slips an elbow through the middle.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Panganiban throws an elbow that misses. Sparda uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Panganiban's guard. Nice move by Sparda!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Panganiban has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Sparda off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

Sparda shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Panganiban manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Sparda controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Panganiban is looking to stand back up but Sparda counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Panganiban.
Panganiban is trying to stand up here but Sparda is controlling him well.
Sparda content to control rather than advance.

Sparda stands up out of the half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sparda gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

so Panganiban counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sparda avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Panganiban throws an elbow that misses. Sparda uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Panganiban's guard. Nice move by Sparda!
Panganiban wants to get back to his feet but Sparda passes into half guard.
Panganiban wants to get back to his feet.

Panganiban kicks Sparda off and gets back to his feet.

Sparda shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Panganiban pushes Sparda off and gets back to his feet.
Panganiban is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sparda tries for a takedown but Panganiban circles away easily

and Panganiban counters with a shoot takedown. Sparda fights it but they end up in guard.
Aira Panganiban has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dante Sparda.

Sparda pushes Panganiban off and gets back to his feet.
Sparda shoots for a takedown but Panganiban saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Horrible takedown by Panganiban or perhaps it was just good defense by Sparda which made him look bad.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Panganiban shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Sparda defends it nicely.
Sparda shoots in looking for a takedown. Panganiban tries to sprawl out of it but Sparda keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Panganiban manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Panganiban on the wrong end of a nice hook.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Panganiban shoots in for a double leg but Sparda sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aira Panganiban dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Sparda is trying hard to land a takedown here. Panganiban sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Sparda throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Panganiban waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Sparda.
Dante Sparda seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Sparda darts in and clinches Panganiban up against the cage.
Panganiban is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Sparda gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Panganiban goes for a takedown attempt but Sparda pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Sparda gets a double leg takedown into Panganiban's guard.
Panganiban wants to stand and escape but Sparda is having none of it.
Sparda connects with a couple of short punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sparda won't allow Panganiban to get back to his feet.
Sparda looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Panganiban wants to stand up but Sparda is controlling him.
Sparda trying to control the position from guard on top but Panganiban is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Aira Panganiban overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Sparda scoring with some ground and pound.
Sparda is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Panganiban is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Sparda is controlling him.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sparda is standing up over Panganiban. Panganiban looks to escape but Sparda dives into side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Panganiban throws Sparda to one side and escapes!
No luck for Sparda with that takedown attempt.
Sparda scores with a jab to the jaw.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sparda misses with a wild combination.
Sparda tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Sparda lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Sparda.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sparda throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Panganiban's waist but Panganiban gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Sparda off to one side.
Aira Panganiban has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dante Sparda.

Sparda shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Panganiban napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Panganiban is not content to let Sparda control the position.
Panganiban pushes Sparda away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Sparda gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Sparda is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

Panganiban throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
Sparda misses with a few strikes there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sparda misses with a takedown

and Panganiban counters with a single leg into guard. Sparda didn't expect that.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Panganiban working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Panganiban loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Panganiban is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Panganiban throwing strikes from guard but Sparda blocks nicely.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Panganiban throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Panganiban keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Sparda's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Dante Sparda will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. And we move into the final round!

Sparda tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Sparda lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Sparda closes the distance and clinches up with Panganiban, looking for a takedown. Sparda pushes Panganiban against the cage but Panganiban circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
A left lands for Sparda.
Sparda fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Panganiban on the side of the head.
Panganiban looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Sparda is fending him off so far but Panganiban persists. Nope, Sparda circles away and we're back to standing.
Sparda displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Panganiban.
Sparda misses with a two punch combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sparda shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Panganiban counters with a right hand to the body.
Sparda takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Sparda misses with a takedown

and Panganiban decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Sparda's guard.
Aira Panganiban has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dante Sparda.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Panganiban accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Sparda can do anything to dispel that myth.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Panganiban accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Panganiban in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Panganiban working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Sparda's head.
Panganiban is looking to work some ground and pound but Sparda has wrist control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Panganiban is looking to work some ground and pound but Sparda has wrist control.
Panganiban landing some decent shots from guard.
Panganiban throws a strike but Sparda rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Panganiban is looking to stand back up but Sparda counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Panganiban.
Panganiban pushes Sparda off looking to stand but Sparda dives back in and keeps control.
Sparda trying to control from half guard but Panganiban is working away.
Panganiban is trying to stand up here but Sparda is controlling him well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sparda decides to stand and escape the position.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Still in the clinch, Sparda scores with a nice short uppercut.
Panganiban has Sparda pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Sparda manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Panganiban goes for a takedown in the clinch but Sparda prevents it.
Panganiban's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

Panganiban works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Panganiban throws a strike but Sparda rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Sparda advances to half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Panganiban looks like he's trying to stand up.
Sparda wants to control but Panganiban is keeping him busy.
Sparda drops an elbow to the side of Panganiban's head.
Sparda controlling the action here.
Panganiban pushes Sparda off but Sparda dives into side control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Panganiban is looking to get back to his feet here but Sparda is keeping cool and he's managed to take Panganiban's back.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Aira Panganiban.
I think Panganiban 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aira Panganiban!