PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bryan Bernie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fail Sonnen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Bernie
vs
Sonnen

180 cm
25
267 lbs
14 - 13 - 0

180 cm
27
238 lbs
12 - 9 - 1

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very strong

Good takedowns
Excellent boxer
Knockout power

Revolution Fatigues

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Bryan Bernie!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Fail Sonnen!
The judges for this bout are Dillan Fox, Gregory Folan and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bernie moves out of range as Sonnen strikes.
Bernie defending well as Sonnen loads up on a big left hand.
Sonnen swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Bernie pushes Sonnen up against the cage in a clinch.
Bernie is looking for a takedown.
Bernie is looking to take this one to the mat.
Bernie can't get the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bryan Bernie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sonnen has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Bernie is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Sonnen has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Bernie is trying to keep an underhook but Sonnen manages to get the takedown into half guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Sonnen is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Bernie sees it coming and defends easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bernie wants to improve his position but Sonnen is controlling well.
Bernie gets back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bernie manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Sonnen working to try and regain half guard.
Sonnen sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Bernie not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Bernie scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Bernie wants to control but Sonnen is keeping him busy.
Sonnen avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Bernie.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen is looking for a sweep. Bernie is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Bernie working the head and body with strikes.
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!
Bernie sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Sonnen defending well though.
Bernie throwing shots but Sonnen is blocking nicely.

Sonnen is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Bernie pulls his head out easily.
Bernie is trying to control. Sonnen wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Sonnen trying to control but Bernie postures up.
Bernie missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Bernie trying to control from Sonnen's half guard. Sonnen has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Bernie looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bernie loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Sonnen has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Bernie is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Sonnen.
Bernie wants to control but Sonnen is keeping him busy.
Bernie fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Bernie lands an elbow.
Bernie throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Bernie in side control, throwing shots but Sonnen defends.
Sonnen is not content to let Bernie control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bernie lands a few punches from side control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bernie laying and praying for a moment but Sonnen takes advantage and regains half guard.
Sonnen blocking the ground and pound attempt from Bernie.
Sonnen keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Bernie wants to advance to full mount but Sonnen doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bernie trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Bernie 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.
Bernie trying to move into half guard but instead Sonnen has managed to sweep!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bryan Bernie dominated that round.
That's time! Bernie's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Sonnen takes a swing at Bernie's ribcage but misses.
Bernie slips under a jab from Sonnen.
Sonnen shoots and misses

and Bernie counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Sonnen's guard now.
Bernie trying to control the position from guard on top but Sonnen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bernie is really struggling to control Sonnen but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Bernie with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Bernie throws a strike but Sonnen rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Sonnen trying to control but Bernie is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bernie wants to sweep here but Sonnen controlling him for the moment.
Bernie is looking to sweep but instead, Sonnen has passed into half guard.
Sonnen not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Bernie is looking to get back to full guard here but Sonnen has managed to pass to side control instead.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bernie tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Sonnen wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bernie regains half guard.
Bernie wants to control but Sonnen is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Sonnen throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Bernie to regain full guard.
Bernie looking for a sweep. Not yet Bernie, not yet.
Bernie is working hard here to advance position.
Sonnen must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bernie working a defensive guard here.
Sonnen looking to sit in guard and control but Bernie gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Bernie loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Sonnen has his foot on Bernie's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Bernie works his way back into a safe position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bernie passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Bernie working the body and head with strikes.
Sonnen is trying to get back to half guard.
Sonnen is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Bernie thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Bernie connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Sonnen some visible discomfort.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bernie working the ground and pound from side control.
Sonnen is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bryan Bernie dominated that second round.
That's time! Bernie's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. 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.

A looping hook to the body misses from Bernie. Sonnen does a little dance to reset his feet.
Sonnen checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Bernie slaps away a takedown attempt from Sonnen, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Fail Sonnen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sonnen fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Sonnen slips under a jab from Bernie.
Bernie bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Sonnen connects with a jab.
Bernie has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

Bernie manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Sonnen on his heels. He'll look to pass Sonnen's guard now, I'm sure.
Sonnen looking to hit a scissor sweep but Bernie is one step ahead there.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Bernie avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sonnen is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Bernie scoring with punches to the head and body.
Bernie pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sonnen is keeping the position for now.
Bernie postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Bernie stands and throws Sonnen's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Fail Sonnen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bernie trying to control the action but Sonnen is working from the bottom.
Bernie lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Sonnen down.
Bernie wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sonnen keeps working.
Bernie tries to score with some ground and pound. Sonnen controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sonnen is trying to get back to half guard.
Sonnen takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Bernie working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bernie wants to control but Sonnen is keeping him busy.
Sonnen gets back to half guard.
Bernie prevents Sonnen from improving his position.
Bernie passes to side control.
Bernie scores with punches from side control.
Bernie scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Sonnen to see if he's OK.

Sonnen is rocked!
Bryan Bernie overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sonnen is trying to get back to half guard.
Sonnen takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bernie lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Sonnen down.
Sonnen is still in real trouble! Can Bernie finish him?
Bernie just content to control the position.
Sonnen seems to have recovered his senses.
Bernie wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sonnen keeps working.

Bernie tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Bernie working the head with strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bryan Bernie showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Bernie, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Dillan Fox scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 30:27
Judge William Peck scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bryan Bernie!
Bryan Bernie is the new heavyweight champion!
An out of breath Bryan Bernie thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.