PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Steven Bird (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joel Sands (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Bird
vs
Sands

183 cm
22
161 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

181 cm
23
160 lbs
3 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Steven Bird!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Joel Sands!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Don Winkell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Bird gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Bird is trying to control the position but Sands postures up.
Bird wants to stand up but Sands is controlling him.
Sands working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Bird's head.
Bird trying to control the position.
Sands passes Bird's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Bird wants to sweep but Sands has passed to side control!
Sands controls the position from side control.
Sands fails to land a wild elbow strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bird tries to bench press Sands off him but Sands keeps the position.
Bird defending against the ground and pound.
Sands is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Bird will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Bird tries to bench press Sands off him but Sands keeps the position.
Sands fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Sands lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Bird down.
Bird is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Sands has just dragged him back down to the mat.

Sands decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Bird shoots in but no luck this time.
Bird throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Sands decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Bird's guard.
Bird is breathing heavily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sands engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sands working some strikes from top position.
Bird 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.
Bird trying to strike off his back.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Sands advances position into side control!

Sands has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sands takes a head kick and keeps coming.

Bird gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Sands to score an easy takedown into full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sands content to stall in guard here.
Sands is pushing down on Bird's leg trying to pass to half guard. Bird is fighting to maintain full guard but Sands has managed to sneak the leg through.
Sands controlling the action here.

Sands stands up and beckons Bird to join him on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head kick by Bird misses

and Sands decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Bird's guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sands sitting in guard here, content to control.
Sands has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Sands looking to sit in guard and control but Bird gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Sands managing to control the position.

Sands has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Bird 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 Sands.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Bird has control of an arm but Sands manages to advance to Bird's back!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Sands moves out of range as Bird throws a body kick.
Sands keeps the fight on the outside.
Sands closes this distance looking for a takedown but Bird circles away.
Sands explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Bird doesn't manage to clinch there - Sands circles away.
Bird throws a sloppy head kick and Sands moves out of range easily.
Bird looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Bird misses with a takedown attempt

and Sands counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Sands has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sands landing punches.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Sands is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Sands throws a head kick that half lands.

It looks like Steven Bird has been cut.
Bird pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sands instigates a clinch.
Sands blocking some punches.

Sands breaks from the clinch.

Sands throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Bird tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Sands is in Bird's guard.
Sands trying to control the position from guard on top but Bird is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sands showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Joel Sands hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Bird misses with the body kick

and Sands counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Sands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Sands gets to his feet - Bird follows without any prompting.
Bird throws a head kick that misses
and Sands counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Bird.
Steven Bird is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bird misses with a head kick.

Sands closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Sands landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Sands keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Bird is looking for a sweep. Sands is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Sands seems to be looking for submissions.
Sands controlling the action here.
Sands is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sands takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Sands is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Bird is not content to let Sands control the position.
Bird is looking for a sweep. Sands is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Sands is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Bird wants to hold on but Sands pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sands tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Sands working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Sands avoids the attempt from Bird to control.
Bird in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

Sands is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Bird is surviving well by controlling Sands's body position as best he can.
Sands tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Sands's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joel Sands showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Steven Bird's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Sands closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Bird's guard.
Sands scoring with punches to the head and body.
Sands stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Bird swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Bird is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Sands is controlling him.

Bird looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Sands has picked Bird up and slammed him! Bird can't keep hold of the triangle and Sands manages to pass to side control!
Sands landing a few strikes.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sands landing strikes.
Sands has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Sands is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Bird has escaped the position, nice work there.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Bird wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sands decides to stand up, so the ref orders Bird to his feet.
Bird throws a lazy head kick

and Sands counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Bird's guard now.
Sands's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Sands advances position into side control!
Joel Sands has got the better of the ground game so far.
Bird takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bird is holding Sands down, trying to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sands grinds an elbow into Bird's temple.
Sands working the head with strikes.
Sands controls the position.
Bird is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Sands is controlling him well.
Sands is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

Sands looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bird tries to buck Sands off but Sands is having none of it.
Sands advances nicely into full mount.
Sands sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Let's hope that Sands has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Sands cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Sands working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Sands unloading with bombs!
Sands looking to control and managing it successfully.
Sands dominating with strikes here.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sands content just to control the position here.
Steven Bird has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Joel Sands is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Sands pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joel Sands comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Sands has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 27:30
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joel Sands!