PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Teu Pai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rhya Sankfurt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rhya Sankfurt has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Teu Pai's chin.

Pai
vs
Sankfurt

182 cm
25
175 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

210 cm
25
175 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Dangerous knees
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Teu Pai!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rhya Sankfurt!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Wesley Smith and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pai lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Sankfurt is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Pai circles away from the clinch attempt.
Pai throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Sankfurt.
Sankfurt throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Pai throws a right and a left that Sankfurt avoids nicely.
Sankfurt doesn't manage to clinch there - Pai circles away.
Sankfurt is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Pai.
Sankfurt shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Pai but Pai pushes him off and we're back to square one.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Sankfurt.
Sankfurt lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Pai circles away quickly and effectively.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pai swats away the attempt to clinch by Sankfurt.
Sankfurt throws a nice head kick!
Sankfurt tries to move into range but Pai moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Sankfurt fails with a takedown attempt.
Teu Pai has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rhya Sankfurt.
Sankfurt shoots in but Pai avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Sankfurt tries to grapple but his opponent circles
letting Pai counter with a right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sankfurt misses with a takedown
and Pai counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Pai ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Sankfurt moves away.
Pai throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Sankfurt tries to clinch up
and Pai counters with a nice body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pai waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Sankfurt.
Pai looks to land a combination but Sankfurt avoids it well.
Pai throws a right and a left that Sankfurt avoids nicely.
Pai just misses with a punch to the body.
Pai stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Sankfurt.
Sankfurt shoots for a takedown but Pai saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Sankfurt tries to clinch but Pai is having none of it.
Pai lands with a hook. Sankfurt tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Sankfurt throws a head kick that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sankfurt tries to clinch there but Pai circles away.
Horrible takedown by Sankfurt or perhaps it was just good defense by Pai which made him look bad.
Sankfurt looks gassed!
Sankfurt tries to clinch but Pai moves away
and Pai counters with a left and a right that stings Sankfurt.
Teu Pai is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Sankfurt fails with a takedown attempt.
Sankfurt wants to clinch but Pai slips to the side
and Pai counters with a stiff right hand.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Pai connects with a body shot that sends Sankfurt's belly button to the back.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sankfurt showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Pai.
Pai lands with a shot to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Teu Pai dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Sloppy strikes from Pai. Those never looked like landing.
Pai throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Sankfurt is looking to clinch.
Pai misses with a two punch combination.
Sankfurt is trying desperately to land a takedown but Pai is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Sankfurt.
Sankfurt tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Pai counters with a three punch combo that has Sankfurt backing up. Sankfurt nods at Pai to acknowledge the strikes.
Sankfurt tries to clinch but Pai moves away
and Pai counters with a nice uppercut.
Pai throws a series of punches but Sankfurt avoids them all with ease.
Sankfurt throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Pai counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

Sankfurt is rocked!
Rhya Sankfurt seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Pai swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pai throws a hook but Sankfurt avoids it easily.
Pai stuffs the takedown.
Pai stuffs the takedown attempt from Sankfurt. Sankfurt gets slowly back to his feet.
Sankfurt is breathing heavily.
Pai throws a body punch but Sankfurt moves out of range.
A shot to the body from Sankfurt misses
and Pai counters with a three punch combo that has Sankfurt backing up. Sankfurt nods at Pai to acknowledge the strikes.
Pai stuffs the takedown attempt from Sankfurt. Sankfurt gets slowly back to his feet.
Teu Pai has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rhya Sankfurt.
Sankfurt shoots in but no luck this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sankfurt tried to score with a low kick but Pai checks it.
Sankfurt closes the distance looking to clinch
and Pai counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Sankfurt showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Pai.
Sankfurt tries for a takedown but Pai sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Pai's corner calls for a 1-2. Pai obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sankfurt moves to clinch but Pai breaks away
enabling Pai to counter with a crisp jab.
Pai has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Sankfurt does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Sankfurt shoots and misses
and Pai counters with a straight right hand.
Pai looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Sankfurt on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Pai scores with a jab to the body.
Sankfurt takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pai lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Sankfurt backs up against the cage.
Sankfurt shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Pai connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Pai fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Sankfurt looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Pai fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sankfurt misses with a takedown attempt
and Pai counters with a left and a right that stings Sankfurt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Teu Pai dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Pai misses with a series of wild punches.
Sankfurt moves in looking to clinch but Pai pushes him off.
Sankfurt shoots for a takedown but Pai saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Pai fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Sankfurt looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Sankfurt throws a sloppy head kick and Pai moves out of range easily.
Sankfurt drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Sankfurt takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Pai fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Pai with a body punch. A glancing blow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big right from Sankfurt misses.
Pai lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Sankfurt at a distance.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Pai, as that shot connected.
Teu Pai is winning the standup battle so far.
Pai throws a series of punches but Sankfurt moves out of range.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Sankfurt is defended easily by Pai.
Sankfurt gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Sankfurt has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sankfurt shoots in for a takedown but Pai shows good takedown defense.
Teu Pai has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rhya Sankfurt.
Sankfurt with a lazy takedown attempt

and Pai counters with a crisp one two that drops Sankfurt! Pai thinks about following him to the mat for a moment but instead steps back and waves Sankfurt to his feet! Sankfurt is in big trouble!
Sankfurt is still on wobbly legs! Can Pai finish him?
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sankfurt uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Pai.
Sankfurt fails with a takedown attempt.
Pai lands with a right hand.
Pai looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Sankfurt takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sankfurt tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Pai connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Pai is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Sankfurt can do to turn this around?
Pai displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Sankfurt.

Pai drops Sankfurt with a hook right on the temple. He thinks about going to the ground but Sankfurt looks back up at him and smiles so Pai waves him back to his feet - he obviously thinks he can knock him out after that shot landed.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Pai throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Pai just misses with a punch to the body.
Pai throws a right hand that Sankfurt ducks under and follows up with a left that Sankfurt also avoids with ease.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sankfurt wants to clinch
and Pai counters with a three punch combo that has Sankfurt backing up. Sankfurt nods at Pai to acknowledge the strikes.
Sankfurt tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Pai manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Sankfurt tries to clinch up
and Pai counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Sankfurt fails to land the takedown.
Sankfurt seems to have recovered his senses.
Teu Pai is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Sankfurt throws a body punch but Pai moves out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Teu Pai showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Pai has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Teu Pai!