PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Daniel Sypher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Born (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Sypher
vs
Born

210 cm
26
300 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

217 cm
26
300 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Good chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Daniel Sypher!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Mike Born!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Paul Gruel and Ryoma Takatsuka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Born will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Sypher misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Born.

Sypher gets a takedown into half guard.
Born is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Sypher jumps into side control!
Born tries to buck Sypher off but Sypher is having none of it.
I wouldn't like to be where Born is right now.
You can see the frustration on Born's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Born is trying to get back to half guard.
Born manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sypher lands strikes from half guard.

Sypher is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Born defends it well.
Sypher performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Sypher wants to stand but Born has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Born slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Sypher missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Born has a closed guard, preventing Sypher from standing up.

Sypher gets to his feet. Born looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Sypher tries to close the distance and clinch up but Born swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Sypher shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Born as he avoids it easily.
Sypher swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Born shoots in for a takedown but Sypher shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Born has Sypher up against the cage in a clinch.
Born drops down looking for an ankle pick but Sypher pulls his leg out and moves away.
Daniel Sypher has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Born.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Born fails with the takedown
and Sypher counters with a series of strikes. Born will be more careful next time no doubt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Born shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Born looks gassed!
Born wants to control but Sypher is keeping him busy.
Sypher punching from the bottom.
Sypher wants to improve his position but Born is controlling well.
Sypher regains full guard. Nicely done.
Sypher seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Born wants to control from the top but Sypher keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sypher looking for a sweep. Not yet Sypher, not yet.
Sypher not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Sypher keeping full guard, as Born tries to pass.
Born wants to control from the top but Sypher keeps moving.

Mike Born has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Sypher tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Born manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Sypher moves into the clinch successfully.
Born looking for a takedown.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Born has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Sypher is trying to keep an underhook but Born manages to get the takedown into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daniel Sypher dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Sypher throws a nice looking combination but Born bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A head kick by Sypher misses
and Born makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Sypher shoots for a double leg takedown but Born sprawls well. He's pushed Sypher's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Sypher shoots for a takedown but Born saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Born fails with the takedown.

Sypher closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Born has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Sypher regains guard immediately.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sypher wants to stand and escape but Born is having none of it.
Sypher keeping moving, preventing Born from controlling successfully.
Sypher is trying to keep Born in close.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Born stops Sypher from standing up.
Sypher on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Sypher tries to get out of the position.
Born trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Born gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Born swats away the attempt to clinch by Sypher.
Born fails to land the takedown.
Born closes the distance and clinches up with Sypher, looking for a takedown. Born pushes Sypher against the cage but Sypher circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Daniel Sypher has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Born.
Born is breathing heavily.
Born is looking to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Born avoids the head kick by Sypher.
Sypher fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Born avoids it really well and circles away.
Sypher throws a leg kick but Born moved away.
Born shoots for a takedown but Sypher saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Sypher fails to land with a series of punches.

Sypher moves into the clinch.
Born wants to take the fight to the mat but Sypher manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Sypher has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Born avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Born tries to score a body lock takedown but Sypher shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Born goes for a takedown attempt but Sypher pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sypher throws a solid leg kick but Born takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Sypher.
Born has his takedown stuffed

and Sypher counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Born's guard now.
Sypher engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Born throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Sypher engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sypher throwing strikes but missing.
Sypher has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Born manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Born looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Poor strikes thrown by Born there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Born throws some wild stikes that Sypher manages to avoid easily.
Sypher squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Daniel Sypher will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

A telegraphed takedown attempt from Sypher is defended easily by Born.
Sypher wants to clinch up but Born keeps it at a distance.
Born shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Sypher defends it nicely.
Born shoots in looking for a takedown. Sypher tries to sprawl out of it but Born keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Sypher manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Born avoids the body shot from Sypher.
Born misses with a takedown

and Sypher counters by moving into the clinch.
Daniel Sypher has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Born.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Born can't get the takedown.

Sypher jumps guard.
Sypher wants to sweep but no luck.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sypher is trying to keep Born in close.
Born tries to free his leg and advance position but Sypher is retaining full guard.
Sypher tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Born trying to control but Sypher is working from the bottom.
Born takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Mike Born.

Sypher fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Born to the ground. Sypher is now in Born's guard.
Sypher trying to control but Born is working from the bottom.
Sypher postures up.
Sypher wanted to stand there but Born had control of the position.
Born is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sypher is looking for a sweep. Born is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Born sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Sypher defending well though.
Born is trying to control. Sypher wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Born throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Born wants to free his trapped foot but Sypher is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Born stops Sypher from getting back to his feet.
Born is thwarting Sypher's attempts to control the position.
Sypher is looking to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Born looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Sypher wants to control but Born is keeping busy.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Born closes this distance looking for a takedown but Sypher circles away.
Sypher stuffs the takedown attempt from Born. Born gets slowly back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sypher throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Mike Born has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Daniel Sypher is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Born misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

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 Daniel Sypher.
Well Sypher 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 Roger Salmon scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Daniel Sypher!
After the fight, Daniel Sypher was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.