PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Morgan Sanches (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thor Odinsson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Sanches
vs
Odinsson

225 cm
19
240 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
20
235 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Morgan Sanches!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thor Odinsson!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Daniel Cesar and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sanches slaps away a takedown attempt from Odinsson, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Sanches takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Sanches shoots in but no luck this time.
Nice sprawl there from Sanches as Odinsson shoots in.
Sanches fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Sanches misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Morgan Sanches. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Odinsson tries to clinch but Sanches is having none of it.
Odinsson is looking to clinch.
Odinsson scores with a leg kick.

Odinsson gets tackled into the cage by Sanches. Sanches maintains the clinch.
Odinsson wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Odinsson is trying to break free.
Odinsson is trying to pull guard but Sanches has him pressed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Odinsson tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Odinsson is trying to stall.
Sanches really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Sanches misses with a knee strike.
Odinsson tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Sanches avoids it.

Odinsson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Odinsson pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Odinsson blocks a head kick by Sanches.
Sanches avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sanches shoots for a takedown but Odinsson saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Odinsson will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Sanches throws a right and a left that Odinsson avoids nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
An inside leg kick lands from Odinsson.
Sanches fails to land the takedown.
Sanches is breathing heavily.
Odinsson has a takedown stuffed.
Odinsson tries to score a power double leg takedown but Sanches sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Odinsson somewhat.
Odinsson tries to clinch up but Sanches circles away and keeps his distance.
Odinsson slaps away a takedown attempt from Sanches, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Sanches instigates a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Odinsson is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Sanches is trying to break free.
Nice elbow from Odinsson.
Sanches tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Odinsson just stands there and leans against the cage.
Sanches tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Odinsson just stands there and leans against the cage.
Odinsson stalling in the clinch but Sanches improves position.
Odinsson tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Odinsson is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Sanches is defending well.
Odinsson wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Odinsson is pressed up against the cage. Sanches has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Odinsson down to the mat. Odinsson avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Sanches looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Odinsson closes this distance looking for a takedown but Sanches circles away.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Odinsson is defended easily by Sanches.
Sanches looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Sanches gets a clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Odinsson misses with a knee to the head.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Sanches as Odinsson tries to tie him up.
Odinsson has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Sanches is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thor Odinsson 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.

A head kick misses from Sanches.
Odinsson fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Sanches looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Sanches misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Odinsson shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Sanches fails with the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Morgan Sanches. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sanches shoots for a takedown but Odinsson saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Sanches changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Odinsson tries to avoid it but Sanches manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Odinsson to the ground. Odinsson escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Odinsson fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sanches slaps away a takedown attempt from Odinsson, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Sanches looks for a takedown but Odinsson sprawls well.
Both fighters circling a little - Odinsson finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Odinsson shoots in looking for a takedown but Sanches manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Odinsson's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Sanches keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
No luck for Sanches with that takedown attempt.
Odinsson tries to score a power double leg takedown but Sanches sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Odinsson somewhat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanches throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Odinsson makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

Odinsson tries to keep at a distance but Sanches has taken the fight into the clinch.
Sanches fails to pull guard.
Odinsson working hard to break the clinch.
Odinsson is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Sanches pulls him back up using the underhooks.
A head punch on the inside from Odinsson fails to land.

Sanches pulls guard effortlessly.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Odinsson wants to control from the top but Sanches keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Odinsson postures up in Sanches's guard and throws a big left but Sanches blocks it.
Odinsson wants to pass the guard but Sanches is keeping the position.
Odinsson passes into half guard.
Sanches is looking to control Odinsson's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Sanches avoid being mounted?
Sanches avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Odinsson.
Sanches is trying to control but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sanches is concentrating on defense, preventing Odinsson from advancing position.
Sanches is staying active underneath Odinsson, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Sanches desperately trying to maintain half guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Morgan Sanches wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Sanches tries to score a power double leg takedown but Odinsson sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Sanches somewhat.
Odinsson lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

It looks like Morgan Sanches has been cut.
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!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sanches closes the distance and clinches up with Odinsson, looking for a takedown. Sanches pushes Odinsson against the cage but Odinsson circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thor Odinsson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Morgan Sanches's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Sanches defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Odinsson.
Sanches throws a right and a left that both miss.
Sanches fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Odinsson throws a head kick but Sanches moves out of range.
Odinsson fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Sanches avoids it really well and circles away.
No luck for Odinsson with that takedown attempt.
Morgan Sanches has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thor Odinsson.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sanches pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Horrible takedown by Odinsson or perhaps it was just good defense by Sanches which made him look bad.
Sanches looks for a takedown but Odinsson sprawls well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sanches gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Odinsson misses with a short punch on the inside.
Odinsson wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Odinsson is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Sanches is trying to push Odinsson away but Odinsson has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Odinsson tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Sanches just stands there and leans against the cage.
Odinsson has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Sanches after a bit of a struggle.
Sanches wants to break free but Odinsson has control.
Sanches has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Odinsson is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Odinsson misses with a punch on the inside.
Sanches is struggling to control the position.
Odinsson working hard to break the clinch.

Odinsson ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Odinsson no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Odinsson trying to control the position.
Sanches sitting in guard here, content to control.
Odinsson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanches is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Morgan Sanches wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Odinsson looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Sanches is fending him off so far but Odinsson persists. Nope, Sanches circles away and we're back to standing.
Odinsson is looking to clinch but Sanches is avoiding it.
Sanches throws a head kick that misses.
Sanches shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Odinsson as he jumps to the side.
Odinsson moves in looking to clinch but Sanches pushes him off.
Odinsson closes this distance looking for a takedown but Sanches circles away.
Sanches throws a leg kick that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sanches pushes Odinsson up against the cage in a clinch.
Odinsson has Sanches pressed against the cage, preventing Sanches from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Sanches wants to break the clinch but can't.
Sanches tries to circle away but Odinsson has him pinned against the cage.
Odinsson working hard to break the clinch.
Odinsson prevents a takedown attempt there.
Odinsson has Sanches pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Sanches manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Odinsson is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Sanches to keep the fight standing.
Sanches looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Odinsson wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Sanches has him pressed against the cage.

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 Morgan Sanches.
Well Odinsson 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight for Thor Odinsson!
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight for Thor Odinsson!
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight for Thor Odinsson!

Thor Odinsson wins by unanimous decision!