PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Rolad Kjeldsson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joseph Sandoval (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Kjeldsson
vs
Sandoval

190 cm
24
145 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

170 cm
25
135 lbs
11 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Good chin

Good wrestler
World class MT
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Rolad Kjeldsson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Joseph Sandoval!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Tarja Halkonen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sandoval tests Kjeldsson's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Sandoval scoring well with a low kick there.
Sandoval bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Kjeldsson's head.
Kjeldsson falls off balance throwing a combination
and Sandoval counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Kjeldsson misses with a wild combination.
Kjeldsson thows a body shot but no joy.

Sandoval gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Sandoval lands an elbow that stopped Kjeldsson in his tracks for a moment.

It looks like Rolad Kjeldsson has been cut.
Sandoval looking to throw knees to the head but Kjeldsson is blocking nicely.
Sandoval has Kjeldsson pressed against the cage, preventing Kjeldsson from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Sandoval throws a knee to the head but misses.
Sandoval tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Sandoval using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Kjeldsson has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Kjeldsson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kjeldsson misses with a double jab.
Sandoval has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Sandoval tries to clinch but Kjeldsson moves out of range.
Sandoval tries to clinch up but Kjeldsson circles away and keeps his distance.
Sandoval avoids the body shot from Kjeldsson.
Rolad Kjeldsson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kjeldsson throws a nice looking combination but Sandoval bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Kjeldsson lands a jab-cross combination.

Sandoval is rocked!
Sandoval tries a head kick but it misses.
Sandoval is still on wobbly legs! Can Kjeldsson finish him?
Kjeldsson misses with a body shot.
Kjeldsson ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

Sandoval has Kjeldsson up against the cage in a clinch.
Sandoval seems to have recovered his senses.
Sandoval with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Kjeldsson blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sandoval tries to land knees in the clinch but Kjeldsson avoids the damage to the body.
Sandoval looking to throw knees to the head but Kjeldsson is blocking nicely.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kjeldsson is struggling to control the position.
Sandoval gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Kjeldsson has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Sandoval has a couple of punches blocked by Kjeldsson.
Sandoval using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Kjeldsson has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Kjeldsson working hard to break the clinch.
Sandoval with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Sandoval with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Kjeldsson on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Sandoval just misses with a elbow thrown towards Kjeldsson's brow.
Kjeldsson tries to break free but Sandoval pushes him back against the cage.
Sandoval tries to land a knee to the head but Kjeldsson blocks with his arms.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kjeldsson is trying to break the clinch but Sandoval has him pressed against the cage.
Sandoval scores with a shoulder strike.
Kjeldsson really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Sandoval prevents Kjeldsson from breaking the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Sandoval fails to land.
Sandoval misses with a knee to the head.
Sandoval with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
A right handed body shot lands from Sandoval.
Sandoval pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Kjeldsson.
Sandoval pushes off an throws an elbow but Kjeldsson leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Kjeldsson's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Sandoval tries to land a knee to the head but Kjeldsson blocks with his arms.
Sandoval keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Kjeldsson's efforts to push away.
Sandoval tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
A short uppercut from Sandoval.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sandoval is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Sandoval lands an elbow that stopped Kjeldsson in his tracks for a moment.
Sandoval using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Kjeldsson has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Kjeldsson is trying to break the clinch but Sandoval is controlling him.
Sandoval connects with a nasty looking knee right to Kjeldsson's face.
Kjeldsson is trying to break the clinch but Sandoval has him pressed against the cage.
Sandoval landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sandoval tries to land a knee to the head but Kjeldsson blocks with his arms.
Sandoval tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Sandoval looks winded!
A nice right hand lands inside from Sandoval.
Sandoval tries a knee to the head but Kjeldsson blocks it.
Kjeldsson wants to get back to striking at distance but Sandoval won't allow it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sandoval keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Kjeldsson's efforts to push away.
Sandoval struggles to land a body shot inside as Kjeldsson controls his hands.
Sandoval creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Kjeldsson's defenses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joseph Sandoval dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rolad Kjeldsson's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Kjeldsson chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Sandoval can pounce on him.
Sandoval shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Kjeldsson as he avoids it easily.
Kjeldsson misses with a body kick.
Kjeldsson takes a swing at Sandoval's ribcage but misses.
A punch combination from Kjeldsson misses.

Sandoval closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Sandoval lands in his opponent's guard.
Kjeldsson manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Sandoval manages to get himself to full guard.
Kjeldsson looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kjeldsson trying to control but Sandoval is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kjeldsson engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Sandoval is trying to control the position but Kjeldsson postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

We're going to have a standup here because Rolad Kjeldsson wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Kjeldsson avoids the head kick by Sandoval.
Sandoval shoots for a double leg takedown but Kjeldsson sprawls well. He's pushed Sandoval's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Rolad Kjeldsson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sandoval lands a head shot.
Sandoval fails with a takedown attempt.
Rolad Kjeldsson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joseph Sandoval.
The fighters circle momentarily. Kjeldsson darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Sandoval tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Kjeldsson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Sandoval is defended easily by Kjeldsson.
Rolad Kjeldsson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Kjeldsson drops Sandoval with a hook right on the temple. He thinks about going to the ground but Sandoval looks back up at him and smiles so Kjeldsson waves him back to his feet - he obviously thinks he can knock him out after that shot landed.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kjeldsson throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Sandoval counters with a nice low kick that buckles Kjeldsson's knee momentarily.
Kjeldsson throws a 1-2 combo that connects squarely on Sandoval's jaw, knocking him onto his back! Kjeldsson dives in looking to finish as Sandoval flails his arms in a desperate attempt to block Kjeldsson's strikes! Kjeldsson is raining down hammerfists and the ref stops it! Sandoval's desperate flailing just didn't constitute intelligent defence. Some people will probably question the ref's decision but Sandoval was definitely hurt and the ref saved him from taking unnecessary punishment. A fighter's safety is paramount in this sport.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:18 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Rolad Kjeldsson!
Rolad Kjeldsson took some time post fight to say the following; 'Blodet av mina fiender kommer att fortsätta att driva min framgång. Du bär vittne till min uppstigning. Guttentag mina vänner.'.