PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Steve Sampson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lazarus Slade (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Sampson
vs
Slade

175 cm
23
185 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

200 cm
18
185 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Intelligent

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Steve Sampson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Lazarus Slade!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, John Mangel and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A punch combination from Sampson misses.
Slade fails to land the takedown.
Sampson shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Slade counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Slade.
Slade is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Slade looking to pass the guard.
Sampson is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Slade drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Sampson manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Slade has Sampson in his guard.
Sampson wants to control from the top but Slade keeps moving.
Sampson might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Slade throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Slade looks gassed!

Sampson avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Slade looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sampson stays in close to Slade's body and controls the position.
Sampson wants to control from the top but Slade keeps moving.

Slade is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Slade looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Sampson puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Sampson slows the pace down in half guard.
Ground and pound from Sampson.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Sampson in particular looking to stall.
Sampson trying to control from half guard but Slade is working away.
Sampson is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Slade is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Sampson slows the pace down in half guard.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Steve Sampson just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Sampson will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Sampson fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Slade manages to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sampson scores a takedown into full mount!
Slade is working to get back to half guard.
Sampson looking to control but Slade is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Sampson scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Slade?
Sampson looking to control but Slade is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Slade slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Sampson prevents Slade from improving his position.

Slade looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Sampson takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Sampson working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Lazarus Slade will probably get the nod.
That's time! Sampson's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Sampson is looking to clinch.

Sampson closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Sampson missing with knees to the body.
Sampson lands an elbow inside.
Slade is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Sampson pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Sampson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Sampson cracks the inside of Slade's front leg.

Sampson has taken the fight to the clinch.
Sampson landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.

Sampson lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Slade gets back to full guard.
Slade being controlled here, momentarily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Slade is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Slade being controlled here, momentarily.
Sampson trying to control but Slade is working from the bottom.
Sampson tries to free his leg and advance position but Slade is retaining full guard.

Slade escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Sampson gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

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.

Slade keeping busy on the bottom but Sampson has passed one foot through into half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Sampson in particular looking to stall.

Slade looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Sampson is trying to control the action in half guard but Slade is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Slade tries to get to full guard but Sampson has control of the leg.
Sampson sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Sampson not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Slade actively working from the bottom here.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Sampson tries to clinch there but Slade circles away.
Sampson throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

Slade gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sampson wants to control from the top but Slade keeps moving.
Sampson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Slade is keeping the position for now.
Slade looking for a sweep. Not yet Slade, not yet.

Slade working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Sampson doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Sampson manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Slade keeping moving, preventing Sampson from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Sampson dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Slade with a lazy takedown attempt

and Sampson counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Sampson content to stall in guard here.
Slade keeping full guard, as Sampson tries to pass.
Slade keeping moving, preventing Sampson from controlling successfully.
Steve Sampson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Slade had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Sampson is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Slade Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Sampson's back instead.
Sampson looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Slade is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Sampson turns into Slade and is now in his guard.

Slade isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Sampson stacks Slade on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Sampson!
Slade tries to buck Sampson off but Sampson is having none of it.
Slade is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sampson is working Slade over with some ground and pound from side control.
Slade tries to improve position but can't.
Sampson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Slade keeps working.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Slade tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Slade with a poor takedown

and Sampson counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Sampson trying to pass the guard but Slade defending well.
Slade tries to roll over but Sampson keeps him under control.
Sampson knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Slade on the ground.
Slade is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Sampson's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Sampson's back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sampson defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.

Slade working for the choke.

Slade is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Sampson is defending well though. Slade let's go of the attempt for now.

Slade is looking for the choke from the back position but Sampson is controlling his hands well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Slade working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.

Sampson showing good submission defense here.

Slade is looking for the choke from the back position but Sampson is controlling his hands well.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sampson rolls, trying to escape but Slade keeps control of the position.

Slade has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Slade is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lazarus Slade comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Slade has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Skip Squint scores the fight 29:29
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 29:29
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!