PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jose Brandao (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sami Sykloni (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Brandao comes to the cage accompanied by Work Hard, Play Hard. Sykloni has chosen David Arkenstone - Carrickfergus as his entrance music. Sami Sykloni will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Brandao
vs
Sykloni

176 cm
25
184 lbs
14 - 6 - 0

188 cm
27
183 lbs
19 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

KO Clothing
Affordable Quality

KO Clothing

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 14 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jose Brandao!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Sami Sykloni!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Reed Andrews and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sykloni connects with a leg kick. Brandao looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Brandao connects with the punch.
Sykloni connects with a looping right hand.
Sykloni throws a low kick but Brandao moves out of range easily.
Sykloni avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Sykloni throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Brandao misses with a body punch

and Sykloni counters with a single leg into guard. Brandao didn't expect that.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Brandao trying to keep a closed guard but Sykloni is proving a slippery customer.
Sykloni looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Sykloni working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brandao is trying to control the position but Sykloni postures up.
Brandao is pulling down on Sykloni's head to control his posture.

We're going to have a standup here because Jose Brandao wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Brandao misses with a shot to the body

and Sykloni counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Sykloni is trying to control. Brandao wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Sykloni missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Brandao is staying active underneath Sykloni, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Brandao trying to hold on to Sykloni's head to control him but Sykloni postures up.
Sykloni not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Sykloni drops an elbow to the side of Brandao's head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sykloni is trying to control the action in half guard but Brandao is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Brandao manages to get to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sykloni is looking to work some ground and pound but Brandao has wrist control.
Sykloni in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Brandao avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Sykloni working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Brandao looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Brandao is trying to control the position but Sykloni postures up.
Sykloni throws a big elbow that misses.
Brandao wants to stand up but Sykloni is controlling him.
Brandao controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Jose Brandao wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Brandao dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Sykloni. That did some damage!
A good leg kick by Brandao.
Sykloni stuns Brandao with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Sykloni lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Brandao chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Sykloni can pounce on him.
Jose Brandao is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Sykloni throws a low kick but it's checked well by Brandao.
Sykloni throws a sloppy head kick and Brandao moves out of range easily.
Brandao thuds a left hand into Sykloni's body.
Sykloni stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Brandao.
Sykloni keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Brandao tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Sykloni was well out of range. Poor timing from Brandao.
Sykloni is looking to slow Brandao down with leg kicks.
Brandao is looking to wear down Sykloni with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Brandao throws a leg kick

and Sykloni counters with a nice double leg into side control. Brandao won't be happy with that.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sykloni tries to score with some ground and pound. Brandao controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Brandao is trying to control Sykloni's posture but Sykloni avoids it.

Sykloni is trying to get an arm triangle but Brandao is defending well.
Sykloni wants to control but Brandao is keeping him busy.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Sykloni tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Sykloni has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Sykloni tries for a kimura but Brandao is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sami Sykloni dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Brandao throws a sloppy head kick and Sykloni moves out of range easily.
Brandao is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Sykloni.
Brandao wants to clinch up but Sykloni keeps it at a distance.
Brandao lands a nice shot that snaps Sykloni's head back.
Brandao doesn't manage to clinch there - Sykloni circles away.
Brandao tries to work over Sykloni's front leg with a kick but Sykloni checks it.
Sykloni swats away the attempt to clinch by Brandao.
Brandao jabs Sykloni right on the nose. Sykloni blinks but takes it well.
A jab lands there for Sykloni.
Brandao throws a jab when Sykloni was well out of range.
Brandao checks a leg kick nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
An inside leg kick from Sykloni misses.
Brandao throws a low kick but Sykloni moves out of range easily.
Brandao fails with an attempt to clinch.
Brandao misses with a looping right.

Brandao gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Sykloni to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Sykloni trying to control but Brandao is working from the bottom.
Brandao controls Sykloni momentarily but Sykloni frees himself.
Sykloni postures up in Brandao's guard and throws a big left but Brandao blocks it.
Sami Sykloni has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sykloni drops back looking for a leg! Brandao is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Brandao manages to kick Sykloni off! Sykloni jumps back into Brandao's guard.
Sykloni chips away with some ground and pound.
Sykloni is in close to Brandao's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Brandao is trying to control the position but Sykloni postures up.
Brandao might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Brandao keeping moving, preventing Sykloni from controlling successfully.
Brandao is trying to control the position but Sykloni postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brandao is adopting a defensive guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Jose Brandao just wasn't active enough.

Brandao gets caught flat footed, as Sykloni shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Brandao looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Sykloni passes into side control.
Brandao is looking for a sweep.
Brandao is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at Pain , so we'll see if he gets out of it.
Sloppy strikes there by Sykloni.
Brandao is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sykloni lands an elbow.
Brandao gets back to half guard.
Sykloni is keen to just control but Brandao is a slippery customer.
Sykloni thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Sykloni thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sykloni thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Brandao's head.

Sykloni is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Sykloni throwing shots but Brandao is blocking nicely.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sykloni tries to pass the half guard into mount. Brandao knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sami Sykloni showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

A slapping leg kick lands for Sykloni.
The crowd cheers as Sykloni lands an impressive looking overhand right. Brandao doesn't seem phased though.
Brandao walks into a left hand.
Sykloni scores with a hook.
Brandao takes one to the side of the head.
Sykloni cracks Brandao with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Sykloni turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Brandao misses with the body kick

and Sykloni counters with a shoot takedown. Brandao fights it but they end up in guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sykloni throwing strikes from guard but Brandao blocks nicely.
Brandao preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Sykloni wants to control from the top but Brandao keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sykloni throwing strikes from guard but Brandao blocks nicely.
Brandao is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Brandao keeping full guard, as Sykloni tries to pass.
Brandao is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Jose Brandao wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Brandao scores with a nice strike.

It looks like Sami Sykloni has been cut.
A low kick from Brandao is predictable there

so Sykloni counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Brandao keeping moving, preventing Sykloni from controlling successfully.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sykloni is pushing down on Brandao's leg trying to pass to half guard. Brandao is fighting to maintain full guard but Sykloni has managed to sneak the leg through.
Sykloni lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Sykloni working over Brandao with some ground and pound. Brandao looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Sami Sykloni is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Brandao preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Sykloni thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Brandao's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brandao is not content to let Sykloni control the position.
Brandao is looking to improve his position.
Brandao is staying active underneath Sykloni, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Sykloni is actively looking for submissions here but good counter grappling here from Brandao as he works his way to full guard.
Sykloni cracks Brandao with a solid left hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Brandao keeping moving, preventing Sykloni from controlling successfully.
Brandao working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sykloni.
Sykloni postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Sykloni controlling from the top position.
Sykloni throwing strikes but missing.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sykloni trying to control the position from guard on top but Brandao is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Jose Brandao has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Brandao working a defensive guard here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sami Sykloni comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Sykloni winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sami Sykloni!
A relieved looking Sami Sykloni thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.