PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ivan Kolov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bryan Sanderson (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.

Kolov
vs
Sanderson

190 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

172 cm
19
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Ivan Kolov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Bryan Sanderson!
The judges for this bout are Micheangelo Fripello, Josh West and Roger Salmon.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kolov clinches with his opponent.
Kolov really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Kolov tries to break the clinch but Sanderson is controlling the position.

Sanderson manages to break the clinch.
Sanderson fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Kolov avoids it really well and circles away.
Sanderson avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sanderson closes the distance and clinches up with Kolov, looking for a takedown. Sanderson pushes Kolov against the cage but Kolov circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Kolov motions for Sanderson to come forward. Kolov throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Sanderson shoots in looking for a takedown. Kolov tries to sprawl out of it but Sanderson keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Kolov manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Ivan Kolov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bryan Sanderson.

Sanderson tries to keep at a distance but Kolov has taken the fight into the clinch.

Kolov pulls guard successfully.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Kolov not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanderson is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Sanderson prevents Kolov from getting back to his feet.
Sanderson stopping the sweep attempt from Kolov.
Sanderson trying to control but Kolov is working from the bottom.
Kolov is trying to control the position but Sanderson postures up.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Ivan Kolov just wasn't active enough.
Sanderson shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Kolov sprawls well. Kolov wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Sanderson gets slowly back to his feet.
Kolov shoots and misses

and Sanderson holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Sanderson manages to pull guard.
Sanderson controls Kolov momentarily but Kolov frees himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kolov is looking to work some ground and pound but Sanderson has wrist control.
Sanderson wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Sanderson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Kolov stops Sanderson from standing up.
Sanderson pulls Kolov in close to prevent any damage.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Bryan Sanderson wasn't active enough on the ground.
Sanderson fails with an attempt to clinch.

Kolov looking to score a takedown here. Sanderson is defending well but Kolov drives through and ends up in Sanderson's guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Sanderson can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanderson wants to stand up but Kolov is controlling him.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kolov trying to control the position from guard on top but Sanderson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kolov passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Sanderson looks winded!
Kolov tries to move into full mount but can't pass Sanderson's legs.
Sanderson regains half guard there - taking advantage of Kolov's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Sanderson makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Sanderson.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kolov trying to control the position from guard on top but Sanderson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sanderson looking to hit a scissor sweep but Kolov is one step ahead there.
Sanderson really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Kolov. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sanderson has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Kolov has passed into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Kolov dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Sanderson closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Sanderson slows the pace down in half guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Bryan Sanderson was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Sanderson doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Kolov makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Sanderson really felt that one!
Kolov shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Sanderson decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Kolov's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kolov throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Kolov is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Kolov holds on and takes a little breather.
Sanderson wants to control from the top but Kolov keeps moving.
Sanderson distracts Kolov with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Sanderson is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Sanderson throws a right and a left that Kolov avoids nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanderson avoids the head kick by Kolov.
Kolov has a takedown stuffed.
Sanderson jabs Kolov to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Sanderson shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Kolov as he avoids it easily.
Sanderson throws a series of punches but Kolov moves out of range.

Sanderson manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Kolov on his heels. He'll look to pass Kolov's guard now, I'm sure.
Kolov looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
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!
Sanderson sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Sanderson lands a couple of elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kolov is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Sanderson must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Sanderson forces his way into half guard.
Sanderson is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Sanderson winds up and cracks Kolov with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Sanderson looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Sanderson in particular looking to stall.
Sanderson's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Bryan Sanderson hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Sanderson looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bryan Sanderson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Sanderson gets a takedown into half guard.
Sanderson controlling the action here.
Kolov is looking to improve his position.

Sanderson seems to be looking for submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanderson missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Kolov controlling the position well.
Still in half guard, Sanderson seems content to control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sanderson prevents Kolov from standing back up.
Kolov wants to get back to full guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Sanderson shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Kolov trying to control but Sanderson postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kolov wants to get back to full guard.
Sanderson lands with a punch from half guard.
Bryan Sanderson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Sanderson controlling the pace.
Sanderson seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Sanderson is controlling the pace.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Bryan Sanderson wasn't active enough on the ground.
Kolov swinging wildly here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sanderson is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Kolov's half guard.
Sanderson content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Sanderson tries to pass the half guard into mount. Kolov knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sanderson working over Kolov with some ground and pound. Kolov looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Kolov tries to roll over but Sanderson keeps him under control.
Sanderson 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.
Sanderson is taking a breather. Kolov says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Kolov wants to get back to full guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sanderson slows the pace down in half guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Sanderson working over Kolov with some ground and pound. Kolov looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bryan Sanderson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Sanderson 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 Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight for Bryan Sanderson!
Judge Josh West scores the fight for Bryan Sanderson!
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight for Bryan Sanderson!

Bryan Sanderson wins by unanimous decision!