PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ben Potter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Champion Sambo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Champion Sambo has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Potter
vs
Sambo

180 cm
25
175 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

169 cm
23
179 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

Dangerous GnP
Brawler
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Brawler
Solid chin

Master Lee's One Stop

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Ben Potter!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Champion Sambo!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, James Atkins and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sambo fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Potter to the ground. Sambo is now in Potter's guard.
Sambo is fighting to break Potter's control of his arms but Potter is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Potter definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Sambo passes into half guard.
Sambo prevents Potter from improving his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sambo is trying to control the action in half guard but Potter is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Potter wants to get back to full guard.
Potter works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sambo controls from within his opponent's guard.
Potter will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Potter tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Sambo tries to free his leg and advance position but Potter is retaining full guard.
Potter wants to sweep but no luck.
Sambo stands and throws Potter's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Potter wants to control but Sambo postures up.
Potter regains half guard there - taking advantage of Sambo's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Potter wants to get back to full guard.
Sambo is taking a breather. Potter 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.

Sambo is looking for a kimura here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Sambo trying to control from Potter's half guard. Potter has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Sambo wants to pass the guard but Potter is keeping the position.
Potter looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sambo is one step ahead there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Potter is trying to control the position but Sambo postures up.
Potter wants to sweep here but Sambo controlling him for the moment.
Potter being controlled here, momentarily.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Sambo shoots in looking for a takedown. Potter tries to sprawl out of it but Sambo keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Potter manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Potter fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Sambo avoids it really well and circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Champion Sambo will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Sambo shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Sambo showed some decent athleticism there.

Sambo is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Potter defends it well.
Sambo controlling the action here.
Sambo prevents Potter from improving his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sambo content to control rather than advance.
Champion Sambo has got the better of the ground game so far.
Potter has a hand on Sambo's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Sambo takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Sambo looking to control but Potter is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Potter tries to reverse the position but Sambo maintains control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sambo tries to control but Potter wriggling away.
Potter regains half guard.
Potter trying to control but Sambo postures up.
Potter is looking to improve his position.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Sambo is trying to control. Potter wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Potter makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Potter.
Potter not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Sambo seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

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

Potter gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Sambo to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Sambo advances position into side control!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sambo wants to lay and pray for a moment but Potter keeps working.
Potter gets back to half guard.
Potter is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
It looks like Sambo is going to stand back up.
Sambo is looking to take a break and control but Potter is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Champion Sambo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Potter lands a right hook to the body.
Sambo shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

so Potter counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Potter drops back, looking for a kneebar! Sambo looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Sambo looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Sambo!

Sambo tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Sambo has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Sambo really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Potter. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Sambo is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Potter has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sambo working away.
Sambo tries to advance to mount but can't.
Potter sneaks back into half guard.
Sambo looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sambo trying to control from half guard but Potter is working away.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Potter wants to improve his position but Sambo is controlling well.
Sambo trying to control the action but Potter is working from the bottom.

Champion Sambo has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Potter fails with a takedown attempt.

Sambo darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sambo is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Let's hope that Sambo has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Potter punching from the bottom.
Potter wants to improve his position but Sambo is controlling well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Potter wants to control but Sambo is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Potter is trying to stand up here but Sambo is controlling him well.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Champion Sambo.
No luck for Sambo with that takedown attempt.

Sambo looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Potter looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Potter regains full guard. Nicely done.

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 Ben Potter.
Well Sambo 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Champion Sambo!