PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Titus Sanford (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nero Fire (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nero Fire will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Sanford
vs
Fire

160 cm
18
150 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

155 cm
25
140 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Titus Sanford!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Nero Fire!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Shigeki Sano and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fire showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Sanford.
Fire looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Fire throws a nice looking combination but Sanford bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Fire rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Sanford moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Sanford darts in looking for a takedown but Fire gets double underhooks and turns Sanford into the cage.
Sanford controlling the action here for a moment.
Fire can't break the clinch.
Sanford is looking for a takedown.
Fire tries to break the clinch but Sanford is controlling the position.

Fire breaks from the clinch.
Sanford shoots for a double leg takedown but Fire sprawls well. He's pushed Sanford's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Titus Sanford. That's going to take a lot out of him.
No joy there for Fire, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Sanford fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Fire gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Sanford to score an easy takedown into full guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Sanford trying to control but Fire is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanford slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Fire wants to stand but Sanford is controlling the position.

Sanford drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Sanford jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Sanford is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Sanford trying to control the position from guard on top but Fire is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Sanford drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Sanford jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Fire is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanford trying to control the position from guard on top but Fire is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Fire wants to stand up but Sanford is controlling him.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Sanford wants to control from the top but Fire keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Titus Sanford.
Sanford showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Fire.
Fire stuffs the takedown.
Sanford fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fire throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Sanford counters with a single leg into guard. Fire didn't expect that.
Fire wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Sanford manages to pass to side control.
Fire pushes Sanford off but Sanford dives into side control.

Sanford wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Fire, who protects the arm well.

Sanford is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Fire has escaped the position, nice work there.
Fire wants to get back to his feet.

Sanford tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Sanford is trying to get an arm triangle but Fire is defending well.
Sanford in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Fire wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Sanford is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Fire knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Sanford working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Titus Sanford dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Fire misses with a wild combination.

Sanford looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Fire is not content to let Sanford control the position.

Sanford is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Sanford is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Fire looks like he's trying to stand up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fire is trying to escape back to his feet but Sanford uses the scramble to pass into side control.

Sanford thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Sanford working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Fire sneaks out the side door and pushes Sanford away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Nero Fire seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sanford fails with the takedown.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Sanford is defended easily by Fire.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fire throws a right and a left that Sanford avoids nicely.
Sanford shoots in looking for a takedown but Fire manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Sanford's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Titus Sanford. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fire throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Fire looks to land a combination but Sanford avoids it well.
Fire throws a combination that misses

and Sanford counters with a nice double leg into guard.
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!
Fire is looking to stand up but Sanford isn't so interested in that idea.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Sanford thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Sanford trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Sanford with a flurry of punches that miss.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Fire manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
Sanford misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Sanford trying to control the position but instead, Fire has worked for underhooks and has pushed Sanford into the cage.

Fire's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A combination from Fire does no damage.
Nero Fire is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Horrible takedown attempt by Sanford or perhaps it was just good defense by Fire, which made it look bad.
Fire throws a nice looking combination but Sanford bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Fire misses with a few strikes there.
Sanford shoots in for a takedown but Fire shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
No joy there for Fire, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fire throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Sanford changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Fire looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Fire is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Sanford has just dragged him back down to the mat.

Sanford in side control, working for a kimura. He's got hold of an arm and he's torquing it... Fire is tapping! That's the end of the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:32 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Titus Sanford!