PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Alfonzo Cotton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Magnus Sandberg (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Magnus Sandberg looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Cotton
vs
Sandberg

173 cm
20
177 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

225 cm
18
175 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alfonzo Cotton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Magnus Sandberg!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Fedor Mirinova and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cotton scores with a takedown into Sandberg's guard.
Sandberg is looking to stand up but Cotton isn't so interested in that idea.
Cotton with a nice head shot there.

Sandberg pushes Cotton off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Sandberg tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Cotton forces Sandberg back against the cage and clinches.
Sandberg has Cotton pressed against the cage, preventing Cotton from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Cotton fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Sandberg using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Cotton has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cotton avoiding damage as Sandberg throws knees to the body.
Sandberg prevents a takedown attempt there.
Sandberg is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Cotton is defending well for now.
Sandberg lands a damaging elbow.
Sandberg tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Cotton has had enough of the clinch but Sandberg keeps him there for the moment.
Cotton can't get the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alfonzo Cotton. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cotton wants to break free but Sandberg has control.
Cotton tries to circle away but Sandberg has him pinned against the cage.
Sandberg landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Sandberg tries to land knees in the clinch but Cotton avoids the damage to the body.
Knees in the clinch landing for Sandberg.

Cotton pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Cotton takes a swing at Sandberg's ribcage but misses.
Sandberg tries to clinch there but Cotton circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sandberg misses with a body shot.
Sandberg misses with a double jab

and Cotton counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Sandberg!
Sandberg looks winded!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Cotton working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cotton has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Cotton tries to keep at a distance but Sandberg has taken the fight into the clinch.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.

Sandberg escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Sandberg moves to clinch but Cotton breaks away

and Cotton holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
A hook to the body from Sandberg.
Sandberg wants to stall.

Cotton pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Sandberg moves in looking to clinch but Cotton pushes him off.
Sandberg tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Cotton tries to keep at a distance but Sandberg has taken the fight into the clinch.
Cotton wants to get back to striking at distance but Sandberg won't allow it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cotton tries for a takedown but Sandberg manages to get underhooks.
Cotton jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Sandberg walks away with a smile on his face. Cotton gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Sandberg throws a right hand that Cotton ducks under and follows up with a left that Cotton also avoids with ease.
Sandberg is looking to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Alfonzo Cotton will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Sandberg tries to clinch but Cotton moves away

and Cotton counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Cotton.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cotton throwing strikes but missing.
Sandberg is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Cotton dives into side control.
Sandberg is working to avoid the ground and pound but Cotton connects with a decent elbow.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sandberg is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Cotton has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Sandberg is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Sandberg taking a bit of punishment here - Cotton scoring with strikes.
Sandberg is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cotton tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Cotton has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Cotton misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Cotton connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Sandberg some visible discomfort.

Cotton is trying to get an arm triangle but Sandberg is defending well.
Sandberg wants to get back to his feet but Cotton is dominant here and he's now got Sandberg's back!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cotton is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Sandberg has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Cotton misses with a punch to the head.
Cotton throwing sloppy strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sandberg showing good submission defense here.

Cotton looking for the choke but no joy.

Cotton has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Cotton misses with a punch to the head.
Sandberg covering up well and avoiding damage.
Alfonzo Cotton overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Cotton looking to break Sandberg's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Sandberg remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Cotton will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Cotton has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Sandberg is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alfonzo Cotton dominated that second round.
That's time! Cotton's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Cotton slips a jab and a cross from Sandberg.
Magnus Sandberg seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Cotton throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Sandberg tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Cotton is in Sandberg's guard.
Cotton works over Sandberg with some ground and pound from guard.
Cotton missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Cotton lands a couple of digs.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Cotton accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sandberg utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Sandberg takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Cotton throwing strikes but missing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sandberg is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Cotton is controlling him.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Sandberg fails with an attempt to clinch.
Sandberg is looking to clinch but Cotton is avoiding it.
Sandberg tries to clinch up.
Sandberg closes the distance but Cotton moves to the side

and Cotton counters with a shoot takedown. Sandberg fights it but they end up in guard.
Cotton throwing strikes but missing.
Cotton with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sandberg utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Cotton working some strikes from top position.
Sandberg working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Cotton.
Cotton throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sandberg works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Sandberg utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Cotton is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Sandberg can do to turn this around?
Sandberg showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Cotton.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Cotton. Those never looked like landing.
Cotton lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Sandberg at a distance.

Cotton closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Sandberg did well to prevent Cotton getting side control.

Cotton seems to be working for a kimura but Sandberg defends the submission attempt.

Cotton stands up out of the half guard.
Cotton is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sandberg keeps the fight on the outside.
Cotton swats away the attempt to clinch by Sandberg.
Sandberg throws a nice looking combination but Cotton bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Sandberg tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Cotton counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Magnus Sandberg has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cotton lands a couple of elbows.
Cotton might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cotton scoring with some ground and pound.
Alfonzo Cotton is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Cotton working some strikes from top position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alfonzo Cotton showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Cotton, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:25
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 30:26
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alfonzo Cotton!