PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Sioux Sie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Xavier Sykes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sioux Sie has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Sie
vs
Sykes

189 cm
33
220 lbs
15 - 15 - 0

190 cm
19
222 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Sioux Sie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Xavier Sykes!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Yves DeLean and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sykes lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Sie lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Sie.

It looks like Xavier Sykes has been cut.
Sykes looks to land a combination. Sie sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Sykes lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Sie works over Sykes's head and body with a nice combination.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sykes throws a left and a right that both miss
and Sie counters with an outside leg kick.
Sie lands with a nice body punch.
Sie tries a low kick but Sykes avoids it.

Sie darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Sie not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Sykes is looking to escape.
Sie trying to control the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sie trying to pass the guard but Sykes defending well.

Sie is looking for a kimura here.
Sie missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Sie prevents Sykes from standing back up.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Sie is controlling the pace.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Sykes looks to land a combination but Sie avoids it well.
Sykes moves forwards but Sie connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Sie misses with a body shot.
Sykes takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Xavier Sykes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sie cracks Sykes with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.

Sykes gets caught napping as Sie dives in and scores a takedown. Sykes manages to retain guard.
Sie throws a big right hand that misses.
Sie pushes down on Sykes's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Sie missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Sie 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.

Sie is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sie trying to control from half guard but Sykes is working away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sykes has hold of Sie's hands but Sie slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Sie is controlling the pace.

Sie is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Sykes has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Sie is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Sykes sees it coming and defends easily.
Sie works his way into side control.
Sykes is not content to let Sie control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sioux Sie dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Xavier Sykes's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Sykes throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Sie.
A jab from Sykes misses.
Sie throws a big counter combination but Sykes scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Sie moves forwards but Sykes connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Sykes throws a right hand that Sie ducks under and follows up with a left that Sie also avoids with ease.
Sykes scores with a jab. Sie acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Sykes lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Sie backs up against the cage.
Sie avoids the body shot from Sykes.
Sie avoids a punch combination nicely.
Sie lands with an overhand left.
Sie slips a jab and a cross from Sykes.
Sie listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sykes takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Sykes misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sie ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
The fighters circling - Sykes throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Sykes swings widly with a right hand
and Sie makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Sie uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Sykes.
Sie seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Sykes throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Sie looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Sykes misses with a straight right.
Sykes loads up on a big right hand but Sie slips the punch.
Sykes takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Sykes throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Sie seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Sykes scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
The fighters circle momentarily. Sykes darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Sie with a jab.
Sykes's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Sykes duly obliges.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sie throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sie stalks Sykes and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Sykes's face. Sykes staggers backwards, shaken.
Sie throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
The fighters circle momentarily. Sie darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Sie feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Sykes's calf.
Sykes misses with a wild body shot.
Sykes throws a left and a right that both miss
and Sie counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Sykes takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.

Sykes is rocked!
Sykes walks straight into a right hand from Sie - that's dropped him! Sie jumps into mount and starts pounding away - can he finish?! More strikes go undefended and the referee has to dive in to save Sykes from any more punishment! Sykes complains about the stoppage but falls over as he tries to stand back up, so it was clearly a good stoppage.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:37 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Sioux Sie!
After winning the bout, Sioux Sie thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.