PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Davor Sakic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bad News (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sakic kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Hail mary Tupac Shakur. Bad News will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Sakic
vs
News

188 cm
23
196 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

185 cm
21
190 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Davor Sakic!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Bad News!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, Anthony Taglia and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

News drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
News trying to control the action but Sakic is working from the bottom.
Sakic tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Sakic wants to control but News postures up.
Sakic parries the strikes from News easily there. News is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Sakic to escape.
News trying to control the action but Sakic is working from the bottom.
Sakic tries to get back to half guard but can't.
News wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sakic keeps working.
News throwing shots but missing, from side control.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
News looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

News fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Sakic sprawls well initially but News persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakic trying to control here.
News takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Sakic is looking for a sweep. News is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Sakic moves into full guard.

News is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Sakic is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Sakic has escaped and now he's on top!
Sakic tries to free his leg and advance position but News is retaining full guard.

News has his foot on Sakic's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Sakic works his way back into a safe position though.
News looks gassed!
Sakic with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

News is looking for a triangle but Sakic pushes his legs off easily.
News keeping moving, preventing Sakic from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Sakic chips away with some ground and pound.
Sakic stands and throws News's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Sakic stands up.
News shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Sakic as he jumps to the side.

Sakic rushes News and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
News is trying to break free.
Sakic gets through News's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

Sakic wants the takedown. News is fighting it off but Sakic persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in News's guard against the cage.
Sakic working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of News's head.
Sakic working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Sakic wants to control from the top but News keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

News working for a triangle but Sakic defends it easily.
Sakic pushes down on News's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Sakic tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Ground and pound from Sakic.
Sakic winds up and cracks News with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
News wants to control but Sakic is keeping busy and won't allow it.
News wants to get back to full guard.
Sakic lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Ground and pound from Sakic.
Sakic passes to full mount!
News is trying desperately to improve position.
Sakic controlling the pace for now.
News is in all sorts of trouble here.
Sakic looking to control but News is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Sakic looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
News is desperately trying to improve his position but Sakic has a good base and remains in mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Davor Sakic dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Sakic closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Sakic lands in his opponent's guard.

News has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Sakic can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Sakic controls from within his opponent's guard.
Sakic postures up and lands a big shot to News's brow.
News is breathing heavily.
News can't keep his opponent in guard - Sakic advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Sakic seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

That's one minute gone in the round.
News wants to control but Sakic is keeping busy and won't allow it.
News wants to get back to full guard.
News is not content to let Sakic control the position.
Sakic prevents News from improving his position.
Davor Sakic overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Sakic working the head and body with strikes.
Sakic lands strikes from half guard.
Sakic blocks the strikes from News.
News is staying active underneath Sakic, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

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

and Sakic counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Sakic.
News can't keep his opponent in guard - Sakic advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sakic takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

News looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakic seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but News does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Sakic lands strikes from half guard.

Sakic decides to stand and escape the position.
News tries to clinch but Sakic moves away

and Sakic counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Sakic pulls guard effortlessly.
News wants to control from the top but Sakic keeps moving.
News tries to free his leg and advance position but Sakic is retaining full guard.
Sakic looking to hit a scissor sweep but News is one step ahead there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
News with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakic not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
News wants to control from the top but Sakic keeps moving.
Sakic is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Sakic is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Sakic is looking to take a break and control but News is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

News is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Sakic pulls his head out easily.
News is looking for a sweep. Sakic is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Sakic is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

News looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Sakic takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Sakic wants to stand but News has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
News with a lazy takedown attempt

and Sakic decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in News's guard.
Sakic lands a couple of digs.
Sakic throws a big right hand that misses.
Sakic chips away with some ground and pound.
News punching from the bottom.
News looking to control.
Sakic trying to control the position from guard on top but News is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now News is on top in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Davor Sakic dominated that second round.
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. This is the final round!

News darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Sakic tries to get to full guard but News has control of the leg.
News trying to control the action but Sakic is working from the bottom.
Sakic is controlling News's trapped leg to prevent News from advancing to side control.
Sakic pushes News off looking to stand but News dives back in and keeps control.
Sakic is looking for a sweep. News is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Sakic looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

News is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakic is looking to improve his position.
News trying to control the action but Sakic is working from the bottom.
Sakic wants to get back to full guard.
Sakic is trying to stand back up but News is controlling him

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Sakic keeps the fight on the outside.

News moves into the clinch.

Sakic escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
News closes this distance looking for a takedown but Sakic circles away.
Davor Sakic is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Sakic clinches.
Sakic prevents the takedown attempt.
News tries to score a body lock takedown but Sakic shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Davor Sakic has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bad News.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakic lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Sakic tries a knee to the head but News blocks it.
Sakic stops a takedown attempt from News.
Sakic with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

News jumps into guard, dragging Sakic to the mat.
Sakic sitting in guard here, content to control.

Sakic avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Sakic controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
News throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Bad News has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sakic wants to control from the top but News keeps moving.

News is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakic cracks News with a solid left hand.
Sakic trying to control the position from guard on top but News is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
News is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Sakic wants to improve his position but News is controlling well.
Davor Sakic is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
News lands strikes from half guard.
Sakic trying to control but News postures up.
News drops an elbow to the side of Sakic's head.
Sakic has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. News is working away from the top position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Sakic keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Sakic tries to get to full guard but News has control of the leg.
Sakic gets back to full guard.
Sakic avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Sakic pushes News up against the cage in a clinch.
Sakic is looking to control News's arms but News gets an underhook and turns him. Now Sakic has his back to the cage.

News gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Sakic trying to control from the bottom.

News is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Sakic is pressing down on News's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bad News comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Sakic has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Lou da Vinci scores the fight 29:28
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 29:28
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Davor Sakic!