PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Lino Sloan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Sampson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Sloan
vs
Sampson

156 cm
22
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
23
185 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Inexperienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Very confident

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Lino Sloan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, John Sampson!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Daniel Cesar and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sampson shoots in and bounces Sloan off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Sampson wants to pass the guard but Sloan is keeping the position.
Sloan really is a fat lump.
Sampson trying to control the position from guard on top but Sloan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sloan is controlling Sampson's posture.

Sampson stands up and waves to Sloan to follow him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Sampson gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Sampson tries to land knees in the clinch but Sloan avoids the damage to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sloan looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Sloan misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Sampson.
Sloan is looking to break free of the clinch but Sampson has double underhooks.
Sloan unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Sloan jumps guard but Sampson stands there with Sloan around his waist. Sloan gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Sloan tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Sloan wants to get back to striking at distance but Sampson won't allow it.
Sloan is trying to pull guard but Sampson turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lino Sloan. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Sloan escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sampson tries to bum rush Sloan with a series of wild strikes but Sloan uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Sampson gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Sampson stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Sloan tries to circle away but Sampson has him pinned against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sloan wants to break free but Sampson has control.
Sloan is trying to force a seperation but Sampson has the dominant position.
Sloan tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Sampson smiles and moves away.
Sloan misses with a takedown attempt - Sampson sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Sampson lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Sloan backs up against the cage.

Sloan moves into the clinch.

Sloan drags the fight down to the ground.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sloan wants to stand up but Sampson is controlling him.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sampson content to stall in guard here.
Sampson tries to free his leg and advance position but Sloan is retaining full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sloan has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Sampson has passed into side control.

Sampson decides to stand back up.

Sampson shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Sloan manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sloan being controlled here, momentarily.
Sloan keeping moving, preventing Sampson from controlling successfully.
Sampson working some strikes from top position.
Sloan looking to control.
Sampson looking to pass the guard.
Sloan wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Sloan keeping moving, preventing Sampson from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Sampson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sloan is keeping the position for now.
Sampson scoring with some ground and pound.
Sloan keeping full guard, as Sampson tries to pass.
Sloan working a defensive guard here.
Sampson is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Sampson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sampson working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Sloan's head.
Sampson connects with a couple of short punches.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Sloan wants to stand but Sampson is controlling the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Sampson dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Sampson has Sloan up against the cage in a clinch.
Sampson just leaning against Sloan, taking a breather.
Come on Sampson - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

Sampson breaks the clinch.
Lino Sloan is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sampson throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Sampson works over Sloan's head and body with a nice combination.

Sampson closes the distance and clinches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Sloan has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Sampson uses from the top position.
Sampson wants to control from the top but Sloan keeps moving.
Sampson has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Sampson stopping the sweep attempt from Sloan.
Sloan lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sampson has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Sloan can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Sampson has his foot on Sloan's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Sloan works his way back into a safe position though.
Sloan stopping the sweep attempt from Sampson.

Sloan is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Sampson is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Sampson has escaped and now he's on top!

Sloan is trying to keep Sampson in close.
Sloan might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Sampson stands and steps away. Sloan gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sampson tries to clinch but Sloan is having none of it.
Sloan drops down looking for a counter takedown but Sampson sprawls and moves away.
Sampson tries to clinch but Sloan moves out of range.

Sampson clinches up against the cage.

Sloan breaks from the clinch.

Sampson gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Sampson has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
A hook to the body from Sampson.

Sampson decides to pull guard.
Sloan loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Sampson tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Sloan has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sampson is adopting a defensive guard.
Sampson manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Sloan manages to get himself to full guard.

Sampson has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Sloan is proving hard to escape from.
Sloan not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Sloan is really struggling to control Sampson but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Sampson pushes down on Sloan's leg and manages to get into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sloan is looking to get back to full guard here but Sampson has managed to pass to side control instead.
Sloan on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Sloan is not content to let Sampson control the position.
Sloan tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Sampson wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sampson creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
A lull in the action here.
Sloan is not content to let Sampson control the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sampson is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Sampson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Sampson has taken the fight to the clinch.
Sloan tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Sampson smiles and moves away.
Sampson misses with the combination.
Sloan appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Sloan misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Sampson changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sloan wants to clinch.
Sampson tries to counter with a clinch but Sloan shakes him off and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick from Sampson lands but Sloan takes it in his stride.

Sampson moves into the clinch.

Sampson has Sloan pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Sampson pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Sloan tumbling to the mat - Sampson dives into Sloan's guard.
Sloan is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Sampson looking to pass the guard.
Sloan wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Sampson manages to pass to side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sampson not doing much here.
Sampson lands with a punch from half guard.
Sampson is trying to control the action in half guard but Sloan is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Sloan is trying to stand.
Sampson wants to take a breather but Sloan is having none of it.
Sloan tries to kick Sampson off but Sampson keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Sampson seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Sampson is looking to advance position but Sloan won't allow it.
Sloan wants to control but Sampson is keeping busy.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Sampson connects with a nice short shot to Sloan's temple.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sloan wants to get back to his feet.
Sloan is not content to let Sampson control the position.

Sampson is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Sampson slips a nice elbow through Sloan's hands, connecting with Sloan's forehead.

Sloan has one foot on Sampson's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.

Sampson moves into the clinch.
Sloan can't break the clinch.

Sampson works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Sampson trying to control but Sloan is working from the bottom.
Sampson looking to pass the guard.
Sampson is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Sampson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Sloan seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sampson is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Sampson landing some decent shots from guard.
Sampson throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sloan works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Sloan has control of Sampson's left arm, preventing Sampson from doing any damage.
Sloan tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Sampson being controlled here momentarily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sampson looking to pass the guard.
Lino Sloan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
John Sampson is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Sampson is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Sampson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Sampson 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 27:30
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Sampson!
John Sampson was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.