PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between John Sampson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bai Yu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Sampson
vs
Yu

200 cm
23
185 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

180 cm
34
195 lbs
16 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, John Sampson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Bai Yu!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Edson Gomes and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sampson misses with a combination
and Yu counters with a good low kick that Sampson was not able to check.
Sampson fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Sampson misses with a few strikes there.
Yu appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Sampson tries for a takedown but Yu circles away easily
and Yu counters with an outside leg kick.
Sampson chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Yu can pounce on him.
Sampson stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Yu.
Sampson tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Yu manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Yu moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
That kick from Yu tenderised Sampson's leg. Sampson is trying to keep his angry face on.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sampson wants to clinch but Yu slips to the side
and Yu counters with a good low kick that Sampson was not able to check.
Yu throws a head kick that misses.
Sampson throws a left and a right that both miss
and Yu counters with a thumping low kick.
Yu fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Sampson has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sampson tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yu dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Sampson. That did some damage!
Sampson shoots in looking for a takedown. Yu tries to sprawl out of it but Sampson keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Yu manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Sampson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Horrible takedown attempt by Sampson or perhaps it was just good defense by Yu, which made it look bad.
Yu darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Yu ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
A nice leg kick lands there from Yu.
Yu works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Yu lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Sampson misses with an uppercut
and Yu counters with an outside leg kick.
Sampson is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Sampson is breathing heavily.
Sampson walks forward, straight into a front kick from Yu.
A slapping leg kick lands for Yu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!
Yu turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Yu with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Yu fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Sampson.
Sampson with a poor takedown
and Yu counters with a good low kick that Sampson was not able to check.
Sampson tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Yu explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Sampson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Sampson tries to clinch
and Yu counters with an inside leg kick.
Sampson really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Yu throws a leg kick which misses Sampson's front leg but catches the back leg as Sampson tries to avoid it.
Sampson gets hit by the mother of all head kicks and drops to the canvas in a crumpled heap! Woooow, the Internet is going to be talking about this one for weeks!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:42 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Bai Yu!