PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Kasper Saunders (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Walter Flanagan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Flanagan has chosen The Wizard as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Saunders
vs
Flanagan

173 cm
20
145 lbs
12 - 2 - 0

171 cm
28
147 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Aspire Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kasper Saunders !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Walter Flanagan!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, Hugh Johnson and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Saunders lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Flanagan circles away quickly and effectively.
Flanagan tries to counter with a clinch but Saunders shakes him off and moves away.
Saunders tries to clinch but Flanagan moves out of range.
It seemed like Flanagan was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Saunders misses with a body shot.
Saunders misses the shot to the body.
Flanagan bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Saunders sets himself, and Flanagan steps forward looking for the clinch! Saunders avoids it this time.
Saunders throws a solid leg kick but Flanagan takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Saunders .
Flanagan is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Saunders takes a swing at Flanagan's ribcage but misses.
Flanagan wants to counter with a clinch but Saunders pushes him away.
Saunders tries to clinch up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Saunders swings and misses with a shot to the body

and Flanagan decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Saunders 's guard.

Saunders is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Flanagan is aware though and is defending well.

Flanagan got a little sloppy there for a moment and Saunders has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Flanagan has managed to get both his arms back between Saunders 's legs - danger averted.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Flanagan's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Saunders throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

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

Saunders is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Saunders is trying to control the position but Flanagan postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Saunders keeping moving, preventing Flanagan from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Saunders looking to control.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Saunders is controlling Flanagan's posture.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Saunders misses with an uppercut. Flanagan saw that one coming.
No joy there for Saunders , who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Flanagan wants to counter the offense by Saunders and move into the clinch position.
Saunders cracks Flanagan with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saunders throws a quick inside leg kick.
Saunders misses the jab.
Flanagan let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
A big right from Saunders misses.
Flanagan appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Flanagan defending well as Saunders loads up on a big left hand.
An inside leg kick lands from Saunders .
Flanagan dodges the punch combination from Saunders .
Saunders digs a good hook to Flanagan's body.
Saunders throws a body punch but Flanagan moves out of range.
Flanagan looks like he wants to counter punch here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saunders misses with a wild combination.
Saunders connects with a body shot that sends Flanagan's belly button to the back.

Saunders moves into the clinch successfully.

Saunders manages to break the clinch.
Saunders throws a body shot but no joy.
Flanagan tries to counter with a clinch but Saunders shakes him off and moves away.
Saunders bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Saunders clinches.
Saunders throws a punch but it's blocked by Flanagan.
Saunders lands a body punch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Flanagan is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Saunders .
Saunders swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Flanagan.
Flanagan tries to move into range but Saunders moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Kasper Saunders is winning the standup battle so far.
Flanagan takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Saunders lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Saunders misses with the body kick

so Flanagan counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
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!
Flanagan content to stall in guard here.

Saunders has his foot on Flanagan's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Flanagan works his way back into a safe position though.
Flanagan slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Saunders is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Flanagan is aware though and is defending well.
Flanagan throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Saunders works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Saunders working a defensive guard here.
Flanagan looking to pass the guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Saunders is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Flanagan defends well.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Flanagan trying to control but Saunders is working from the bottom.

That's two 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.
Flanagan looking to pass the guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Saunders is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Flanagan can do to turn this around?
Saunders lands a two punch combo.
Flanagan takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Saunders throws a big shot that misses.
Saunders scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Kasper Saunders is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Saunders stalks Flanagan and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Flanagan's face. Flanagan staggers backwards, shaken.
Flanagan takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saunders moves in looking to clinch but Flanagan pushes him off.
Flanagan is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Saunders with a body shot.
Saunders swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Saunders throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Saunders scores with a nice head shot.
Flanagan keeps the fight on the outside.
Flanagan tries to counter by closing the distance.
Saunders throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Kasper Saunders is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Flanagan keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Saunders .
Saunders throws a leg kick but Flanagan sees it coming and moves out of range.
Flanagan tries to counter with a clinch but Saunders shakes him off and moves away.
Flanagan on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Saunders fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A countering left hand to the body from Flanagan misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saunders throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Saunders throws a right and a left that both miss.
Saunders connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
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!
Saunders misses with a double jab.
Decent striking displayed by Saunders there.
Saunders misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Flanagan.
Flanagan tries to counter with a clinch but Saunders shakes him off and moves away.
Flanagan avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Flanagan ducks under a wild hook from Saunders .
Flanagan tries to counter with a clinch but Saunders shakes him off and moves away.
Flanagan takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Nice defenses there by Flanagan.
Flanagan is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kasper Saunders dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Saunders forces Flanagan back against the cage and clinches.
Flanagan blocks an uppercut.
Flanagan struggles to land a body shot inside as Saunders controls his hands.
Saunders blocks an uppercut.
Saunders lands a right hand.
Saunders prevents the takedown attempt.
Flanagan is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Saunders is keeping busy.
Flanagan misses with some punches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Saunders misses with the head strike.
Saunders is leaning against Flanagan and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Saunders lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Flanagan backwards.
Saunders lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saunders misses with a hook from the clinch.
Saunders tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Saunders prevents a body shot from Flanagan.
Saunders throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Saunders misses with a short punch on the inside.
I was talking to Saunders 's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Flanagan misses with a punch to the body.
Saunders has had enough of the clinch but Flanagan keeps him there for the moment.
Saunders misses with a punch to the body.
Saunders swings wildly with an uppercut but Flanagan uses good head movement to avoid it.
Saunders lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Flanagan is looking for a takedown.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Flanagan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saunders misses with a hook from the clinch.
A shot in the inside from Saunders .

Saunders manages to break the clinch.
Saunders pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Flanagan blocks a leg kick.
A big left from Saunders misses.
Flanagan tries to counter by closing the distance.
Saunders throws a shot from downtown. Flanagan moves away and avoids it.
Saunders with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Saunders throws a lazy right hand but Flanagan sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Saunders throws a series of punches but Flanagan avoids them all with ease.
Saunders throws a right and a left that Flanagan avoids nicely.
Flanagan changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saunders is looking to clinch.
Saunders sets himself, and Flanagan steps forward looking for the clinch! Saunders avoids it this time.
Saunders uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Saunders misses with a straight left.
And Flanagan tries to counter it with a takedown but Saunders pushes his down on his head and steps out.

Saunders has managed to clinch.
Kasper Saunders is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
A nice left hand lands by Saunders .
A right handed body shot lands from Flanagan.
Flanagan tries to work over Saunders 's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Flanagan doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Flanagan is trying to stall.
Flanagan is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Walter Flanagan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kasper Saunders has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Walter Flanagan.
Flanagan doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Flanagan misses with a punch on the inside.
Flanagan blocking some punches.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kasper Saunders showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Saunders , 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 Damien Edna scores the fight 30:27
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kasper Saunders !