PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Robert Sypes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dillon Branco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Branco has chosen soundtrack to my life as his entrance music. I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Sypes
vs
Branco

170 cm
18
180 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

182 cm
20
180 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Prefers ground

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Robert Sypes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Dillon Branco!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Yves DeLean and Elvis Blanc.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sypes misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Danga de danga de dang - Sypes scores with a four punch combination!
Branco circles away from the clinch attempt.
Branco doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Sypes counters with a body kick.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Sypes.
Branco doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Sypes holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Sypes jumps guard but Branco stands there with Sypes around his waist. Sypes gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Sypes pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Horrible takedown by Branco or perhaps it was just good defense by Sypes which made him look bad.
Robert Sypes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dillon Branco.
Left hook, right uppercut from Sypes.
A punch combination from Sypes misses.

Sypes clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Branco lands a shot to the body.
Sypes jumps guard but Branco stands there with Sypes around his waist. Sypes gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Sypes is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Sypes lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Branco presses Sypes against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Sypes tries to pull guard but Branco won't allow it.
Branco digs a right hand underneath Sypes's ribcage. Sypes let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Sypes is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Sypes is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Sypes escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sypes gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Branco counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Branco looks gassed!
Branco wants to control from the top but Sypes keeps moving.

Sypes escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Branco gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Branco is pushing down on Sypes's leg trying to pass to half guard. Sypes is fighting to maintain full guard but Branco has managed to sneak the leg through.
Sypes wants to get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sypes flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

Sypes actively working from the bottom here.
Branco is nestled in close to Sypes, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Branco working over Sypes with some ground and pound. Sypes looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Sypes taking some punishment here, with Branco in his half guard.
Branco is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
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. Branco connects with a nice short shot to Sypes's temple.
Sypes tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Branco has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Sypes tries to reverse the position but Branco maintains control.
Sypes tries to hold on but Branco pushes him away.
Branco has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Sypes's face.
Branco looking to control and managing it successfully.
Branco is in the full mount, landing strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Branco is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Branco cracks Sypes with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Sypes might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Branco putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Branco prevents Sypes from getting the reversal.
Branco takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Branco is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Sypes tries to buck Branco off but he can't manage it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Branco decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Sypes could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Sypes manages to get to full guard.
Branco not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Branco preventing the sweep.
Sypes is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Sypes wriggles free and stands up.

Branco closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Sypes to the mat! Sypes manages to get full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sypes wants to stand and escape but Branco is having none of it.
Branco trying to control the position from guard on top but Sypes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Branco with a nice head shot there.
Sypes tries to strike from the bottom.
Branco has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Sypes keeping moving, preventing Branco from controlling successfully.

Branco decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Sypes, up you get!
Branco misses with a takedown attempt

and Sypes counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Branco trying to control from the bottom.
Branco is positioning himself well to prevent Sypes advancing to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sypes scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Sypes is trying to control the action in half guard but Branco is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Branco works his way to full guard. Good work.
Branco striking off his back but it's not causing Sypes any problems.
Sypes is in close to Branco's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Branco is trying to control the position but Sypes postures up.
Branco manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Sypes tries to buck Branco off but he can't manage it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Branco has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Sypes's face.
Dillon Branco has got the better of the ground game so far.
Branco with the ground and pound from mount.
BOOM! Branco connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Sypes tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Branco breaks from Sypes's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Branco lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Branco scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Sypes?
Sypes tries to hold on but Branco postures up.
Branco trying to control but Sypes is having none of it.

That's four 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.
Branco throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Sypes blocking the ground and pound.
Sypes is wriggling around trying to escape.
Branco connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Branco can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Sypes is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dillon Branco showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Sypes misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Branco tries to clinch but Sypes is having none of it.

Branco shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Sypes's guard.
Sypes throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Branco prevents Sypes from getting back to his feet.
Branco slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Sypes wants to stand but Branco is controlling the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Branco slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Branco trying to control but Sypes is working from the bottom.
Sypes is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Branco is looking to improve his position.
Branco is staying active underneath Sypes, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

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.

Sypes is looking for a kimura here.
Branco gets full guard.
Branco looking for a sweep. Not yet Branco, not yet.
Branco trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Branco striking off his back but it's not causing Sypes any problems.
Branco preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Sypes clinches up with Branco and pushes him back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sypes manages to break the clinch.
Branco wants to clinch

and Sypes counters by moving into the clinch.
Sypes tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Branco just stands there and leans against the cage.

Branco manages to break the clinch.

Sypes looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Branco!
Sypes wants to control the pace but Branco is squirming around nicely.
Robert Sypes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sypes lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Branco gets back to half guard.
Sypes wants to stand up but Branco has a hold of him and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sypes throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Branco moves into full guard.
Branco is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Sypes gets back to full guard.

Sypes had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Branco is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Sypes Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Branco's back instead.
Dillon Branco is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Sypes avoiding Branco 's attempts to control his hands.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Dillon Branco.
I've got Branco winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 27:30
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dillon Branco!