PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Daniel Sainty (ranked 450 p4p, 56 weight class) and Vlad Black (ranked 458 p4p, 58 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Sainty
vs
Black

189 cm
29
150 lbs
15 - 13 - 0

184 cm
25
165 lbs
7 - 6 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Vegan Gains

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Daniel Sainty!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Vlad Black!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Don Winkell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A left lands for Black.
Sainty takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Black cracks Sainty with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Black throws a body shot but no joy.
Black pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Sainty really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Black looks to land a combination but Sainty avoids it well.
Sainty looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.

Sainty drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Black is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Black is still trying to improve position.
Black is not content to let Sainty control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Black is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Sainty off and has taken his back!
Black controls the action.
Sainty tries to escape the position.
Black keeps control of the position easily here as Sainty tries to buck him off.
Sainty has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Black not allowing Sainty to control his hands.
Black is trying to stick to Sainty's back but Sainty is turning into Black. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Black's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Sainty.
Black pulls Sainty in close to prevent any damage.
Black keeping moving, preventing Sainty from controlling successfully.
Black looking to control.
Black keeping moving, preventing Sainty from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Black 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.

Black looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Black wants to sweep but no luck.
Black is looking to sweep but instead, Sainty has passed into half guard.
Black wants to get back to his feet.
Black keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Black is trying to stand back up but Sainty is controlling him

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Black won't allow Sainty to pass to mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Black scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Sainty manages to mount him!
Black tries to lock up and control but Sainty gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Sainty takes his opponent's back. Perhaps a chance to lock up a rear naked choke here.
Black is trying to get back to his feet but Sainty has full control of the position and if anything, Black has just worked his way into a worse spot.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Oooh a big shot gets through from Sainty. Many more shots like that and the referee will have to think about stepping in!
Sainty misses with an elbow to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Vlad Black will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

A telegraphed right hand from Black misses the target.
Black dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Black misses with a few strikes there.
Black throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Sainty tries to counter by clinching up but Black breaks away and moves out of range.
Sainty avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sainty shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Black throws a hook but Sainty avoids it easily.
Black tries to bum rush Sainty with a series of wild strikes but Sainty uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Black misses with a wild body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sainty drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Black throws a lazy right hand but Sainty sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Sainty throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Sainty bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sainty dives in and grabs Black's left leg, looking for a takedown. Black pushes down on Sainty's head and hops out.
Black misses with a double jab.
Black is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Sainty.
Sainty lands a body shot.
Black swings for the body but Sainty moves out of range.
Vlad Black seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sainty fails in his attempt to clinch.
Sainty takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Black misses with a hook. Sainty ducked under it nicely.
Black looks to land a left hand but Sainty moved out of range nicely.
Sainty tries to clinch but Black moves out of range.
Sainty fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Black looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Black throws a jab when Sainty was well out of range.
Sainty feinted with a counter takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Black missing with a left hand there. Sainty was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Sainty changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Black looks to score with a jab to the body but Sainty is just out of range.
Black has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Black keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Daniel Sainty. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Black throws a right and a left that both miss.
Black jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Sainty defending well as Black loads up on a big left hand.
Black has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Sainty darts in looking for a takedown but Black gets double underhooks and turns Sainty into the cage.
Black paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sainty avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Black closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Sainty slips under a jab from Black.
Sainty drops down looking for a counter takedown but Black sprawls and moves away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Black tries to clinch there but Sainty circles away.
Black misses with a hook. Sainty ducked under it nicely.
Sainty is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Black.

Sainty shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Black napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Sainty is looking to take a break and control but Black is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Black is trying to get back to his feet.
Sainty has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Black!
Black holds on, trying desperately to control.

Sainty with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sainty tries to control but Black wriggling away.
Black tries to hold on but Sainty pushes him away.
Black working to try and regain half guard.
Sainty can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Black is looking to escape.
Sainty controlling from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vlad Black showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Black fails with an attempt to clinch.
Sainty feinted with a counter takedown.
Black throws a big shot that misses.
Sainty moves out of range of the strikes.
Black misses with an uppercut. Sainty saw that one coming.
Sainty looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Vlad Black seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Black throws a hook but Sainty avoids it easily.
Black tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sainty paws at him with a jab and circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Black wants to clinch but Sainty slips to the side
and Sainty connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Sainty dodges the punch combination from Black.
Black misses with an uppercut. Sainty saw that one coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Black misses the jab.
Black connects with the punch.
Black throws a looping overhand right but Sainty ducks down to avoid it.
Sainty misses with a takedown
and Sainty takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Black misses with an uppercut. Sainty saw that one coming.
Sainty half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Sainty is defended easily by Black.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Daniel Sainty. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A combination from Black does no damage.
Sainty feinted with a counter takedown.
Black might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Sainty showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Black.
Sainty changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sainty shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Black throws out a loose jab but Sainty uses good head movement to avoid it.
Sainty appears to be looking for a counter takedown.

Black gets caught flat footed, as Sainty shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Black scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Black throws a combination that misses
and Sainty counters with a nice uppercut.
Vlad Black is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nice body punch from Black.
Black is looking to clinch.
Sainty is trying hard to land a takedown here. Black sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
A swing and a miss from Sainty.
Black cracks Sainty with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Black throws a right and a left that Sainty avoids nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Black jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Black throws a hook but Sainty blocks it.
Sainty moves out of range as Black strikes.
Sainty attempts a counter takedown but Black avoids it well and moves away.
Black throws a poor cross that misses

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

Black looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Sainty passes into half guard.
Sainty with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Black trying to hold on to Sainty's head to control him but Sainty postures up.
Black desperately trying to maintain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Black is trying to get back to full guard.
Black is staying active underneath Sainty, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Sainty stalling.
Sainty prevents Black from improving his position.
Daniel Sainty has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Vlad Black is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Sainty seems to be working for a kimura but Black defends the submission attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vlad Black comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Black 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Vlad Black!
After winning the bout, Vlad Black thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.