PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Nobu Sanada (ranked 1957 p4p, 216 weight class) and Alex Polyanskiy (ranked 4335 p4p, 426 weight class). Polyanskiy has chosen Oxxxymiron - Signs of life as his entrance music. 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.

Sanada
vs
Polyanskiy

175 cm
25
159 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

169 cm
29
158 lbs
11 - 9 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

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 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Nobu Sanada!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 9 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alex Polyanskiy!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, George Francis and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sanada takes a jab right on the kisser.
Sanada scores with a hook to the body. Polyanskiy takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Polyanskiy drops his hands momentarily and Sanada takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Sanada digs a good body shot into Polyanskiy's ribs.
Polyanskiy tries for a takedown but Sanada sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Polyanskiy misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Sanada.
Sanada jabs Polyanskiy to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Nice body punch from Polyanskiy.
Sanada scores with a sloppy right hand. Polyanskiy should have avoided that one.
Sanada lunges at Polyanskiy with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Polyanskiy's hand.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Polyanskiy thows a left - swing and a miss!
Polyanskiy walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Sanada comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Sanada throws a lazy right hand but Polyanskiy sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Polyanskiy changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Polyanskiy throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Sanada counters with a right hand to the body.
A decent looking cross lands there for Polyanskiy.
Polyanskiy misses with a straight left.
Sanada was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Nobu Sanada is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Polyanskiy avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sanada scores with the left hand. Polyanskiy knows he should have avoided that one.
Polyanskiy walks into a jab.

Sanada clinches with his opponent.
Polyanskiy tries to throw a body punch but Sanada avoids it by throwing Polyanskiy back against the cage.
Sanada gets through Polyanskiy's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Polyanskiy misses with a body punch.
Polyanskiy swings wildly with an uppercut but Sanada uses good head movement to avoid it.
Polyanskiy tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Sanada misses with a punch on the inside.
Polyanskiy swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Sanada is defending well against a takedown attempt.
A short right from Polyanskiy.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Sanada creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Polyanskiy tries to throw a body punch but Sanada avoids it by throwing Polyanskiy back against the cage.
Sanada misses with a short punch on the inside.
Sanada works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Sanada misses with a shot to the kidneys.
I was talking to Sanada's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Polyanskiy works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sanada controlling Polyanskiy's posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Polyanskiy stops Sanada from standing up.
Sanada has control of Polyanskiy's left arm, preventing Polyanskiy from doing any damage.
Polyanskiy seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Polyanskiy trying to control the position from guard on top but Sanada is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sanada is pulling down on Polyanskiy's head. It's preventing any offense from Polyanskiy, at least for the moment.
Polyanskiy postures up.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanada gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Polyanskiy with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Sanada to score with a decent uppercut.
Sanada thuds a left hand into Polyanskiy's body.
Sanada scores with a nice strike.
Sanada just misses with a punch to the body.
Polyanskiy darts in looking for a takedown but Sanada gets double underhooks and turns Polyanskiy into the cage.
Sanada is looking to counter the offense by Polyanskiy and move into the clinch.
Nobu Sanada has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alex Polyanskiy.
Polyanskiy takes a swing at Sanada's ribcage but misses.
Sanada takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Sanada uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Polyanskiy.
A big left from Sanada misses.
Polyanskiy takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Polyanskiy displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Sanada throws out the jab.
Sanada throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Polyanskiy moves into the clinch successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sanada lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Sanada fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Sanada.
Polyanskiy looking for a takedown.
Polyanskiy swings wildly with an uppercut but Sanada uses good head movement to avoid it.
Sanada swings wildly with an uppercut but Polyanskiy uses good head movement to avoid it.
Polyanskiy misses with some punches.
Sanada lands an uppercut.
Sanada doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Polyanskiy missing with knees to the body.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Sanada lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Sanada is working Polyanskiy over against the cage.
Polyanskiy changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Sanada fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Polyanskiy shoots in but Sanada avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Polyanskiy misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Sanada.
Polyanskiy throws out a loose jab but Sanada uses good head movement to avoid it.
Sanada keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Polyanskiy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nobu Sanada dominated that round.
That's time! Sanada's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Polyanskiy gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Sanada prevents a body shot from Polyanskiy.
Polyanskiy tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Sanada's elbow.
Polyanskiy blocks an uppercut.
Polyanskiy drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Sanada gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Polyanskiy can't find room to land a body shot as Sanada controls the action.
Sanada gets through Polyanskiy's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Sanada cracks Polyanskiy with a nice body shot.
Sanada misses with a punch on the inside.
Polyanskiy can't find room to land a body shot as Sanada controls the action.
Nobu Sanada has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Sanada presses Polyanskiy against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Sanada working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Sanada gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Polyanskiy.
Sanada tries to throw a body punch but Polyanskiy avoids it by throwing Sanada back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sanada lands a nice shot to the body.
Sanada swings wildly with an uppercut but Polyanskiy uses good head movement to avoid it.
Polyanskiy tries to work over Sanada's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Sanada avoiding damage as Polyanskiy throws knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Polyanskiy misses with a hook to the ribs.
Sanada lands a body punch in the clinch.
Sanada tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A nice left hand lands by Sanada.
Sanada lands a shoulder strike.
A hook to the body from Sanada.
Sanada lands with a short shot to the head.
Sanada struggles to land a body shot inside as Polyanskiy controls his hands.
A nice left hand lands by Sanada.
A body shot lands from Sanada.
Polyanskiy lands a body shot.
Sanada lands a right hand.
A head punch on the inside from Polyanskiy fails to land.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Sanada.
A short right from Sanada on the inside.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sanada stops a takedown attempt from Polyanskiy.
Nobu Sanada has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alex Polyanskiy.
A short left from Sanada.
Sanada scores with a nice hook to the head.
Polyanskiy tries to work over Sanada's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Polyanskiy blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Sanada scores with a hook to the body.
A nice left hand lands by Sanada.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Polyanskiy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Polyanskiy can't find room to land a body shot as Sanada controls the action.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Sanada.
Sanada lands with a left to the head.
Polyanskiy's coach down at DRAGON MMA - 13 Elite & 2 Double Elite Coaches was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Polyanskiy's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Sanada lands with a short shot to the head.
Polyanskiy has Sanada pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Sanada manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Polyanskiy has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Sanada regains guard immediately.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Sanada manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Polyanskiy is breathing heavily.
Sanada lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Polyanskiy backwards.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Sanada.
Polyanskiy working aggressively here.
Sanada lands with a right to the head.
Polyanskiy softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
A shot in the inside from Sanada.
Sanada gets underhooks to prevent Polyanskiy's takedown attempt.
Sanada gets through Polyanskiy's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Polyanskiy tries to land knees in the clinch but Sanada avoids the damage to the body.
Sanada prevents the takedown attempt.
Sanada can't find room to land a body shot as Polyanskiy controls the action.
Sanada working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Sanada scores with an uppercut up the middle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Polyanskiy scores with a hook to the body.
Sanada scores with a shot to the side of Polyanskiy's head.
Sanada lands a nice shot to the body.
A nice right hand lands inside from Sanada.
A nice right hand lands inside from Sanada.
Sanada lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Polyanskiy backwards.
Polyanskiy can't find room to land a body shot as Sanada controls the action.
Polyanskiy goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Polyanskiy lands with a short shot to the head.
Sanada blocks an uppercut.
A left hand lands to the body for Sanada.
A short body shot lands from Sanada as the two fighters clinch.
Sanada lands an uppercut.
Sanada lands with a left to the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sanada lands a left hand.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Sanada.
Polyanskiy using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Sanada has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Sanada working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Polyanskiy lands a body punch.
Sanada lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Polyanskiy backwards.
Sanada tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Polyanskiy's elbow.
Polyanskiy misses with a body punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Polyanskiy's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Sanada lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Sanada lands a nice shot to the body.
Polyanskiy has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Sanada avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Sanada scores with a shoulder strike.
A nice left hand lands by Sanada.
Sanada digs a right hand into Polyanskiy's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Polyanskiy's gas tank.
A left hand lands to the body for Sanada.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Sanada.
A short left from Sanada.

Polyanskiy is rocked!
Sanada lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Polyanskiy is still on wobbly legs! Can Sanada finish him?
A right hook to the body lands for Sanada.
Sanada working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Sanada lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
A shot in the inside from Sanada.
Sanada creates a bit of space for himself and rocks Polyanskiy with a big uppercut! Polyanskiy tries to clinch up but Sanada pushes him back against the cage and lands another monster strike that crumples Polyanskiy to the mat! Polyanskiy covers up and Sanada unloads with more strikes until the referee steps in to end the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:48 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Nobu Sanada!