PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Duncan McCockiner (ranked 5819 p4p, 4903 weight class) and Sailele Sualauvi (ranked 0 p4p, 452 weight class). Sailele Sualauvi has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

McCockiner
vs
Sualauvi

193 cm
20
275
3 - 1 - 0

198 cm
25
255
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Duncan McCockiner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Sailele Sualauvi!
The judges for this bout are Chris Saunders, Paul Gruel and Josh West.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
McCockiner dives in and grabs Sualauvi's left leg, looking for a takedown. Sualauvi pushes down on McCockiner's head and hops out.
Sualauvi is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
McCockiner with a poor takedown

and Sualauvi counters by moving into the clinch.

Sualauvi gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Sualauvi uses his free foot to push down on McCockiner's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for McCockiner.
Sualauvi seems to be looking to move to his opponent's back but McCockiner is holding on tight.
Sualauvi controlling the position easily from mount.
Sualauvi takes McCockiner's back. Could be looking for a rear naked choke here - either way, McCockiner is in trouble.
McCockiner is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Sualauvi controlling the position well here. McCockiner rolled but Sualauvi kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.
It looks like Sualauvi might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Let's hope that Sualauvi has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McCockiner is trying to break free.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.
I really don't envy McCockiner right now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McCockiner is working hard here to advance position.
Sualauvi is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Sualauvi's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McCockiner rolls, trying to escape but Sualauvi keeps control of the position.
What can McCockiner do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
More stalling from Sualauvi.

Sualauvi has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Sualauvi controls the action.
McCockiner turns into Sualauvi and is now in his guard.
Sualauvi keeping moving, preventing McCockiner from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McCockiner throws a big elbow that misses.
Sualauvi working a defensive guard here.
McCockiner preventing the sweep.
McCockiner wants to control from the top but Sualauvi keeps moving.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Sualauvi holds on and takes a little breather.
McCockiner looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
McCockiner forces his way into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sailele Sualauvi dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

McCockiner closes the distance and clinches up with Sualauvi, looking for a takedown. McCockiner pushes Sualauvi against the cage but Sualauvi circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Sualauvi is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.

McCockiner gets a double leg takedown into Sualauvi's guard.

Sualauvi uses the cage to get back to his feet.
McCockiner with a lazy takedown attempt

and Sualauvi counters by moving into the clinch.
McCockiner has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Sualauvi is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Duncan McCockiner. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sualauvi gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from McCockiner.
The referee calls for Sualauvi to work.
Sualauvi displaying some good clinch control by pressing McCockiner up against the cage.
Sualauvi prevents the takedown attempt.

Sualauvi has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but McCockiner regains guard immediately.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sualauvi passes into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Sualauvi in particular looking to stall.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sualauvi with more of the same as he continues to hold on.
Sualauvi is continuing to stall.

McCockiner actively working from the bottom here.
Sualauvi takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
McCockiner is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

McCockiner looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Still in half guard, Sualauvi seems content to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sualauvi trying to mount his opponent but McCockiner defends it.

McCockiner actively working from the bottom here.
Sualauvi has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Sualauvi is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for McCockiner!
McCockiner is trying to reverse the position but instead Sualauvi has taken his back - oops!
Sualauvi controls the action.

McCockiner defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
McCockiner tries to break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Sualauvi. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Sualauvi slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
We're seeing a lot of stalling here from Sualauvi.
The adventures of Sualauvi the control monster continue. Boring.
McCockiner breaks Sualauvi's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sualauvi has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

Sualauvi working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. McCockiner doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. McCockiner manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
McCockiner trying to control the position from guard on top but Sualauvi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sualauvi can't keep his opponent in guard - McCockiner advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
McCockiner not landing any meaningful shots this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sailele Sualauvi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! McCockiner's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

McCockiner misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Sualauvi closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

McCockiner is fighting off a takedown attempt but Sualauvi is just too persistent for him and manages to trip McCockiner to the mat. McCockiner regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Sualauvi controlling from the top position.
McCockiner can't keep his opponent in guard - Sualauvi advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
McCockiner tries to roll over but Sualauvi keeps him under control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sualauvi controlling the pace.

McCockiner looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Well, if Sualauvi is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

McCockiner looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Sualauvi is controlling the pace.

McCockiner is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Sualauvi pulls his head out easily.
Sualauvi is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Sualauvi controlling the position easily from mount.
McCockiner is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sualauvi takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
McCockiner is looking to get to half guard.
Sualauvi sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
McCockiner is trying to escape the mount.
Sualauvi sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McCockiner tries to improve his position but instead Sualauvi has taken his back!
McCockiner wants to escape the position.
Sualauvi has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of McCockiner's body.
McCockiner is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Sualauvi biding his time, looking for the opening.

McCockiner showing good submission defense here.
Sualauvi really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for McCockiner.
Sailele Sualauvi is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McCockiner is really stuck here.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Sualauvi controlling the positon.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Yet more stalling tactics from Sualauvi.
Duncan McCockiner has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

And that's the end of the fight!
Sailele Sualauvi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Sualauvi has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Chris Saunders scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 27:30
Judge Josh West scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sailele Sualauvi!
Sailele Sualauvi bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.