PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Bernie Sanders (ranked 3130 p4p, 2711 weight class) and Andre Mahesa (ranked 157 p4p, 140 weight class). Sanders comes to the cage accompanied by Shooter Gang. Mahesa has chosen You're Going Down 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.

Sanders
vs
Mahesa

150 cm
32
134
12 - 5 - 0

190 cm
24
145
11 - 4 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Brawler
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Powerful

Brooklyn Apothecary

Brooklyn Threads
Brooklyn Apothecary

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 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Bernie Sanders!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Andre Mahesa!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Robert Twigg and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sanders with a poor takedown
and Mahesa counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Mahesa misses with a double jab.
Mahesa stuns Sanders with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Mahesa misses with a double jab.
Sanders fails with a takedown attempt.
Sanders looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bernie Sanders. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sanders fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Mahesa avoids it really well and circles away.
Mahesa keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Sanders dives in for a single leg takedown but Mahesa sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sanders looking for a takedown.
Mahesa is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Mahesa tries to work over Sanders's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Mahesa working aggressively here.
Mahesa lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Sanders backwards.
Mahesa gets underhooks to prevent Sanders's takedown attempt.
A nice right hand lands inside from Mahesa.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanders goes for a takedown attempt but Mahesa pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Mahesa takes the fight into the clinch.
Sanders tries for a takedown but Mahesa manages to get underhooks.
Mahesa prevents a takedown attempt there.
Mahesa is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Mahesa lands a right hand.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Mahesa.
Mahesa lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Sanders backwards.
Mahesa prevents the takedown attempt.
Mahesa lands a body punch.
Mahesa prevents a takedown attempt there.
Sanders is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
I was talking to Sanders's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Mahesa looking to throw knees to the head but Sanders is blocking nicely.
Mahesa scores a nice knee to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mahesa lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Sanders wants a takedown.
Mahesa prevents a takedown attempt there.
Sanders drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Sanders is breathing heavily.
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!
Mahesa is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Sanders is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Mahesa is defending well.
Mahesa lands a nice shot to the body.
Sanders is looking to take this one to the mat.
Mahesa is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Sanders is defending well for now.
Sanders is looking to take this one to the mat.
Sanders is working for takedown but Mahesa is calmly controlling the position for now.
Sanders drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Mahesa gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Mahesa lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Sanders backwards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mahesa lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Mahesa is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Mahesa pushes Sanders back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Mahesa prevents the takedown attempt.
Mahesa working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Sanders blocks a body shot from Mahesa.
Sanders wants a takedown.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Mahesa.
Sanders's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Mahesa gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Sanders.
Mahesa is pressed up against the cage. Sanders has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Mahesa down to the mat. Mahesa avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
The fighters circle momentarily. Mahesa darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

Mahesa clinches up against the cage.
Sanders wants a takedown but no success here.
A short right from Mahesa on the inside.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mahesa lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mahesa misses with a hook from the clinch.
Mahesa scores with a shot to the side of Sanders's head.
Sanders blocking some punches.
Mahesa makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Sanders wants to take the fight to the mat but Mahesa manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Sanders goes for a takedown attempt but Mahesa pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Sanders tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Mahesa defends well and Sanders ends up having to push Mahesa into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Sanders blocks a body shot from Mahesa.
Mahesa scores a nice knee to the body.
Mahesa lands a left hand.
Mahesa lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Mahesa misses with a hook to the ribs.
Mahesa doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Mahesa lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Mahesa misses with a hook from the clinch.
Sanders is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Mahesa misses with a short punch on the inside.
Mahesa lands a right hand that snaps the head of Sanders backwards.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Andre Mahesa dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Mahesa lands a head shot.
A combination from Mahesa does no damage.
Sanders tries to score a power double leg takedown but Mahesa sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Sanders somewhat.
Mahesa stuffs the takedown.
Mahesa is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.

Mahesa clinches with his opponent.
Mahesa stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Mahesa stops a takedown attempt from Sanders.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bernie Sanders. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mahesa landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Sanders wants a takedown.
Mahesa lands with a light punch inside.
Sanders takes a knee to the side of the body.
Sanders can't get the takedown.
Mahesa lands an uppercut.
Sanders goes for a takedown in the clinch but Mahesa prevents it.
Mahesa misses with a punch on the inside.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sanders takes a shot to the head.
Andre Mahesa seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mahesa fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Mahesa tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A body shot lands from Mahesa.

Sanders has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Mahesa clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Sanders somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Sanders throwing lazy shots from the back mount that aren't doing any damage.
Mahesa is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Sanders misses with a punch to the head.
Mahesa is trying to stand back up.
Mahesa felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mahesa is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Sanders punches Mahesa on the ear.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mahesa is really stuck here.
Mahesa is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards Sanders.
Sanders is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Mahesa up.
Mahesa is trying to get back to his feet but Sanders has full control of the position and if anything, Mahesa has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Sanders is working the ground and pound. Can Mahesa escape?

Mahesa is rocked!
Sanders throwing strikes from the back - he gets a warning from the referee for striking the back of the head but all these shots are hurting Mahesa!
Mahesa is still in real trouble! Can Sanders finish him?
Mahesa trying to get back to his feet but Sanders is in full control for now.
Sanders is landing with strikes from the back.
Sanders is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Sanders gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Sanders gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Sanders apologises and we restart here on the feet.
Sanders swats away the attempt to clinch by Mahesa.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mahesa misses with a series of wild punches.

Sanders dives in and gets a big takedown. He lands in full mount and immediately unloads a series of heavy strikes! Mahesa has had enough and taps out.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:11 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Bernie Sanders!
Bernie Sanders gave a mention to Brooklyn Apothecary in his post fight interview. That will please them (and hopefully generate some sales).