PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Oskari Sankari (ranked 5781 p4p, 4991 weight class) and Mathew Hayes (ranked 532 p4p, 506 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Sankari
vs
Hayes

178 cm
23
163
2 - 5 - 0

179 cm
22
155
2 - 4 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Decent wrestler
World class MT
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 2 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Oskari Sankari!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mathew Hayes!
The judges for this bout are Percy O'Donnell, Jack Bonds and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hayes closes the distance but Sankari moves to the side
and Sankari counters with a left to the body.
Sankari moves out of range of the body kick from Hayes.
Hayes takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Sankari fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
The fighters circling - Sankari throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
We've been informed that Hayes has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Hayes lands a nice shot that snaps Sankari's head back.
Sankari lands with a nice body punch.

Hayes clinches up with Sankari and pushes him back against the cage.
Hayes blocks a body shot from Sankari.
Sankari lands a body shot in the clinch.
Hayes tries to work over Sankari's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Sankari takes a knee right on the jaw!
Sankari doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sankari goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Sankari lands with a light punch inside.
Hayes goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hayes landing knees to the head.
Hayes is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Sankari is defending well for now.
I was talking to Sankari's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Hayes taking a breather.
Sankari lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Hayes misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Sankari.
Hayes tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Sankari is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Hayes swings wildly with an uppercut but Sankari uses good head movement to avoid it.
Sankari can't find room to land a body shot as Hayes controls the action.
Hayes struggles to land a body shot inside as Sankari controls his hands.
Sankari works on Hayes's body with a couple of short punches.
Hayes tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Sankari's elbow.
Hayes tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Sankari avoids it.
Hayes misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Sankari.
Hayes using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Hayes misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Sankari.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hayes throws a knee to the head but misses.
Sankari can't find room to land a body shot as Hayes controls the action.
A right handed body shot lands from Sankari.
Hayes connects with a nasty looking knee right to Sankari's face.
Hayes tries to work over Sankari's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Sankari avoiding damage as Hayes throws knees to the body.
Hayes misses with the head strike.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sankari doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Sankari takes a knee right on the jaw!
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Sankari creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Hayes is struggling to control the position.
Sankari takes a knee right on the jaw!
Sankari tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Hayes's elbow.
Sankari tries to stall but Hayes uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Sankari makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Hayes leaning his opponent against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hayes.
Hayes trying to land knees to the body.
Hayes tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Sankari's elbow.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hayes.
Hayes tries a knee to the head but Sankari blocks it.
Hayes tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Sankari's elbow.
Hayes throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Sankari blocks it with crossed arms.
Sankari blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Sankari lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Nice body punch from Sankari - that landed with a thud.
Hayes tries a knee to the head but Sankari blocks it.
A left hand lands to the body for Sankari.
Hayes looks winded!
Nice body punch from Sankari.
Sankari lands with a short shot to the head.
Sankari pressing his opponent against the cage.
Sankari blocks a body shot from Hayes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sankari lands an uppercut.
A right hand to the body from Sankari.
A short body shot lands from Sankari as the two fighters clinch.
Hayes prevents a body shot from Sankari.
Stalling in the clinch from Sankari.
Sankari tries to work over Hayes's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
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!
A body shot lands from Hayes.
A right handed body shot lands from Sankari.
Sankari effectively controlling the action here.
Hayes letting Sankari take a breather here.
Hayes with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Hayes takes a shot to the head.
Sankari lands with a light punch inside.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Sankari.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Oskari Sankari 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.

Sankari fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Hayes looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

Sankari gets tackled into the cage by Hayes. Hayes maintains the clinch.
Hayes swings wildly with an uppercut but Sankari uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hayes is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Hayes tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Sankari's elbow.
Sankari tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Hayes's elbow.
Sankari cracks Hayes with a nice body shot.
Sankari struggles to land a body shot inside as Hayes controls his hands.
Sankari tries to stall but Hayes uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Sankari being controlled against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sankari pushes Hayes back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Sankari on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Sankari tries to throw a body punch but Hayes avoids it by throwing Sankari back against the cage.
A body shot lands from Sankari.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hayes misses with the head strike.
Sankari tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Sankari dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Sankari has Hayes pushed against the cage.
Hayes crunches a lovely knee into Sankari's ribcage.
Hayes blocks an uppercut.
Hayes with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Sankari tries to throw a body punch but Hayes avoids it by throwing Sankari back against the cage.
Hayes lands a hook that snaps the head of Sankari backwards.
Sankari misses with a hook from the clinch.
Sankari scores with a shot to the side of Hayes's head.
Hayes tries to land a knee to the head but Sankari blocks with his arms.
Hayes scores with a knee to the head.
Sankari tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Sankari goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Sankari tries a body shot but Hayes blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hayes landing knees to the head.
Hayes is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Hayes misses with the head strike.
Sankari on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Hayes digs a right hand into Sankari's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Sankari's gas tank.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hayes looking to slow down the pace here.
Hayes tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Sankari tries to throw a body punch but Hayes avoids it by throwing Sankari back against the cage.
Sankari tries a body shot but Hayes blocks it.
Sankari stalling the fight.
Hayes misses with a punch to the body.
Hayes tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Sankari managing to block the knees to the body from Hayes.
Hayes with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
A right hook to the body lands for Sankari.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hayes trying to land knees to the body.
Sankari lands a nice shot to the body.
Hayes is breathing heavily.
Sankari presses Hayes against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Hayes softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Hayes has a couple of punches blocked by Sankari.
Hayes being controlled against the cage.
Hayes with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Sankari tries a body shot but Hayes blocks it.
A short right from Sankari on the inside.
Hayes tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Hayes tries to throw a body punch but Sankari avoids it by throwing Hayes back against the cage.
Sankari tries to throw a body punch but Hayes avoids it by throwing Sankari back against the cage.
Hayes misses with the head strike.
Sankari works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Sankari tries to throw a body punch but Hayes avoids it by throwing Sankari back against the cage.
A bit of stalling here from Sankari.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sankari on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Hayes misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Sankari.
Sankari misses with a punch to the body.
Sankari misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Hayes tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Sankari's elbow.
Sankari throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Hayess head.
A nice right hand lands inside from Sankari.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hayes has a couple of punches blocked by Sankari.
Sankari lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Sankari.
Sankari misses with a body punch.
Hayes misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Sankari.
Sankari tries to work over Hayes's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Mathew Hayes seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Hayes tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Sankari stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Sankari is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Oskari Sankari will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Hayes tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Sankari counters with a left to the body.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Hayes utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Hayes misses with a knee to the head.
Sankari struggles to land a body shot inside as Hayes controls his hands.
A hook to the body from Sankari.
Hayes throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Sankari blocks it with crossed arms.
Sankari tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sankari tries to work over Hayes's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Sankari struggles to land a body shot inside as Hayes controls his hands.
Sankari scores with a nice hook to the head.
Sankari doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Hayes tries to stall but Sankari uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Sankari lands a shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sankari is struggling to control the position.
Hayes tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Sankari avoids it.
A knee to the head by Hayes.
Hayes takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Hayes throws a punch but it's blocked by Sankari.
A right hand to the body from Sankari.
Hayes lands a nice shot to the body.
Hayes is trying to stall.
Hayes trying to land knees to the body.
Hayes tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Sankari is stalling here.
Sankari blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Hayes misses with a knee to the head.
Sankari misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Nice body punch from Sankari.
Mathew Hayes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Come on Sankari - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Sankari gets through Hayes's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Sankari gets through Hayes's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Sankari misses with a punch to the body.
Hayes can't find room to land a body shot as Sankari controls the action.
Hayes is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Sankari has Hayes pushed against the cage.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Sankari.
Sankari tries a body shot but Hayes blocks it.
Sankari scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Sankari.
Sankari can't find room to land a body shot as Hayes controls the action.
A hook to the body from Sankari.
Sankari goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hayes lands a nice uppercut.
Hayes works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Sankari goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Good body shot from Sankari.
Sankari can't find room to land a body shot as Hayes controls the action.
Sankari has Hayes pressed against the cage.
Oskari Sankari is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hayes.
Sankari avoiding damage.
A nice right hand lands inside from Hayes.
Sankari blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Hayes swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Sankari goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Hayes throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Sankari blocks it with crossed arms.
Sankari digs a right hand underneath Hayes's ribcage. Hayes let out a lung full of air as it connected.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hayes tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Sankari's elbow.
Hayes lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Sankari.
Sankari blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Sankari misses with a body punch.
Hayes dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Hayes misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Sankari.
Hayes taking a breather.
Sankari lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
A body shot lands from Sankari.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Hayes obliges.
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!
The referee is keeping an eye on Sankari - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Hayes utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Oskari Sankari.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Sankari, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Mathew Hayes!