PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Saurabh Pandeya (ranked 1399 p4p, 1614 weight class) and Jacob Handler (ranked 194 p4p, 222 weight class). Pandeya comes to the cage accompanied by Clan In Da Front. Jacob Handler has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Pandeya
vs
Handler

170 cm
21
160
5 - 3 - 1

172 cm
21
165
6 - 3 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing
Shadow Realm Apparel

Knock Out Sups

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 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Saurabh Pandeya!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jacob Handler!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Trevor Gratis and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pandeya walks into a jab.
Pandeya looks to throw the jab but Handler is out of range.
Handler throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Pandeya throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Handler pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Pandeya appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Handler missing with a left hand there. Pandeya was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Handler fails with the takedown
letting Pandeya counter with a right hand.
Pandeya with a jab.
Pandeya takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
We've been hearing reports that Pandeya has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
That kick from Handler tenderised Pandeya's leg. Pandeya is trying to keep his angry face on.
Handler throws an ugly left hook that misses
letting Pandeya counter with a right hand.
Pandeya slips a jab and a cross from Handler.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Handler misses with a jab to the body
and Pandeya counters with a left to the body.
Handler misses with a jab, cross combination.
Pandeya swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Handler misses with a looping left.
Pandeya misses with a straight left.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pandeya lands a nice looking body shot.
Pandeya blocks a jab.
Handler thows a left - swing and a miss!
Handler shoots for a takedown but Pandeya saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Jacob Handler seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pandeya uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Handler.
Handler darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Handler throws a body kick that misses
and Pandeya counters with a stiff right hand.
Pandeya fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Handler looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Pandeya misses with an uppercut.
Handler loads up on a big right hand but Pandeya slips the punch.
Handler swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Pandeya is looking to counter punch.
Handler misses with a double jab
and Pandeya counters with a left to the body.
A low kick from Handler is predictable there

and Pandeya counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Pandeya.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Handler looking for a guillotine here but Pandeya defends easily.
Pandeya tries to free his leg and advance position but Handler is retaining full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Handler looking for a sweep. Not yet Handler, not yet.

Handler escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Pandeya gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Pandeya advances position into side control!

Pandeya looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Handler looks to move to half guard but instead Pandeya has passed into mount! Damn!
Pandeya trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Handler is trying to escape the mount but Pandeya keeps good control and instead manages to take Handler's back.

Handler defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Pandeya's arms.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pandeya is trying to stick to Handler's back but Handler is turning into Pandeya. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Pandeya's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Handler.

Pandeya is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Pandeya had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Handler defends it easily.

Handler avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Handler pushing down on Pandeya's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Pandeya trying to control here.
Handler looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

Pandeya looking for submissions off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Handler is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Handler is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Handler tries to pass the half guard into mount. Pandeya knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Handler wants to work for an arm triangle but Pandeya is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
The fighters are battling for position here. Pandeya manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Handler avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Handler thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Pandeya looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Pandeya is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Pandeya has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Handler can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Saurabh Pandeya dominated that round.
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 shot to the liver by Handler. Beautiful body shot.
Pandeya with a nice cross.
Handler fails to land with a series of punches.
Pandeya moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Pandeya cracks Handler with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Jacob Handler seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Handler ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Pandeya moves away.
Pandeya changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Handler looks to land a left hand but Pandeya moved out of range nicely.
Pandeya is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Handler.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Handler misses with an uppercut.
Handler misses with a series of wild punches.
Nice sprawl there from Pandeya as Handler shoots in.
Pandeya misses with a straight left.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pandeya defending well as Handler loads up on a big left hand.
Pandeya drops down looking for a counter takedown but Handler sprawls and moves away.
Pandeya jabs Handler to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Handler throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Handler takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Handler throws out a powerful jab.
Pandeya throws a lazy uppercut
and Handler makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Jacob Handler is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Handler throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Pandeya sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Pandeya swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Handler misses with a hook.
Pandeya blocks a jab.
Handler moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Saurabh Pandeya is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Handler throws a series of punches but Pandeya avoids them all with ease.
Handler keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Pandeya cracks Handler with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Handler uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Pandeya.
Pandeya jabs Handler to the body, keeping him at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pandeya lands a jab.

Handler closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Pandeya stops Handler from passing to mount.
Pandeya tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Handler working away.
Pandeya manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Handler is not content to let Pandeya control the position.
Pandeya is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Handler is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Pandeya trying to pass the guard but Handler defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pandeya seems to be working for a kimura but Handler defends the submission attempt.
Handler is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Pandeya trying to mount his opponent but Handler defends it.
Pandeya frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Handler is looking to get to half guard.
Pandeya tries to control but Handler wriggling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pandeya prevents Handler from getting the reversal.
Pandeya tries to control but Handler wriggling away.
Handler regains half guard.
Pandeya frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Pandeya fails to take his opponent's back.
Pandeya works his way to his opponent's back.
Handler is trying to break free.

Pandeya has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Handler is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
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 Saurabh Pandeya will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. 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.

Handler misses with an uppercut.
Pandeya moves out of range as Handler strikes.
A telegraphed right hand from Handler misses the target.
Pandeya tries to move into range but Handler moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Handler shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Pandeya but Pandeya pushes him off and we're back to square one.
A counter left hand to the body from Pandeya misses its target.
Nice defenses there by Handler.
Handler throws a poor cross that misses
enabling Pandeya to counter with a crisp jab.
Pandeya uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Handler.
Handler throws a lazy right hand but Pandeya sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jab, jab by Handler - just one landing.
Pandeya ducks under a wild hook from Handler.
Pandeya connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Pandeya lands with a cross.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Handler throws a right hand that misses

and Pandeya counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Pandeya wants to pass the guard but Handler is keeping the position.
Handler working a defensive guard here.
Pandeya passes Handler's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Handler looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Handler wants to get back to full guard.
Pandeya is trying to control the action in half guard but Handler is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Pandeya seems to be working for a kimura but Handler defends the submission attempt.
Handler is looking to improve his position.

Pandeya is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Handler is just riding it out for now. Pandeya eventually gives up the hold.
Jacob Handler has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pandeya is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Handler defends it well.
Handler is trying to get back to full guard.
Handler moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Pandeya trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Handler working for a triangle but Pandeya defends it easily.
Pandeya forces his way into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pandeya wants to take a breather but Handler is having none of it.
Handler is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Handler is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Pandeya's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Pandeya's back!
Pandeya trying to control the action but Handler just sinks the hooks in.

Pandeya preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Handler.

Handler has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.

Handler is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Pandeya knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Pandeya for a finish.
Handler takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Handler tightening his grip on Pandeya, looking for the choke.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pandeya tries to break free.
Pandeya rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Pandeya slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Handler lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Pandeya working a defensive guard here.
Handler stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Pandeya swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Handler must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Handler keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Pandeya's head.
Saurabh Pandeya is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Saurabh Pandeya overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Pandeya is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

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 Saurabh Pandeya.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Pandeya, 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 Alec Ball scores the fight 30:27
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Saurabh Pandeya!
Saurabh Pandeya seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.