PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Saurabh Pandeya (ranked 276 p4p, 313 weight class) and Rudolf Meine (ranked 40 p4p, 45 weight class). Pandeya kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Clan In Da Front. 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.

Pandeya
vs
Meine

170 cm
25
160
14 - 6 - 1

163 cm
31
155
21 - 15 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Granite chin

Silverguard Outfitters 🛡
Furnace Performance 🔥

NARCOS
Kersikov's Vitamin Clinic (160)

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 14 - 6 - 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 21 - 15 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Rudolf Meine!
The judges for this bout are Ron Honeybunn, Donatello Bradman and Francis DeMontford.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Meine connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Meine stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Meine lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Pandeya circles away quickly and effectively.
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.
Meine misses with an uppercut. Pandeya saw that one coming.
Pandeya drops his hands momentarily and Meine takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Meine misses with a looping left.
Meine on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Pandeya on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Pandeya misses with a hook.
Pandeya on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Meine moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Meine is looking to score with low kicks.
Rudolf Meine seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pandeya takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Meine thumps Pandeya with a low kick.
Meine on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Meine doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Meine misses with a leg kick

and Pandeya counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Pandeya not doing much here.
Pandeya is trying to control the action in half guard but Meine is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pandeya content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Pandeya passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Meine!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pandeya content just to control the position here.
Meine stops Pandeya from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.
Pandeya sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Meine tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Pandeya trying to control but he's not successful this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pandeya looking to control and managing it successfully.
Meine is trying to escape the mount but Pandeya keeps good control and instead manages to take Meine's back.
Pandeya controls the position.
Meine has found himself in a tricky position here. He's been working his transitions in training so let's see if he can work his way out of it.
Pandeya trying to control momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Pandeya biding his time, looking for the opening.
Meine tries to escape but Pandeya has the hooks in and won't let him break free.

Pandeya looking for the choke but no joy.
Meine is really stuck here.
I would not like to be Meine right now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Saurabh Pandeya dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Pandeya checks the leg kick.
Meine avoids the body shot from Pandeya.
Pandeya blocks a leg kick.
Pandeya tries to counter with a takedown but Meine is quick to defend against it.
Meine misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Pandeya is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Meine.
Pandeya checks the leg kick.
Pandeya walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Meine looks to land a left hand but Pandeya moved out of range nicely.
Meine throws a leg kick but Pandeya sees it coming and moves out of range.
Pandeya blocks a head kick by Meine.
Pandeya is looking to counter punch.
Pandeya thows a left - swing and a miss!
Meine moves out of range of the leg kick from Pandeya.
Meine misses with a head kick.
Meine throws a low kick but Pandeya avoids it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pandeya scores with a nice strike.
Meine throws a low kick but Pandeya avoids it.
Pandeya tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Meine defends well and Pandeya ends up having to push Meine into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Pandeya has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Meine is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Pandeya tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Saurabh Pandeya. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Meine working aggressively here.
Pandeya fails to pull guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pandeya jumps guard but Meine stands there with Pandeya around his waist. Pandeya gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Meine manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Pandeya trying to control the position from guard on top but Meine is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pandeya slips nicely into half guard.
Pandeya seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Meine does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Pandeya sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Pandeya's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Pandeya trying to mount his opponent but Meine defends it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pandeya trying to control the pace.

Pandeya is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Pandeya keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pandeya wants to lay and pray for a moment but Meine keeps working.
Pandeya tries to pass the half guard into mount. Meine knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Meine is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Pandeya pulls his head out easily.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Pandeya in particular looking to stall.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Pandeya has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Meine.
Meine misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Pandeya appears to be looking for a counter takedown.

Pandeya shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Pandeya controlling the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pandeya is just content to waste time from the top position. Meine takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Pandeya tries to free his leg and advance position but Meine is retaining full guard.
Pandeya controls from within his opponent's guard.
Pandeya wants to pass the guard but Meine is keeping the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Pandeya trying to control but Meine is working from the bottom.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Rudolf Meine will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Meine misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Meine throws a leg kick but Pandeya checks it.
Meine throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A nice inside leg kick there by Meine. That's going to slow Pandeya down.
Pandeya keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Meine.
A big left from Meine misses.
Pandeya sizes up Meine with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Meine throws a big shot that misses.
Meine misses with a straight right.
Pandeya takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Meine looks to land a left hand but Pandeya moved out of range nicely.
Pandeya half committed to a counter leg kick.
Meine avoids the body shot from Pandeya.
Meine just misses with a punch to the body.
Pandeya avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Meine throws a leg kick but Pandeya sees it coming and moves out of range.
Pandeya throws a body shot but no joy.
Meine tries to counter with a clinch but Pandeya shakes him off and moves away.
Rudolf Meine seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Meine finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Pandeya feinted with a counter takedown.
Meine connects with a crisp jab.
Pandeya avoids a kick to the body.
Meine feints a jab promting Pandeya to slip. Meine then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Pandeya slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Meine is looking to score with low kicks.
Pandeya appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Pandeya keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Pandeya throws a looping overhand right but Meine ducks down to avoid it.
Meine pivots, looking for a leg kick but Pandeya is out of range and Meine settles back down.
A big right from Pandeya misses.
Meine throws a hook to the side of Pandeya's head but Pandeya sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Pandeya shoots in looking for a takedown. Meine tries to sprawl out of it but Pandeya keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Meine manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Pandeya jabs at Meine's body.
Pandeya attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Meine takes a swing at Pandeya's ribcage but misses.
Meine throws a leg kick that misses.
Pandeya changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Meine thuds his right hand into Pandeya's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Meine throws a body punch but Pandeya moves out of range.
Pandeya moves into range and connects with a jab.
A nice combination there by Meine.
Rudolf Meine is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Meine thows a leg kick but Pandeya checks it

and Pandeya counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Pandeya.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Pandeya trying to control the position from guard on top but Meine is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pandeya is pushing down on Meine's leg trying to pass to half guard. Meine is fighting to maintain full guard but Pandeya has managed to sneak the leg through.
Pandeya perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Pandeya is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Pandeya is trying to control the action in half guard but Meine is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Pandeya with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Meine actively working from the bottom here.
Pandeya looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Pandeya is taking a breather. Meine says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Pandeya trying to mount his opponent but Meine defends it.
Saurabh Pandeya overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Pandeya not doing much here.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Pandeya fails with a takedown attempt.
Meine ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Meine throws a front kick aimed at Pandeya's knee but Pandeya avoids it well.
Meine misses with a head kick.
Meine throws a body kick that misses.
Meine lands a really nice looking cross but Pandeya seems unphased.
Meine throws a leg kick but Pandeya sees it coming and moves out of range.
Meine misses with a low kick as Pandeya jumps back.
Meine thumps Pandeya with a low kick.
Pandeya on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
A head kick by Meine misses

and Pandeya counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Pandeya engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Pandeya wants to pass the guard but Meine is keeping the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rudolf Meine comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Meine has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Ron Honeybunn scores the fight 28:29
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 28:29
Judge Francis DeMontford scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rudolf Meine!