PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Reggie Sanders (ranked 4122 p4p, 4938 weight class) and Yusuf Sapi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Yusuf Sapi is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Sanders
vs
Sapi

180 cm
18
182
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
169
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Reggie Sanders!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Yusuf Sapi!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Stewart Dunkirk and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sanders stuffs the takedown.
Sanders attempts a counter takedown but Sapi avoids it well and moves away.
Sapi tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Sanders swivels and escapes.
Sanders wants to clinch up but Sapi keeps it at a distance.
Sapi blocks a head kick by Sanders.
Sanders shoots for a double leg takedown but Sapi sprawls well. He's pushed Sanders's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
A swing and a miss from Sapi.
Sanders gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Sanders takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Sanders tries to score a power double leg takedown but Sapi sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Sanders somewhat.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Sapi! But no joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Reggie Sanders. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sanders misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Sanders tries to score a power double leg takedown but Sapi sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Sanders somewhat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanders thows a leg kick but Sapi checks it
and Sapi counters with a stiff right hand.
Sanders misses with a takedown
and Sapi counters with a nice uppercut.
Sanders darts in looking for a takedown but Sapi gets double underhooks and turns Sanders into the cage.
Sapi is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Sanders with a body shot.
A bit of stalling here from Sapi.
Sanders swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Sanders misses with a short punch on the inside.
Sapi misses with a knee to the head.
Sanders looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Sanders has had enough of the clinch but Sapi keeps him there for the moment.
Sapi's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sapi working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Sanders is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Sanders fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Sapi stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Sapi lands a left hand that snaps the head of Sanders backwards.
Sanders misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Sapi avoiding damage.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sapi prevents a body shot from Sanders.
Sapi has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Sanders after a bit of a struggle.

Sapi drags the fight down to the ground.
Sanders wanted to stand there but Sapi had control of the position.
Sanders tries to free his leg and advance position but Sapi is retaining full guard.
Sapi wants to sweep but no luck.
Sapi has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Sanders wants to pass the guard but Sapi is keeping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Sanders wants to control from the top but Sapi keeps moving.
Sanders looking to sit in guard and control but Sapi gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Sapi trying to control the position from guard on top but Sanders is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Sapi is standing up over Sanders. Sanders looks to escape but Sapi dives into side control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Yusuf Sapi dominated that round.
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.

Sanders takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Sanders has a takedown stuffed.
Sanders misses with a takedown attempt - Sapi sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Sanders doesn't manage to clinch there - Sapi circles away.
Sapi is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Sapi throws a series of strikes that have Sanders backpedaling.
Sapi misses with a straight left.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sanders wants to clinch but Sapi slips to the side
and Sapi counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Sanders takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Sanders is looking to clinch but Sapi is avoiding it.
Sanders is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Sapi.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sapi darts in looking for a takedown but Sanders gets double underhooks and turns Sapi into the cage.

Sapi closes the distance and clinches.
Sanders wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Sapi blocking some punches.
Sanders misses with a punch to the body.
Sapi dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Sanders is trying to break the clinch but Sapi is controlling him.
Sapi scores with a shot to the side of Sanders's head.
Sanders has a couple of punches blocked by Sapi.
Sapi is looking to take this one to the mat.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Sapi.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Sapi.
The crowd are getting on Sapi's back here. They're not happy about his lack of aggression in the clinch.
Sanders tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Sapi's elbow.
Sapi is looking for a takedown.
Reggie Sanders has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yusuf Sapi.
Sanders wants to break free but Sapi has control.
Sanders avoids a wild elbow strike from Sapi.
Sapi makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Sapi stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Sanders misses with a punch on the inside.
Sapi lands a hook that snaps the head of Sanders backwards.
Sapi will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Sanders up against the cage.
Sapi will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Sanders up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanders doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Sapi.
Sanders misses with a punch to the body.
Sanders misses with the head strike.

Sapi breaks the clinch.
Sanders fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Sanders moves to clinch but Sapi breaks away
and Sapi counters with a stiff right hand.

Sapi clinches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sanders letting Sapi take a breather here.
Sanders tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Sapi's elbow.
Sanders tries to throw a body punch but Sapi avoids it by throwing Sanders back against the cage.
Sapi is stalling here.
Sapi manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Sanders working aggressively here.
Sapi keeps control of Sanders as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Sanders misses with a short punch on the inside.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Yusuf Sapi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Sanders has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Sapi finds it's way round the side to connect with Sanders's head.
Sapi tries to work over Sanders's front leg with a kick but Sanders checks it.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Sanders.
Sanders misses with a takedown
and Sapi counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Sapi has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Sapi taking a breather.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sapi stalls.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanders is pressed up against the cage. Sapi has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Sanders down to the mat. Sanders avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Sanders pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Reggie Sanders is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sapi scores with a jab to the head.
Horrible takedown attempt by Sanders or perhaps it was just good defense by Sapi, which made it look bad.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Sapi! But no joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Reggie Sanders. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sanders tries to clinch up.
Sapi looks for a takedown but Sanders sprawls well.
Sanders with a nice cross.
Reggie Sanders has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sapi's corner calls for a 1-2. Sapi obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Sanders tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Sapi lands a jab to Sanders's midsection.
Sanders avoids a punch combination nicely.
A shot to the liver by Sapi. Beautiful body shot.
Sanders shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Sapi pinned against the cage. Sapi gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Sanders gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Sapi moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sapi displaying some good clinch control by pressing Sanders up against the cage.
Sanders looking to slow down the pace here.
Sanders fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Sanders misses with a short punch on the inside.
Sapi content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Sapi drops down looking for an ankle pick but Sanders pulls his leg out and moves away.
Sanders shoots in and drives through. Sapi sprawls well.
Sanders tries to clinch up
and Sapi counters with a stiff right hand.
Yusuf Sapi 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.
Sapi clobbers Sanders with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Sanders throws a head kick that misses.
Sanders gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Sapi counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Sapi throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Sanders stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Sapi connects with a single shot there.
Sanders tries to clinch
and Sapi counters with a nice uppercut.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sapi slips under a jab.
Sanders looks for the body kick but Sapi saw that one coming.
Sanders misses with a head kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yusuf Sapi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Sapi 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 27:30
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yusuf Sapi!