PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Nirmal Singh (ranked 1694 p4p, 3562 weight class) and Leonel Sherman (ranked 168 p4p, 310 weight class). Sherman has chosen Holding out for a hero as his entrance music. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Leonel Sherman was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Singh
vs
Sherman

161 cm
25
152
7 - 0 - 0

178 cm
24
160
6 - 2 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
KO power

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Very confident

Pulling Guard

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 7 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nirmal Singh!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Leonel Sherman!
The judges for this bout are Chris Saunders, Micheangelo Fripello and Paul Gruel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sherman tries a head kick but it misses.
Singh is looking to counter the offense by Sherman and move into the clinch.
Sherman lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
A looping hook to the body misses from Sherman. Singh does a little dance to reset his feet.

Singh fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Sherman, pushing him back against the cage.

Singh escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sherman tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Singh was well out of range. Poor timing from Sherman.

Sherman drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Sherman wants to control for a moment but Singh uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Sherman is keen to just control but Singh is a slippery customer.
Singh has his hands clasped together around Sherman's back. He's all about the action.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Sherman is looking for a kimura but Singh is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Sherman to get the leverage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sherman sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Singh defending well though.
Sherman trying to control the action but Singh is working from the bottom.
Singh keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Singh is looking to control Sherman's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Singh avoid being mounted?
Sherman is trying to control. Singh wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Sherman thows a huge punch but Singh dodges it nicely.
Sherman throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Singh to regain full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Sherman scoring with some ground and pound.
Singh has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Singh has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Sherman throws a strike but Singh rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Singh wants to stand and escape but instead Sherman has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Sherman wants to control from the top but Singh keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Singh trying to control the position here.
Sherman wants to pass the guard but Singh is keeping the position.
Singh on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Singh tries to get out of the position.
Sherman landing with the ground and pound.
Singh is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Sherman missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Sherman trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Sherman wants to control from the top but Singh keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Sherman is looking to work some ground and pound but Singh has wrist control.

Sherman drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Sherman jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Singh seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Sherman stands up over Singh, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Sherman pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Singh is keeping the position for now.

Singh had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Sherman defends it easily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sherman lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Leonel Sherman dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

A jab lands there for Sherman.
Leonel Sherman seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sherman throws a solid leg kick but Singh takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Sherman.
Nice sprawl there from Singh as Sherman shoots in.
Singh drops down looking for a counter takedown but Sherman sprawls and moves away.
Singh tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sherman swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Sherman avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Singh avoids the body shot from Sherman.
Sherman misses with a two punch combination.
Singh tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Nice takedown defense from Singh. No joy for Sherman on that attempt.
Singh throws a big counter combination but Sherman scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Singh tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Sherman manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Sherman with the counter takedown but Singh avoids it easily.
Singh wants to clinch up but Sherman keeps it at a distance.
Sherman tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Singh on the wrong end of a nice hook.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Singh wants to clinch.

Sherman gets a double leg takedown into Singh's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sherman lands a couple of digs.
Singh wants to sweep here but Sherman controlling him for the moment.
Singh pulls Sherman in to control the position.
Sherman wants to control from the top but Singh keeps moving.

Sherman postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Singh is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Sherman, into his guard.

The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Singh tries to stand but Sherman is controlling from the bottom.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Sherman is on top in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sherman has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Singh is proving hard to escape from.
Singh pulls Sherman in close to his closed guard and prevents Sherman from doing any damage or advancing position.
Sherman throws a big right hand that misses.
Sherman throws an elbow that misses. Singh uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Sherman's guard. Nice move by Singh!

Sherman wants to sweep here but Singh controlling him for the moment.
Sherman can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Singh controls the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Singh looking to sit in guard and control but Sherman gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Singh keeping moving, preventing Sherman from controlling successfully.
Singh looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sherman is one step ahead there.
Sherman wants to pass the guard but Singh is keeping the position.
Sherman not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Sherman has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Sherman is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Singh pulls Sherman in close to his closed guard and prevents Sherman from doing any damage or advancing position.
Singh might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Sherman trying to control the position from guard on top but Singh is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Singh seems keen to control Sherman's posture.
Sherman has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Singh is proving hard to escape from.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Leonel Sherman showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Sherman shoots in and drives through. Singh sprawls well.
Sherman throws a combination. Singh tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

Singh is rocked!
Singh closes the distance looking to clinch
and Sherman counters with a right hand from hell and Singh is out cold! A vicious knockout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:12 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Leonel Sherman!
Leonel Sherman made sure to give a little speech post fight, saying 'It feels amazing to be Champion, I never imagined I'd get here, but I always kept working and here I am! Jumba keep those contenders coming, and Thank You Hilo!!'.
In defeat, Nirmal Singh stepped up to the mic, saying 'We're no strangers to love You know the rules and so do I (do I) A full commitment's what I'm thinking of You wouldn't get this from any other guy I just wanna tell you how I'm feeling Gotta make you understand Never gonna give you up Never gonna let you down Never gonna run around and deser'.