PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Cheol Sannon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chael Sonnen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chael Sonnen is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Sannon
vs
Sonnen

188 cm
22
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

181 cm
22
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight 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, Cheol Sannon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Chael Sonnen!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Frank Dennis and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sannon tries to clinch there but Sonnen circles away.
Sonnen sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Cheol Sannon seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Some wild striking there from Sannon.
Sannon throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Sonnen.

Sannon shoots in and bounces Sonnen off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Sannon trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Sannon is working Sonnen over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Sannon throwing strikes but missing.
Sannon loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Sannon is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Sannon stops Sonnen from standing up.
Sannon trying to control the position from guard on top but Sonnen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Sannon stands up from Sonnen's guard - Sannon perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sannon shoots in but no luck this time.
Sannon fails in his attempt to clinch.
Sannon wants to clinch.
Sannon throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Sannon misses with a looping right.
Sonnen keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Sannon.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Sonnen.
Sannon is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Sonnen asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Sannon is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen cracks Sannon with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Sonnen in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Sonnen with the ground and pound but Sannon regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Sonnen slips a nice elbow through Sannon's hands, connecting with Sannon's forehead.

It looks like Cheol Sannon has been cut.
Ground and pound from Sonnen.
Sonnen thows a huge punch but Sannon dodges it nicely.
Sannon blocking the ground and pound attempt from Sonnen.
Sonnen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Sonnen not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Sannon taking some punishment here, with Sonnen in his half guard.
Sonnen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Sonnen throwing shots but Sannon is blocking nicely.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Sonnen scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Sonnen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Sonnen is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Sonnen is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Sannon keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Sonnen working over Sannon with some ground and pound. Sannon looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Sonnen thows a huge punch but Sannon dodges it nicely.
Sannon on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Sannon tries to get out of the position.
Sonnen throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Sannon tries to kick Sonnen off but Sonnen keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Sonnen throwing shots but Sannon is blocking nicely.
Sonnen looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Sannon with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Sonnen not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Sannon trying to control here.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Sonnen closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Sonnen tries to pass to full mount but Sannon defends it.
Sonnen landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sonnen scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Ground and pound from Sonnen.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chael Sonnen dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Cheol Sannon's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Sonnen closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Sonnen lands in his opponent's guard.

Sannon pushes Sonnen off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

Sannon closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Sonnen did well to prevent Sannon getting side control.
Chael Sonnen has got the better of the ground game so far.
Sannon thows a huge punch but Sonnen dodges it nicely.

Sonnen makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Sannon has his takedown stuffed

and Sonnen counters with a shoot takedown. Sannon fights it but they end up in guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sonnen postures up and lands a big shot to Sannon's brow.
Sonnen scoring with some ground and pound.
Sonnen must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Sannon looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sonnen content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sonnen accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Sannon has momentary wrist control but Sonnen slips an elbow through the middle.
Sonnen keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Sannon's head.
Sonnen thows a big elbow that misses.
Sonnen works over Sannon with some ground and pound from guard.
Sonnen won't allow Sannon to get back to his feet.
Sonnen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Sonnen stands up over Sannon, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Sonnen scoring with punches to the head and body.
Sonnen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sannon works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen cracks Sannon with a solid left hand.
Sonnen scoring with some ground and pound.
Sonnen is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Sonnen working some strikes from top position.
Sannon is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Sonnen won't allow Sannon to get back to his feet.
Sonnen is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Sannon tries to strike from the bottom.
Sannon trying to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sonnen lands a couple of digs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen scoring with punches to the head and body.
Sannon working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sonnen.
Sannon avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Sannon looking to control.
Sonnen is in close to Sannon's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Sonnen connects with a couple of short punches.
Sonnen throws a big right hand that misses.
Sannon is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Sannon tries to clinch

and Sonnen counters with a single leg into guard. Sannon didn't expect that.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Sonnen's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Sonnen's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sannon is trying to keep Sonnen in close.
Sonnen looking to pass the guard.
Sonnen won't allow Sannon to get back to his feet.
Sonnen scoring with punches to the head and body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sonnen lands a couple of elbows.
Sonnen with a flurry of punches that miss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chael Sonnen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Cheol Sannon's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Sonnen shoots in and drives through. Sannon sprawls well.
Sannon throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Sonnen counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Sonnen in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Sonnen postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Sannon trying to control the position.
Sannon is looking to stand up but Sonnen isn't so interested in that idea.
Sannon trying to control the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sonnen in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sonnen accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sannon avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Sonnen shoots in for a takedown but Sannon shows good takedown defense.

Sonnen drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Sonnen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sannon works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Sannon wants to stand but Sonnen is controlling the position.
Sonnen is looking to work some ground and pound but Sannon has wrist control.
Sonnen preventing the sweep.
Sonnen landing with the ground and pound.
Sonnen postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Sonnen landing with the ground and pound.
Sonnen throwing strikes from guard but Sannon blocks nicely.
Sonnen postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Sonnen postures up in Sannon's guard and throws a big left but Sannon blocks it.
Sannon tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Sonnen thows a big elbow that misses.
Sonnen throwing strikes but missing.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Sonnen drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen with a flurry of punches that miss.
Sannon wants to stand but Sonnen is controlling the position.
Sonnen is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Sannon keeping full guard, as Sonnen tries to pass.
Sonnen thows a big elbow that misses.
Sonnen in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Sonnen with a flurry of punches that miss.
Sonnen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Sannon stuffs the takedown attempt from Sonnen. Sonnen gets slowly back to his feet.
Cheol Sannon has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Chael Sonnen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Sannon attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.

Sonnen gets a takedown into half guard.
Chael Sonnen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Sannon kicks off Sonnen and gets to his feet.
Sannon swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

so Sonnen counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Sannon is trying to control the position but Sonnen postures up.
Sonnen is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Cheol Sannon has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sonnen trying to control the position from guard on top but Sannon is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chael Sonnen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Sonnen winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chael Sonnen!