PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Marcus Saplin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bob Jardine (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Saplin comes to the cage accompanied by Invincible. Jardine has chosen Calm Like A Bomb- Rage Against the Machine as his entrance music. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Saplin
vs
Jardine

195 cm
23
185 lbs
7 - 6 - 0

185 cm
25
193 lbs
10 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Marcus Saplin!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Bob Jardine!
The judges for this bout are Donatello Bradman, Skip Squint and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A slapping body kick lands there for Saplin.
Jardine circles away from the clinch attempt.
Saplin bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Jardine throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Jardine misses with a straight right.
Jardine misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Saplin.
Jardine tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Saplin swivels and escapes.
Saplin tries to clinch but Jardine is having none of it.
Saplin wants to clinch up but Jardine keeps it at a distance.
Saplin is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Saplin tries to clinch up but Jardine circles away and keeps his distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Saplin avoids a punch combination nicely.
A combination from Jardine does no damage.
Saplin tries to clinch up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A combination from Jardine does no damage.
Saplin takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Saplin tries to clinch there but Jardine circles away.
Saplin tries to close the distance and clinch but Jardine swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Saplin tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Jardine swats away the attempt to clinch by Saplin.
Saplin really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Jardine loads up on a big right hand but Saplin slips the punch.
Jardine throws a lazy right hand but Saplin sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Jardine tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Saplin was well out of range. Poor timing from Jardine.
Saplin fails with an attempt to clinch.
Jardine keeps the fight on the outside.
Saplin tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Jardine paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Jardine getting the better of the striking in that exchange.

It looks like Marcus Saplin has been cut.
Marcus Saplin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Saplin lands with a thumping leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jardine shoots in but no luck this time.
Jardine swings for the body but Saplin moves out of range.
Jardine has a takedown stuffed.
Marcus Saplin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bob Jardine.
Jardine misses with a double jab.
Jardine fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Jardine looks gassed!
Jardine on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Bob Jardine seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Jardine looks for a takedown but Saplin sprawls well.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Jardine.
Saplin tries to close the distance and clinch but Jardine swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saplin wants to clinch up but Jardine keeps it at a distance.
Jardine keeps the fight on the outside.
Jardine shoots in looking for a takedown. Saplin tries to sprawl out of it but Jardine keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Saplin manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Jardine avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Crunch! Saplin slams his shin into Jardine's torso.
Saplin avoids a punch combination nicely.
Saplin moves in looking to clinch but Jardine pushes him off.
Jardine waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Saplin.

Saplin closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Saplin has Jardine pressed against the cage, preventing Jardine from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Saplin tries to land a knee to the head but Jardine blocks with his arms.
Saplin putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Jardine in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saplin with a knee to the head.
Saplin throws a knee to the head but misses.
Saplin tries to land knees in the clinch but Jardine avoids the damage to the body.
Saplin looking to throw knees to the head but Jardine is blocking nicely.
Saplin with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Jardine is trying to break the clinch but Saplin has him pressed against the cage.
Jardine on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Jardine wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Saplin has him pressed against the cage.
Saplin tries a knee to the head but Jardine blocks it.
Saplin lands a nice knee to the body.
Jardine blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Saplin has Jardine pressed against the cage, preventing Jardine from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Jardine has Saplin pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Jardine pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Saplin tumbling to the mat - Jardine dives into Saplin's guard.

Saplin escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Jardine gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus Saplin dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Marcus Saplin's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Saplin uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Jardine.
Saplin wants to clinch.
Bob Jardine is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Saplin fails in his attempt to clinch.
Jardine fails to land the takedown.
Jardine circles away from the clinch attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Saplin tries to clinch up but Jardine circles away and keeps his distance.
Saplin throws a head kick that Jardine semi-blocks.

Jardine shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jardine looks to land a strike but Saplin avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Jardine passes Saplin's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Saplin blocking the ground and pound attempt from Jardine.
Jardine missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Jardine seems to be working for a kimura but Saplin defends the submission attempt.
Jardine is breathing heavily.
Jardine thows a huge punch but Saplin dodges it nicely.
Saplin is trying to stand up here but Jardine is controlling him well.

That's two 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.
Jardine is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Jardine throwing strikes from guard but Saplin blocks nicely.
Saplin utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Jardine has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
A punch combination from Jardine misses.
Saplin leaves Jardine with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
An inside leg kick lands from Saplin.
Saplin is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Saplin scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saplin wants to clinch.

Jardine feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Jardine postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Jardine's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Jardine trying to move into half guard but instead Saplin has managed to sweep!

Saplin gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Saplin fails with an attempt to clinch.
Jardine misses with a looping right.
Saplin is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Jardine throws a head kick that misses
and Saplin counters with a body kick that stops Jardine in his tracks momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Saplin gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Saplin tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Jardine on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Jardine is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Saplin misses with a knee to the head.
Saplin with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Saplin with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Jardine tries to break the clinch but Saplin is controlling the position.
Jardine takes a knee right on the jaw!
Jardine wants to break the clinch but can't.
Saplin looking to throw knees to the head but Jardine is blocking nicely.
Saplin tries a knee to the head but Jardine blocks it.
Saplin with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Saplin tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Bob Jardine will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Marcus Saplin's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Jardine throws a left and a right that both miss
and Saplin counters with a head kick.
Saplin is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Jardine circles away from the clinch attempt.
A telegraphed right hand from Jardine misses the target.
Saplin fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Jardine.
Jardine stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Saplin.
Saplin slips a straight right by Jardine.
Saplin takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Saplin showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Jardine.

Saplin moves into the clinch.
Jardine takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Jardine on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Jardine is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saplin lands a good knee to the midsection. Jardine won't want to take too many of those.
Saplin misses with a knee to the head.
Saplin with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Jardine has had enough of the clinch but Saplin keeps him there for the moment.
Jardine looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Saplin lands a good knee to the midsection. Jardine won't want to take too many of those.
Jardine is trying to drag Saplin to the mat but Saplin just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Saplin throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Jardine blocks it with crossed arms.
Jardine tries to break free but Saplin pushes him back against the cage.
A knee to the head by Saplin.
Saplin looking to throw knees to the head but Jardine is blocking nicely.
Jardine wants to get back to striking at distance but Saplin won't allow it.

That's two 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.
Saplin misses with a knee to the head.
Saplin tries to land a knee to the head but Jardine blocks with his arms.
Jardine blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Saplin scores with a knee to the head.
Jardine on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Jardine's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Jardine misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Saplin moves in looking to clinch but Jardine pushes him off.
Saplin slips a jab and a cross from Jardine.
Jardine shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Saplin pinned against the cage. Saplin gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Marcus Saplin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bob Jardine.
Jardine keeps the fight on the outside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jardine misses with a takedown attempt - Saplin sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Saplin instigates a clinch.
Jardine wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Saplin obliges.
Saplin tries a knee to the head but Jardine blocks it.
Saplin tries a knee to the head but Jardine blocks it.
Jardine managing to block the knees to the body from Saplin.
Jardine drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Saplin gets the underhooks and prevents it.
A knee to the head by Saplin.
Saplin throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Jardine blocks it with crossed arms.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saplin misses with a knee strike.
Saplin tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Jardine avoids it.
Saplin tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Saplin looking to throw knees to the head but Jardine is blocking nicely.

Jardine has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Saplin clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Jardine missing with punches from the back.
Saplin wriggles onto his back under a barage of strikes.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Saplin is working to get back to half guard.
Jardine lands a nice shot to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus Saplin clearly takes that round.
The cut man is working on Marcus Saplin's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Saplin doesn't manage to clinch there - Jardine circles away.
Jardine throws a leg kick
and Saplin makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Saplin misses with a head kick.
Saplin ducks under a wild hook from Jardine.
Jardine lands a jab-cross combination.
Jardine swats away the attempt to clinch by Saplin.
Saplin ducks under a wild hook from Jardine.
Saplin wants to clinch up but Jardine keeps it at a distance.
Saplin tries to close the distance and clinch up but Jardine swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Saplin fails in his attempt to clinch.
Saplin tries to clinch there but Jardine circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saplin ducks under a wild hook from Jardine.
Jardine misses with a straight right.
Saplin moves away from the strike by Jardine.
Saplin wants to clinch up but Jardine keeps it at a distance.
Saplin tries to close the distance and clinch up but Jardine swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Jardine with a lazy takedown attempt

and Saplin holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Jardine is absolutely dripping with sweat - he looks exhausted.
Saplin stops a takedown attempt from Jardine.
Jardine has had enough of the clinch but Saplin keeps him there for the moment.
Saplin lands a knee to the body.
Saplin using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Jardine has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Saplin connects with a nasty looking knee right to Jardine's face.
Saplin throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Jardine blocks it with crossed arms.
Jardine looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saplin misses with a knee to the head.
Saplin crunches a lovely knee into Jardine's ribcage.
Saplin with a knee to the head.
Knees in the clinch landing for Saplin.
Saplin tries to land knees in the clinch but Jardine avoids the damage to the body.
Saplin looking to throw knees to the head but Jardine is blocking nicely.
Saplin tries a knee to the head but Jardine blocks it.
Saplin throws a knee to the head but misses.
Jardine has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Saplin is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Marcus Saplin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bob Jardine.
Saplin using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Jardine has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Saplin misses with a knee to the head.
Jardine has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Saplin avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Saplin looking to throw knees to the head but Jardine is blocking nicely.
Saplin throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saplin with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Saplin throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Jardine blocks it with crossed arms.
Jardine blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Saplin tries a knee to the head but Jardine blocks it.

Jardine pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Jardine avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Jardine misses with a wild combination.
Jardine dives in and grabs Saplin's left leg, looking for a takedown. Saplin pushes down on Jardine's head and hops out.
Saplin dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Jardine. That did some damage!
Jardine misses with the body kick
and Saplin counters with a big head kick but Jardine shrugs it off.
Saplin tries to clinch but Jardine is having none of it.

That's four 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.
Jardine misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Saplin moves in looking to clinch but Jardine pushes him off.

Saplin instigates a clinch.
Jardine blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Saplin keeps control of Jardine as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Jardine is looking to break free of the clinch but Saplin has double underhooks.
Saplin tries to land a knee to the head but Jardine blocks with his arms.
Saplin throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Jardine blocks it with crossed arms.
Saplin tries a knee to the head but Jardine blocks it.
Saplin gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Jardine.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Jardine has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Saplin is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus Saplin had his way with Bob Jardine in that round.
The cut man is working on Marcus Saplin's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Saplin gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Saplin tries a knee to the head but Jardine blocks it.
Jardine tries to break the clinch but Saplin is controlling the position.
Saplin with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Saplin throws a knee to the head but misses.
Saplin tries to land a knee to the head but Jardine blocks with his arms.
Saplin tries to land a knee to the head but Jardine blocks with his arms.
Jardine wants to break the clinch but can't.
Saplin tries to land a knee to the head but Jardine blocks with his arms.
Jardine wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Saplin misses with a knee strike.
Saplin is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Jardine is defending well for now.
Both of our modern day gladiators look out of it here - an gruelling 5 rounds of action taking it's toll on them, no doubt.
Saplin tries to land knees in the clinch but Jardine avoids the damage to the body.
Saplin tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saplin lands a knee to the head.
Saplin lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Jardine drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Saplin tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Jardine can't break the clinch.
Saplin missing with knees to the body.
Saplin missing with knees to the body.

Jardine manages to break the clinch.
Jardine looks to throw the jab but Saplin is out of range.
Saplin tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Jardine throws an overhand right that lands on Saplin's shoulder, as Saplin tries to avoid the shot.
Jardine ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Saplin moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Jardine swats away the attempt to clinch by Saplin.
Jardine throws a right and a left that both miss.
The fight stays on the outside here - Saplin looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Jardine misses with a straight right.
Jardine lands a glancing blow to the side of Saplin's head.
Saplin is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Jardine swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Saplin moves into the clinch.
Jardine has had enough of the clinch but Saplin keeps him there for the moment.
Jardine wants a takedown.
Jardine has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saplin using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Jardine has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Saplin lands a good knee to the midsection. Jardine won't want to take too many of those.
Saplin lands a good knee to the midsection. Jardine won't want to take too many of those.
Saplin using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Jardine has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Saplin tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Saplin landing knees to the body.
Saplin misses with a knee to the head.
Saplin throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Jardine blocks it with crossed arms.
Saplin lands a knee to the head.
Saplin has Jardine pressed against the cage, preventing Jardine from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Saplin tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Saplin tries a knee to the head but Jardine blocks it.
Saplin with a knee to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A frustrated look appears on Jardine's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Jardine wants to break free but Saplin has control.
Saplin tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Saplin with a knee to the head.
A frustrated look appears on Jardine's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Jardine is trying to break the clinch but Saplin has him pressed against the cage.

Jardine has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Saplin is trying to keep an underhook but Jardine manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Marcus Saplin is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Jardine throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Saplin looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Jardine thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Saplin's head.
Bob Jardine has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Saplin wants to get back to full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marcus Saplin showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Saplin has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 49:46
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 49:46
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 49:46

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marcus Saplin!
Marcus Saplin retains his middleweight title!