PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Steve Hess (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and King Sampson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). King Sampson has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Hess
vs
Sampson

182 cm
24
215 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

189 cm
23
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Steve Hess!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, King Sampson!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Ivan Kurochkin and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sampson misses the body punch

and Hess counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Hess could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Sampson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Hess shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Sampson as he avoids it easily.
Hess moves out of range of the body kick from Sampson.
Sampson looks to land a body kick but Hess moved away.

Sampson gets tackled into the cage by Hess. Hess maintains the clinch.
Hess is trying to break free.
Sampson keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Hess's efforts to push away.

Sampson manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Hess slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sampson wants to sweep here but Hess controlling him for the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Sampson working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Hess has passed into half guard!
Hess with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sampson is looking for a sweep. Hess is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Well, if Hess is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Steve Hess wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Sampson clinches up with Hess and pushes him back against the cage.
Hess lands an elbow inside that Sampson shrugs off.
Sampson wants to break the clinch but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sampson keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Hess's efforts to push away.

Hess breaks the clinch.
Sampson throws a leg kick
and Hess counters with a big head kick but Sampson shrugs it off.

Sampson clinches.

Sampson gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Hess is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Hess thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

Sampson is trying to tuck his arms in to keep them safe but Hess has managed to isolate one of them and has got a loose triangle. Sampson is looking to defend but Hess has done well to lock his legs together - this could be big trouble for Sampson! Hess pulls down on the head and a little smile comes across his face - he knows he's got it. Yep, Sampson taps out and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Steve Hess!