PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Lazarus Saunders (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jorge Vantuiese (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jorge Vantuiese will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Saunders
vs
Vantuiese

178 cm
25
167 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

176 cm
19
178 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Lazarus Saunders!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jorge Vantuiese!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Saunders tries for a takedown but Vantuiese sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Vantuiese steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Saunders.

Saunders gets a double leg takedown into Vantuiese's guard.
Vantuiese looking to hit a scissor sweep but Saunders is one step ahead there.
Vantuiese looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Saunders throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Vantuiese works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Saunders tries to free his leg and advance position but Vantuiese is retaining full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Saunders trying to control but Vantuiese is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saunders stopping the sweep attempt from Vantuiese.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Saunders stays in close to Vantuiese's body and controls the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Saunders tries for a takedown but Vantuiese circles away easily
and Vantuiese counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Saunders shoots in for a takedown but Vantuiese shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lazarus Saunders. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Vantuiese scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Saunders gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Vantuiese really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Saunders. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Saunders is breathing heavily.
Saunders keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Still in half guard, Vantuiese seems content to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vantuiese is keen to just control but Saunders is a slippery customer.
Saunders is trying to control but can't.
Vantuiese not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Vantuiese is looking to take a break and control but Saunders is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Vantuiese slaps away a takedown attempt from Saunders, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Donk. Vantuiese catches Saunders right on the button with a cross.

Vantuiese shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Saunders manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vantuiese slips nicely into half guard.
Saunders wants to control but Vantuiese is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Saunders is defending against the submission attempts here by Vantuiese.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vantuiese trying to control from half guard but Saunders is working away.
Saunders is trying to get back to full guard.

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.
Well, if Vantuiese 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.
Vantuiese is looking to take a break and control but Saunders is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Vantuiese is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jorge Vantuiese dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Saunders gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Vantuiese to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Saunders trying to control the position.

Saunders throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Saunders keeping moving, preventing Vantuiese from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Saunders has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Vantuiese can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Saunders keeping full guard, as Vantuiese tries to pass.
Saunders looking for a sweep. Not yet Saunders, not yet.
Jorge Vantuiese has got the better of the ground game so far.
Vantuiese wants to control from the top but Saunders keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Saunders looking to control.
Vantuiese would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Vantuiese 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.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Vantuiese decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Vantuiese closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Saunders is looking to improve his position.
Saunders keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vantuiese moves into full mount! Saunders won't be happy about that!
Vantuiese working Saunders over with strikes here.
Vantuiese takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Saunders wants to hold on but Vantuiese pushes him away.
Vantuiese lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Saunders hang on?
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Saunders is working to get back to half guard.
The referee warns Saunders that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vantuiese lands with some strikes.

Saunders is rocked!
Vantuiese lands a big elbow - Saunders is in trouble! More strikes from the mount and Saunders is forced to tap out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:31 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Jorge Vantuiese!
The defeated Lazarus Saunders had this to say: 'Everyone looses, and i guess this was my time, congrats to my opponent, he is a formidable opponent. I shall come back stronger than aver.'.