PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Gil Wong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chael Sonham (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Wong
vs
Sonham

213 cm
24
194 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

187 cm
25
192 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Inexperienced

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Solid chin

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 New York, Gil Wong!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Chael Sonham!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, David Schapiro and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sonham bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Wong's head.

It looks like Gil Wong has been cut.

Sonham moves into the clinch.
Wong looking to slow down the pace here.
Wong is looking to control Sonham's arms but Sonham gets an underhook and turns him. Now Wong has his back to the cage.
Sonham wants to break the clinch but can't.

Sonham pulls guard successfully.
Wong controlling from the top position.
Wong works over Sonham with some ground and pound from guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Wong landing with the ground and pound.
Sonham controls Wong momentarily but Wong frees himself.
Sonham keeping moving, preventing Wong from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sonham working for a triangle but Wong defends it easily.
Sonham is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Wong has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Wong wants to control from the top but Sonham keeps moving.
Wong stops Sonham from standing up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Sonham doesn't manage to clinch there - Wong circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Sonham tries for a takedown but Wong circles away easily

and Wong counters by clinching up.

Wong pulls guard successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Wong working a defensive guard here.
Sonham trying to control but Wong is working from the bottom.
Sonham must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Sonham postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Wong wants to stand up but Sonham is controlling him.
Sonham landing with the ground and pound.
Sonham stops Wong from standing up.
Wong wants to sweep here but Sonham controlling him for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wong is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Sonham is controlling him.
Sonham trying to control the position from guard on top but Wong is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Wong wants to sweep but no luck.

Sonham thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Sonham has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Wong is proving hard to escape from.
Sonham stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Wong swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Wong will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Wong is trying to control the position but Sonham postures up.

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

Sonham decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Sonham is looking for a kimura here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wong gets back to full guard.
Sonham looking to pass the guard.
Wong looking for a sweep. Not yet Wong, not yet.
Sonham with a nice head shot there.
Sonham content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Wong managing to control the position.
Wong manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Sonham manages to get himself to full guard.

Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Sonham looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Chael Sonham will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Gil Wong's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Sonham has taken the fight to the clinch.
Wong is stalling here.
Sonham blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Wong really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Wong slowing the pace effectively.
Wong swings wildly with an uppercut but Sonham uses good head movement to avoid it.
Wong is trying to stall.
Wong lands on the inside with an uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Wong fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Wong working aggressively here.
Sonham avoiding damage as Wong throws knees to the body.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Wong.
A short right from Wong on the inside.

Sonham has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Wong uses from the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wong is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Sonham looking to control.
Wong distracts Sonham with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Sonham working for a triangle but Wong defends it easily.

Sonham throws his legs up looking for a submission but Wong uses it to pass to side control.
Wong working the ground and pound.

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.

Wong is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Sonham has escaped the position, nice work there.
Sonham tries to control but Wong manages to take his back.
Sonham manages to reverse the position and now he's in Wong's guard. Nice work there by Sonham.
Wong wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Wong trying to control the position.
Sonham missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Wong has his hands on Sonham's head, controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonham won't allow Wong to get back to his feet.
Chael Sonham has got the better of the ground game so far.
Wong looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Wong wants to stand and escape but Sonham is having none of it.
Sonham controlling from the top position.
Sonham trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Wong is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Sonham is controlling him.
Wong looking for a sweep. Not yet Wong, not yet.
Sonham not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Wong manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Sonham manages to get himself to full guard.

Sonham working for submissions but it's allowed Wong to get to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sonham is trying to get back to full guard.
Wong tries to stand but can't do so whilst Sonham controls his leg.
Sonham is trying to control but can't.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Wong is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Wong is thwarting Sonham's attempts to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gil Wong dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Gil Wong's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Wong tries to clinch but Sonham moves away

and Sonham counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Sonham is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Wong tries to roll over but Sonham keeps him under control.
Wong is looking to control Sonham's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Wong avoid being mounted?
Wong is staying active underneath Sonham, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Wong is controlling Sonham's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Wong looks like he's trying to stand up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Wong is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wong on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Sonham passes into side control, despite Wong's attempt to control the position.

Sonham is trying to get an arm triangle but Wong is defending well.
Wong tries to improve position but can't.
Wong can't do much from the bottom here.
Wong tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Sonham wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Wong struggling a bit here.
Wong is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Wong wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sonham is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Sonham is looking to take a break and control but Wong is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Wong slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Wong is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Sonham is controlling him.
Sonham postures up and lands a big shot to Wong's brow.
Wong pulls Sonham in close to his closed guard and prevents Sonham from doing any damage or advancing position.
Sonham landing with the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonham trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Wong controlling the position.
Wong bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Sonham's guard.

Wong stopping the sweep attempt from Sonham.
Wong wants to control from the top but Sonham keeps moving.
Sonham throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Sonham has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Wong has passed into side control.
Sonham is trying to get back to half guard.

Wong working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sonham sneaks back into half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Sonham can do anything to dispel that myth.

Wong is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Sonham doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Wong.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Sonham wants to get back to full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Chael Sonham.
I think Sonham has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight 28:29
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chael Sonham!
Chael Sonham decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.