PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Kevin Love (ranked 2614 p4p, 260 weight class) and Maverick Syndal (ranked 3204 p4p, 301 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Love
vs
Syndal

175 cm
20
155 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

180 cm
20
155 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Mockstar Energy Drinks 160Q

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kevin Love!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Maverick Syndal!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Alan Glass and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Syndal rushes Love and presses him up against the cage.
Syndal scores with a nice hook to the head.
Syndal stalling the fight.

Love ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Love no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Syndal looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Syndal wants to control from the top but Love keeps moving.
Syndal trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Syndal is standing up over Love. Love looks to escape but Syndal dives into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Syndal looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Love is avoiding damage well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Syndal in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Syndal throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Syndal controls the position from side control.
Syndal's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Let's hope that Syndal has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
An elbow from Syndal crashes against the mat.
Syndal throws a strike aimed at the side of Love's head but Love avoids it well.
Syndal tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Syndal wants to lay and pray for a moment but Love keeps working.

Syndal has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Syndal bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Syndal fails in his attempt to clinch.

Syndal closes the distance and clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Love blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Love has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Love content to slow the pace in the clinch.

Love manages to pull guard.
Syndal has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Syndal won't allow Love to get back to his feet.
Syndal working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Love working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Syndal.
Love is looking to stand up but Syndal isn't so interested in that idea.
Love keeping moving, preventing Syndal from controlling successfully.
Love utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Syndal is stalling in the full guard.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Syndal lands a jab to the nose.

Syndal clinches.
Syndal is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Syndal.
Love blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Syndal throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Loves head.

Love pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Syndal has closed the distance and engaged Love in a clinch.
Love's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Love is trying to break free.
Syndal lands a shoulder strike.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A frustrated look appears on Love's face as he tries to break the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maverick Syndal dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Syndal forces Love back against the cage and clinches.
Syndal throws a head punch that misses.
Syndal being controlled against the cage.
Syndal prevents the takedown attempt.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Love.
Syndal lands a shot to the body.
Love is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Syndal gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Love tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Syndal smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kevin Love. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Syndal takes the fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Syndal.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Syndal throws a punch but it's blocked by Love.
Syndal throws a punch but it's blocked by Love.
Maverick Syndal seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Love taking a breather.

Love breaks the clinch.
Syndal tries to close the distance and clinch but Love swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Syndal closes the distance and pushes Love back into the cage.
Love tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Love tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Love's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A punch combination from Syndal misses.
Syndal tries to close the distance and clinch but Love swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Syndal tries to clinch but Love is having none of it.
Syndal looks to score with a jab to the body but Love is just out of range.
Syndal walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Syndal is looking to clinch but Love is avoiding it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Syndal closes the distance and clinches.
Love fails to pull guard.
Syndal stalling the fight.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Love.
Love blocks an uppercut.
Syndal pushes Love back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Love lands a shoulder strike.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Syndal working aggressively here.
Love has Syndal pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Syndal manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Syndal misses with a punch on the inside.
Love drops down looking for an ankle pick but Syndal pulls his leg out and moves away.

Syndal has closed the distance and engaged Love in a clinch.
Syndal lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Syndal has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Love lands a hook that snaps the head of Syndal backwards.
Syndal has a couple of punches blocked by Love.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Syndal lands a hook that snaps the head of Love backwards.
Syndal softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Syndal throws a head punch that misses.
Syndal is defending well against a takedown attempt.

Love's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nice defenses there by Love.

Syndal forces Love back against the cage and clinches.
Syndal fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Syndal throws a head punch that misses.
Syndal misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Love letting Syndal take a breather here.
Syndal taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Love stalling.
Love is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Syndal is keeping busy.
Syndal lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Syndal throws a head punch that misses.
Love tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Syndal smiles and moves away.
Syndal moves out of range of the strikes.
Syndal tries to clinch up but Love circles away and keeps his distance.

Syndal has managed to clinch.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Syndal takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Love tries to pull guard but Syndal forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Syndal stops a takedown attempt from Love.
A short body shot lands from Syndal as the two fighters clinch.
Syndal misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Syndal pressing his opponent against the cage.
Syndal swings wildly with an uppercut but Love uses good head movement to avoid it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maverick Syndal showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Syndal tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Love swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Syndal fails to land with a series of punches.
A cross from Love lands.
Syndal uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Love.
Syndal fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Syndal drives through and clinches with Love against the cage.
Syndal misses with a hook from the clinch.
Syndal fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Love takes a shot to the head.
Syndal has a couple of punches blocked by Love.
Syndal misses with a punch on the inside.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Syndal tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Love with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Syndal lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Syndal fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Love.
Love missing with knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Love.
Syndal misses with a punch on the inside.
A short left from Syndal.

Love pulls guard effortlessly.
Syndal stops Love from standing up.
Syndal pushing down on Love's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Love on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Love tries to get out of the position.
Syndal trying to control the pace.

Syndal decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Syndal on the wrong end of a nice jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Syndal tries to clinch but Love moves out of range.

Syndal rushes Love and presses him up against the cage.
Good body shot from Syndal.
Love tries to pull guard but Syndal holds him up against the cage and eventually Love drops back down to his feet.
A right hook to the body lands for Syndal.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A short right from Syndal on the inside.
Syndal stops a takedown attempt from Love.
Syndal lands a shoulder strike.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A head punch blocked on the inside by Love.
Syndal throws a head punch that misses.
Syndal taking a breather.
Love tries to pull guard but Syndal won't allow it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kevin Love. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Syndal lands a shoulder strike.
Love jumps guard but Syndal stands there with Love around his waist. Love gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Syndal working aggressively here.
Syndal misses with a hook from the clinch.
Love goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Syndal scores with a nice hook to the head.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Love.
Syndal takes a shot to the head.
Syndal swings away with an uppercut that misses.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Syndal.
Syndal misses with a hook from the clinch.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Syndal.
Syndal doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
The referee calls for Syndal to work.
Love wants to take the fight to the mat but Syndal manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Syndal tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Syndal misses with a hook to the ribs.
Syndal misses with a short punch on the inside.
Syndal misses with some punches.
Syndal fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Syndal.
Syndal swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Love manages to break the clinch.
Syndal is looking to clinch.
Syndal moves in looking to clinch but Love pushes him off.
Syndal uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Love.
Syndal looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Syndal tries to clinch there but Love circles away.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Love throws a shot from downtown. Syndal moves away and avoids it.
Syndal tries to clinch but Love is having none of it.
Syndal tries to clinch but Love moves out of range.
Kevin Love has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Love throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Syndal sees it coming and avoids it easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Maverick Syndal comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Syndal 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 George Francis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 27:30
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Maverick Syndal!
Maverick Syndal thanked the fans post fight for their support.