PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Fjord Fjordson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Wanderlie Sobral (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fjord Fjordson has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Fjordson
vs
Sobral

192 cm
20
168 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

170 cm
18
177 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Fjord Fjordson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Wanderlie Sobral!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Paulo Santos and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sobral circles away from the clinch attempt.
Sobral should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Sobral.
Sobral misses with the combination.
Sobral tries to clinch up but Fjordson circles away and keeps his distance.
Fjordson really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Sobral avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sobral throws a sloppy head kick and Fjordson moves out of range easily.
Fjordson blocks a head kick by Sobral.
Sobral misses with a two punch combination.
Fjordson blocks a jab.
Fjordson tries to clinch but Sobral moves away

and Sobral holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Sobral gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Fjordson prevents the takedown attempt.
Fjordson working hard to break the clinch.
Sobral wants a takedown but no success here.
Fjordson looking to throw knees to the head but Sobral is blocking nicely.
Sobral is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Fjordson pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Fjord Fjordson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Wanderlie Sobral.

Sobral turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Sobral manages to end up in side control.
Fjordson is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Sobral is controlling him well.
Sobral throws an elbow but Fjordson slips to the side and avoids it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fjordson is trying to buck Sobral off.
A lull in the action here as Sobral stalls from top position.

Sobral wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Fjordson, who protects the arm well.
Fjordson is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fjordson struggling a bit here.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Sobral crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Fjordson - the referee stops the clock and Sobral gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Fjordson. Sobral manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Fjordson throws a nice outside leg kick.
Fjordson blocks a head kick by Sobral.
Sobral looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fjordson connects with a high kick.

It looks like Wanderlie Sobral has been cut.
Fjordson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sobral paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Sobral pushes Fjordson up against the cage in a clinch.
Fjordson pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Sobral just leaning against Fjordson, taking a breather.

Fjordson breaks the clinch.
Sobral throws a lazy head kick
and Fjordson connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Fjordson lands a nice looking kick to the body. Sobral takes a step back to recover.
Fjordson tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Sobral connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Sobral circles away from the clinch attempt.
A chopping leg kick lands by Fjordson.

Fjordson gets a takedown into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sobral wants to improve his position but Fjordson is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Fjordson is looking for a kimura but Sobral is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Fjordson to get the leverage.
Fjordson seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Sobral does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Sobral wants to improve his position but Fjordson is controlling well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Fjordson wants to pass to mount but Sobral is defending the position.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Sobral has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Fjordson is working away from the top position though.
Fjordson wants to stand up but Sobral is controlling the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Fjordson looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fjord Fjordson dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Wanderlie Sobral'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.

Sobral clinches up with Fjordson and pushes him back against the cage.

Sobral is trying to trip Fjordson. He has hold of a leg but Fjordson is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Sobral persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Sobral loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Fjordson is looking for a triangle here but Sobral uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.

Sobral is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Fjordson knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Sobral swings around for an armbar but Fjordson sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Sobral's guard.
Fjordson trying to control but Sobral is working from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Fjordson tries to stand but Sobral is controlling from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sobral wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Fjordson trying to control but Sobral is working from the bottom.
Fjordson will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Sobral is pulling down on Fjordson's head. It's preventing any offense from Fjordson, at least for the moment.
Fjordson trying to control the position from guard on top but Sobral is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Sobral, right into the meat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fjordson shoots for a takedown but Sobral saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Fjordson lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Sobral backs up against the cage.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Fjordson.

Sobral drives through and clinches with Fjordson against the cage.

Sobral gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Sobral perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Sobral is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Fjordson defends it well.
Sobral winds up and cracks Fjordson with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Sobral content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Sobral throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sobral trying to control the pace.
Sobral is pressing down on Fjordson's thigh, looking to free his foot. Fjordson is holding on for now.
Sobral lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fjordson tries to roll over but Sobral keeps him under control.
Sobral slows the pace down in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Wanderlie Sobral showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Wanderlie Sobral'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. This is the final round!

Sobral swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Fjordson counters with a nice uppercut.
Fjordson fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Sobral gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Fjordson to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Sobral trying to control the position here.
Fjordson is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sobral trying to control the position here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sobral preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Fjordson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sobral swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Sobral is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Sobral wants to stand but Fjordson is controlling the position.
Sobral manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Fjordson manages to get himself to full guard.
Sobral must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sobral content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Sobral controls from within his opponent's guard.
Sobral won't allow Fjordson to sweep him here.
Sobral is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Fjordson is trying to control the position but Sobral postures up.
Sobral working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

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.
Fjordson keeping moving, preventing Sobral from controlling successfully.
Sobral might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Fjordson kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

Despite being in the dominant position, Wanderlie Sobral just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Sobral tries to clinch there but Fjordson circles away.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Fjordson.
Fjordson uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Sobral.
Sobral thows a left - swing and a miss!
Fjordson tries to score a power double leg takedown but Sobral sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Fjordson somewhat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Fjord Fjordson. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Sobral closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Sobral's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Sobral throws a sloppy head kick and Fjordson moves out of range easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Wanderlie Sobral comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Sobral 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Wanderlie Sobral!