PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sydney Rain (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jason Sobral (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Rain
vs
Sobral

182 cm
22
173 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

180 cm
23
180 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sydney Rain!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jason Sobral!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Chris Downing and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sobral tries to bum rush Rain with a series of wild strikes but Rain uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A punch combination from Sobral misses.
Jason Sobral seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rain takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Sobral tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rain dodges the punch combination from Sobral.

Rain shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Rain showed some decent athleticism there.

Rain is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Rain is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Sobral has managed to free his arm - good work.

Rain is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Sobral defends it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sobral has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Rain is working away from the top position though.
Rain trying to control the action but Sobral is working from the bottom.

Rain wants to work for an arm triangle but Sobral is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Rain is breathing heavily.
Sobral gets full guard.
Rain passes into half guard.
Sobral trying to control but Rain postures up.
Sobral is not content to let Rain control the position.

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.
Sobral wants to improve his position but Rain is controlling well.
Sobral is trying to stand back up but Rain is controlling him
Rain wants to take a breather but Sobral is having none of it.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

Sobral is defending against the submission attempts here by Rain.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Sobral regains full guard. Nicely done.
Sobral is trying to control the position but Rain postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Sobral throws a right and a left that both miss.
Sobral rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Rain moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Sobral fails to land with a series of punches.
Sobral misses with a double jab.
A punch combination from Sobral misses.
Sobral misses with a series of wild punches.
Sobral throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rain.
No joy there for Sobral, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Sobral throws out a loose jab but Rain uses good head movement to avoid it.
Some wild striking there from Sobral.
Sobral slips a jab and a cross from Rain.
Sobral moves in looking to clinch but Rain pushes him off.

That's four 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.
Sobral tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Sobral misses with a combination
and Rain counters with a two punch combo.
Rain throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Sobral's waist but Sobral gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Rain off to one side.
Rain staying out of range there.

Sobral gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Rain lands a left hand that snaps the head of Sobral backwards.
Sobral is trying to maintain a safe position but Rain gets an underhook and turns Sobral into the ropes.
Rain letting Sobral take a breather here.

Sobral pulls guard.
Sobral is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Rain wants to stand but Sobral is controlling his posture from full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jason Sobral dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Rain dodges the punch combination from Sobral.
Sobral tries to clinch up

and Rain counters with a single leg into guard. Sobral didn't expect that.
Rain throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sobral works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Rain trying to control but Sobral is working from the bottom.
Rain stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sobral swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sobral looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rain postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Sobral is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Rain, into his guard.
Sobral wants to control from the top but Rain keeps moving.

Rain is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Sobral wants to pass the guard but Rain is keeping the position.
Sobral wants to control from the top but Rain keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Sobral pushes down on Rain's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Sobral trying to control the action but Rain is working from the bottom.
Rain is trying to get back to full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Sobral tries to clinch but Rain moves away

and Rain counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Sobral is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Sobral looking for a guillotine here but Rain defends easily.
Rain prevents Sobral from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rain looking to pass the guard.
Rain postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Rain is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Sobral is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Sobral has escaped and now he's on top!
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Rain preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Sobral trying to control the position from guard on top but Rain is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four 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.
Sobral advances to half guard.
Sobral is trying to control. Rain wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Sobral prevents Rain from improving his position.
Sobral passes to full mount!
Sobral has his opponent pinned against the ropes, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Rain's face.

Rain defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Sobral.
Rain tries to get back to half guard but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Sydney Rain will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Sobral tries to clinch but Rain is having none of it.
Sobral wants to clinch.
Rain avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sobral looks to land a left hand but Rain moved out of range nicely.
Sobral throws out a loose jab but Rain uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rain misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Sobral misses with a double jab

and Rain counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Rain.
Rain wants to control from the top but Sobral keeps moving.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sobral looking to control.
Sobral avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Sobral is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Rain looking to pass the guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Rain shoots in for a takedown but Sobral shows good takedown defense.
Sobral misses the body punch
and Rain counters with a two punch combo.
Sobral misses with a combination

and Rain counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rain is stalling here. Sobral is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Rain seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Sobral has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Sobral is staying tight to Rain's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Rain is not content to let Sobral control the position.
Sobral landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.

Sobral working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Rain is trying to control Sobral's posture but Sobral avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sobral trying to control the action but Rain is working from the bottom.
Rain tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Sobral presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Sobral is landing with some decent strikes but Rain is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Rain wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Sobral is not going to allow Rain to sit and survive in this position.
Rain wants to escape the position.

Sobral working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sobral looking for the choke from the back.
Rain is trying to stand back up.
Rain is really stuck here.
Rain prevents Sobral from getting a body triangle.
Sobral punishes Rain with strikes from the back mount.
Rain covers up after that shot from Sobral.
Rain breaks Sobral's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Rain trying to control but Sobral is working from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Sydney Rain.
I think Rain has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 29:29
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a draw!