PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Martin Lau (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vasco Sousa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lau comes to the cage accompanied by Remember the Name. Vasco Sousa is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Lau
vs
Sousa

187 cm
18
190 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

190 cm
21
190 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Tends to cut

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Martin Lau!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Vasco Sousa!
The judges for this bout are Radbod Blank, Wagner Zegers and Paul Aken.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lau misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Lau tries to clinch up but Sousa circles away and keeps his distance.

Sousa scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Sousa looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Lau with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Sousa is keen to just control but Lau is a slippery customer.
Lau trying to hold on to Sousa's head to control him but Sousa postures up.
Sousa looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Sousa thows a huge punch but Lau dodges it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sousa trying to control the action but Lau is working from the bottom.
Sousa seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Lau is looking to escape.
Sousa throws a strike but Lau avoids it easily and moves to full guard.

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.
Sousa working some strikes from top position.

Sousa stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Sousa fails in his attempt to clinch.
Martin Lau is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Lau moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.

It looks like Vasco Sousa has been cut.
Lau throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Lau is breathing heavily.
Lau tries a head kick but it misses.
Lau throws a nice looking combination but Sousa bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Sousa pushes Lau up against the cage in a clinch.

Sousa breaks the clinch.
Martin Lau seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Sousa.
Lau throws a head kick but Sousa moves out of range.
Lau tries to clinch but Sousa is having none of it.
Sousa is looking to clinch but Lau is avoiding it.
Lau tries to clinch but Sousa moves away

and Sousa counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Sousa.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sousa's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Sousa working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Lau knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Sousa on the ground.

Sousa stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Sousa plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Lau tries to clinch

and Sousa counters by clinching up.
Lau gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Sousa can't break the clinch.
Sousa trying to stall but Lau improves his position.

Sousa manages to break the clinch.
Sousa takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Sousa lands a head kick. Lau smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Lau lands with a nice combination. Sousa backs away looking to recover.
Lau darts in trying to clinch

and Sousa counters with a takedown into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sousa passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Lau!
Lau is trying desperately to improve position.
Sousa tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sousa landing shots from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vasco Sousa dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Vasco Sousa's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Lau closes the distance but Sousa moves to the side

and Sousa holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Sousa tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Lau lands a knee to the head.
Sousa prevents Lau from breaking the clinch.
Lau pushes off an throws an elbow but Sousa leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Sousa pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Lau circles away from the clinch attempt.
Lau lands with a slapping head kick.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Lau doesn't manage to clinch there - Sousa circles away.
Lau throws a lazy head kick

and Sousa holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Sousa is trying to stall.
Sousa tries to land knees in the clinch but Lau avoids the damage to the body.
Lau wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Sousa misses with a knee strike.

Sousa breaks from the clinch.
Lau swats away the attempt to clinch by Sousa.
Martin Lau is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Lau tries to clinch

and Sousa counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Sousa.
Sousa is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lau tries to stall but Sousa uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Lau gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Sousa is trying to break free.
Sousa fails to pull guard.
Sousa takes a knee right on the jaw!

Sousa pulls Lau into guard.
Lau wants to stand and escape but instead Sousa has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Sousa throwing strikes but missing.
Sousa controlling from the top position.

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.
Lau preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Sousa trying to control but Lau is working from the bottom.

Sousa drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Lau dives on top into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lau has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Sousa is proving hard to escape from.
Lau wants to stand and escape but instead Sousa has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Sousa is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Lau avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Lau utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Lau being controlled here, momentarily.
Sousa has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Lau is trying to keep Sousa in close.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Vasco Sousa will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Vasco Sousa's cut.
That's time! Lau's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Lau misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Sousa blocks a head kick by Lau.
No luck for Sousa with that takedown attempt.
Sousa tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Sousa doesn't manage to clinch there - Lau circles away.
Lau lands with an overhand left.
Lau throws a series of punches but Sousa moves out of range.
Lau tries to close the distance and clinch but Sousa swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Sousa slips a jab and a cross from Lau.
Sousa shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Lau sprawls well. Lau wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Sousa gets slowly back to his feet.

Sousa gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Lau is looking to break free of the clinch but Sousa has double underhooks.
Sousa manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sousa tries to break the clinch but Lau is controlling the position.

Sousa's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Lau looks to clinch
and Sousa counters with a body kick.
Sousa blocks a jab.
Lau throws a series of punches but Sousa avoids them all with ease.
Lau leaves Sousa with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Martin Lau has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vasco Sousa.
Lau wants to clinch but Sousa slips to the side

and Sousa counters by clinching up.
Sousa misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Lau.
Sousa has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Lau is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Knees in the clinch landing for Lau.
Sousa throws an elbow that misses.
Sousa wants a takedown but no success here.

Sousa manages to break the clinch.
Lau throws a sloppy head kick and Sousa moves out of range easily.

Sousa fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Lau, pushing him back against the cage.
Sousa is trying to break free.
Lau takes an elbow to the forehead.
Sousa stalling in the clinch but Lau improves position.

Lau's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lau keeps the fight on the outside.
A nice combination there by Lau.
Lau misses with a looping right.
Lau misses with a body shot

and Sousa decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Lau's guard.
Sousa sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Lau wants to sweep here but Sousa controlling him for the moment.
Sousa thows a big elbow that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sousa throwing strikes but missing.
Sousa wants to control from the top but Lau keeps moving.
Sousa seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Martin Lau has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four 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.

Sousa gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Lau leaves Sousa with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Lau throws a head kick that misses
and Sousa counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Lau is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Lau throws a head kick that misses.
Vasco Sousa is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Sousa closes the distance and pushes Lau back into the cage.
Sousa tries to circle away but Lau has him pinned against the cage.

Lau breaks from the clinch.
Sousa shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Lau as he avoids it easily.
Lau moves in looking to clinch but Sousa pushes him off.
Sousa avoids the head kick by Lau.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vasco Sousa comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Sousa 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 Radbod Blank scores the fight 27:30
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Vasco Sousa!