PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dave Boyle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rashad Sokoudjou (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Boyle
vs
Sokoudjou

197 cm
23
260 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

197 cm
20
274 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Granite chin

Knock Out Artistry

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Dave Boyle!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Rashad Sokoudjou!
The judges for this bout are Dillan Fox, Robert Douchet and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Boyle misses with an uppercut.
Boyle swats away the attempt to clinch by Sokoudjou.
Sokoudjou avoids a punch combination nicely.
Sokoudjou shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Dave Boyle seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A big right from Boyle misses.
Boyle loads up on a big right hand but Sokoudjou slips the punch.
Sokoudjou tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Boyle swivels and escapes.
Boyle is looking to clinch but Sokoudjou is avoiding it.

Sokoudjou fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Boyle sprawls well initially but Sokoudjou persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Sokoudjou prevents Boyle from improving his position.
Sokoudjou working over Boyle with some ground and pound. Boyle looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

It looks like Dave Boyle has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sokoudjou prevents Boyle from improving his position.
Boyle trying to hold on to Sokoudjou's head to control him but Sokoudjou postures up.

Sokoudjou seems to be working for a kimura but Boyle defends the submission attempt.

Sokoudjou is trying to work for a kimura but Boyle is defending well.
Boyle wants to control but Sokoudjou passes into side.
Boyle manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Sokoudjou is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

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.
Sokoudjou is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Boyle works his way into side control.
Sokoudjou is trying to work for a sweep but Boyle has mounted him!
Sokoudjou bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Boyle manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Sokoudjou manages to get himself to full guard.
Sokoudjou wants to sweep here but Boyle controlling him for the moment.

Sokoudjou working for submissions but it's allowed Boyle to get to half guard.
Boyle keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sokoudjou is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Boyle's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Boyle's back!
Boyle manages to reverse the position and now he's in Sokoudjou's guard. Nice work there by Boyle.
Boyle passes Sokoudjou's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

Sokoudjou looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Sokoudjou wants to get back to full guard.
Sokoudjou looks gassed!
Boyle wants to take a breather but Sokoudjou is having none of it.
Sokoudjou tries to roll over but Boyle keeps him under control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Boyle looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Sokoudjou looks for a takedown but Boyle sprawls well.
Dave Boyle has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rashad Sokoudjou.
Horrible takedown by Sokoudjou or perhaps it was just good defense by Boyle which made him look bad.
Sokoudjou staying out of range there.
Sokoudjou takes a jab right on the kisser.
Sokoudjou throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Sokoudjou takes a swing at Boyle's ribcage but misses.
Boyle checks a leg kick.
Boyle wants to clinch
and Sokoudjou counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Rashad Sokoudjou will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Dave Boyle's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Sokoudjou tries to clinch
and Boyle counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Boyle lands with a hook. Sokoudjou tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Sokoudjou looks to land a body kick but Boyle moved away.
Boyle jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Boyle jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Sokoudjou looks for a takedown but Boyle sprawls well.
A decent looking cross lands there for Boyle.
Boyle swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Sokoudjou tries to land a leg kick but Boyle saw it coming and moves away.
Boyle checks a leg kick.
Sokoudjou moves away from the strike by Boyle.
Boyle is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Sokoudjou.
Sokoudjou closes the distance but Boyle moves to the side
and Boyle counters with a straight right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sokoudjou lands a nice leg kick that just misses Boyle's sensitive parts.
Sokoudjou throws a predictable looking body shot
and Boyle cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Sokoudjou plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
A telegraphed right hand from Boyle misses the target.
Sokoudjou avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Boyle is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Sokoudjou.
Boyle scores with a body shot.
Boyle stuffs the takedown.
Sokoudjou defending well as Boyle loads up on a big left hand.
Sokoudjou fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Boyle avoids it really well and circles away.
Dave Boyle has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rashad Sokoudjou.
Sokoudjou tries to clinch but Boyle moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sokoudjou pivots, looking for a leg kick but Boyle is out of range and Sokoudjou settles back down.
Boyle looks to throw the jab but Sokoudjou is out of range.
Boyle throws a one two combo.
Boyle throws out a loose jab but Sokoudjou uses good head movement to avoid it.
Sokoudjou lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Boyle waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Sokoudjou.
Boyle slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
A swing and a miss from Boyle.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Sokoudjou.
Sokoudjou shoots in for a double leg but Boyle sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Boyle wants to clinch.
Sokoudjou shoots in for a takedown but Boyle shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Boyle misses with a looping right.
Boyle lands a jab to the head.
Sokoudjou plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Sokoudjou on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Sokoudjou goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Boyle dips to his left and cracks Sokoudjou with an uppercut!
Sokoudjou tries to close the distance and clinch up but Boyle swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Boyle keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Boyle connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Sokoudjou with a poor takedown
and Boyle counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Sokoudjou.
Boyle doesn't manage to clinch there - Sokoudjou circles away.
Boyle looks to throw the jab but Sokoudjou is out of range.
Dave Boyle is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Boyle throws a series of punches but Sokoudjou moves out of range.
A jab from Boyle misses.
Sokoudjou plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sokoudjou shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Boyle counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Sokoudjou ducks under a wild hook from Boyle.
Boyle misses with a hook. Sokoudjou ducked under it nicely.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sokoudjou shoots and misses
and Boyle counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Sokoudjou is breathing heavily.
Sokoudjou slips under a jab from Boyle.
Sokoudjou shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dave Boyle dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Dave Boyle's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Boyle swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Boyle scores with a one two! Sokoudjou had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Sokoudjou avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Sokoudjou lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Boyle has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Boyle and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Boyle tries to clinch up

and Sokoudjou counters with a nice double leg into side control. Boyle won't be happy with that.
Boyle wants to control but Sokoudjou postures up.
Sokoudjou misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

Sokoudjou tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Sokoudjou has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Sokoudjou lands a nice forearm strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sokoudjou misses with the ground and pound.

Sokoudjou thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Sokoudjou takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Boyle is trying to control Sokoudjou's posture but Sokoudjou avoids it.
Boyle sneaks back into half guard.
Boyle is looking for a sweep. Sokoudjou is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Sokoudjou missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Boyle tries to roll over but Sokoudjou keeps him under control.
Boyle makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Boyle.

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.

Sokoudjou is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Boyle is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Boyle has escaped and now he's on top!

Sokoudjou throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Boyle controlling from the top position.

Sokoudjou has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Boyle is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Sokoudjou.
Boyle happy to just control the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sokoudjou is trying to get back to half guard.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Rashad Sokoudjou has got the better of the ground game so far.
Boyle wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sokoudjou keeps working.
Sokoudjou gets back to half guard.
Boyle is looking to advance position but Sokoudjou won't allow it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sokoudjou is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Boyle's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Boyle's back!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Sokoudjou is trying to stick to Boyle's back but Boyle is turning into Sokoudjou. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Sokoudjou's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Boyle.
Sokoudjou wants to sweep but no luck.
Sokoudjou keeping moving, preventing Boyle from controlling successfully.
Sokoudjou wants to improve his position but instead Boyle has moved into half guard.
Sokoudjou punching from the bottom.
Sokoudjou won't allow Boyle to pass to mount.
Boyle is looking to pass Sokoudjou's guard but actually Sokoudjou recovers to full guard.
Sokoudjou is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Sokoudjou wants to free his trapped foot but Boyle is holding on for dear life with his legs.

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 Dave Boyle.
I think Boyle 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 Dillan Fox scores the fight 29:29
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 29:28
Judge William Peck scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a draw!