PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Alejandro Sosa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rodrigo Reis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sosa comes to the cage accompanied by Maria Conchita - Vamos A Bailar. Reis has chosen Blood Brothers as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Sosa
vs
Reis

188 cm
26
196 lbs
14 - 5 - 0

180 cm
24
200 lbs
13 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 14 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Alejandro Sosa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rodrigo Reis!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Felipe Paraventi and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Reis takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Reis moves forwards but Sosa connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Sosa throws a jab when Reis was well out of range.
Sosa is trying hard to land a takedown here. Reis sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Sosa shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Sosa was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Reis really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Sosa is trying to take his opponent's back.
Reis is trying desperately to improve position.
Sosa controlling the position easily from mount.
Reis tries to hold on but Sosa postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sosa is trying to take his opponent's back.
Sosa tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

Sosa is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Reis to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Reis shrugs it off.
Reis is looking to improve his position but Sosa isn't that keen on the idea.
Sosa tries to control but Reis wriggling away.
Sosa controlling the pace for now.

That's two 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.
Sosa prevents Reis from getting the reversal.
Reis tries to lock up and control but Sosa gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Reis trying desperately to get to his feet.
Sosa is trying to take his opponent's back.
Reis is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Sosa looking to secure an arm triangle but Reis defends it well.
Sosa trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sosa jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Reis is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Reis and Sosa has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Reis tries to bench press Sosa off him but Sosa keeps the position.
Sosa trying to control the action but Reis is working from the bottom.
Reis tries to buck Sosa off but Sosa is having none of it.
You can see the frustration on Reis's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Sosa advances to mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sosa tries to control but Reis wriggling away.
Sosa is stalling here but it's allowed Reis to get half guard.
Sosa seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Reis does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Reis is pressing down on Sosa's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Sosa wants to control from the top but Reis keeps moving.
Sosa forces his way into half guard.
Sosa is trying to control. Reis wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alejandro Sosa dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Sosa takes a swing at Reis's ribcage but misses.
Reis throws a predictable looking body shot
and Sosa makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Sosa will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Sosa throws a hook to the side of Reis's head but Reis sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Rodrigo Reis is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sosa misses with a takedown attempt - Reis sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Sosa keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Reis.
Reis moves out of range as Sosa strikes.
Reis pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Sosa dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Sosa misses with a looping left.
Reis misses with a wild body shot.
Alejandro Sosa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A lazy left from Sosa finds it's target.
Reis misses with a two punch combination.
Sosa cracks Reis with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
A punch lands to the side of Reis 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Sosa thows a body shot but no joy.
Reis throws a hook but Sosa avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reis walks into a straight right hand from Sosa.
Sosa is looking to clinch but Reis is avoiding it.
Reis throws a predictable looking body shot
and Sosa counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Sosa's corner calls for a 1-2. Sosa obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.

Sosa shoots in and bounces Reis off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Sosa trying to control but Reis is working from the bottom.
Reis wants to sweep but no luck.
Sosa pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Reis is keeping the position for now.
Reis is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Sosa stands and throws Reis's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sosa wants to control but Reis is keeping him busy.
Reis is trying to control Sosa's posture but Sosa avoids it.

Sosa wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Reis, who protects the arm well.
Sosa tries to advance to mount but can't.
Sosa wants to lay and pray for a moment but Reis keeps working.
Reis manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reis is refusing to be controlled, as Sosa sits in half guard.
Reis wants to get back to full guard.
Sosa seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Sosa throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Sosa is pressing down on Reis's thigh, looking to free his foot. Reis is holding on for now.
Sosa is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Reis!

Sosa jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Reis manages to avoid the submission attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Reis gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Sosa trying to control but Reis is having none of it.
Reis is desperately trying to improve his position but Sosa has a good base and remains in mount.
Reis wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.

Sosa has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Sosa controlling the positon.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alejandro Sosa dominated that second round.
That's time! Sosa's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. And we move into the final round!

Reis throws a jab but it's blocked by Sosa.
Sosa ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Reis moves away.
Sosa looks for a takedown but Reis sprawls well.
Sosa takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Sosa with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Reis to score with a decent uppercut.
Reis scores with a jab to the body.
Sosa avoids a punch combination nicely.
Sosa uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Reis moves out of range as Sosa strikes.
Reis uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Sosa.
Sosa misses with an uppercut. Reis saw that one coming.
Reis is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Sosa.
Reis clobbers Sosa with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Sosa is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Sosa throws a jab when Reis was well out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sosa misses with a shot to the body
and Reis counters with a stiff right hand.
Reis thows a body shot but no joy.
Reis cracks Sosa with an open hand slap.
Sloppy strikes from Sosa. Those never looked like landing.
Reis digs a good body shot into Sosa's ribs.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Reis throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Reis takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
The fighters circling - Sosa throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Reis tries to bum rush Sosa with a series of wild strikes but Sosa uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Reis misses with a series of wild punches.
Nice body punch from Sosa.
Sosa with a poor takedown
and Reis cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Sosa swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Sosa scores with a jab.
Sosa slips a jab and a cross from Reis.
Rodrigo Reis has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rodrigo Reis seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reis looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
The fighters circling - Reis throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Reis scores with a shot to the body.
Reis lands with a straight right. Sosa didn't see that one coming.
Reis misses with a straight right.
Sosa throws a shot to the body.
Sosa is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Sosa fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alejandro Sosa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Reis loads up on a big right hand but Sosa slips the punch.
Reis uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Sosa.
Reis throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Good shot there by Sosa.
Nice defenses there by Sosa.
Sosa connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Reis misses with a series of wild punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reis misses with a hook. Sosa ducked under it nicely.

Sosa closes the distance and clinches.
Sosa blocks an uppercut.
Sosa lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Reis backwards.
Reis misses with a punch on the inside.
Sosa lands a hook to the side of the head.
Reis misses with a short punch on the inside.
Sosa has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Reis is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
A right hook to the body lands for Sosa.
Sosa blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Reis fails to land.
Reis tries to throw a body punch but Sosa avoids it by throwing Reis back against the cage.
Sosa works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.

Sosa breaks from the clinch.
Reis on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Sosa cracks Reis with an open hand slap.
Sosa scores with the left hand. Reis knows he should have avoided that one.
Sosa scores with a jab to the body.
Reis on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Reis takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Alejandro Sosa is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sosa fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Reis on the side of the head.
Reis gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Sosa.
Sosa keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Sosa connects with the punch.
Sosa just misses with a punch to the body.
Reis walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Rodrigo Reis is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Sosa ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Sosa fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Sosa shoots in for a takedown but Reis shows good takedown defense.
Sosa takes a swing at Reis's ribcage but misses.
Sosa takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Sosa tries for a takedown but Reis circles away easily
enabling Reis to counter with a crisp jab.
Reis has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Reis throws a nice looking combination but Sosa bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Sosa looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Reis throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Rodrigo Reis.
Well Sosa has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 29:28
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alejandro Sosa!