PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ronaldo Souza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thomas Power (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Power has chosen X gonna give it to ya - DMX as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Thomas Power was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Souza
vs
Power

182 cm
20
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
24
199 lbs
10 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ronaldo Souza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 11 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Thomas Power!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Fedor Mirinova and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Power throws a head kick that misses.
Power tries to close the distance and clinch up but Souza swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Souza scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Power wants to control but Souza is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Power works his way to full guard. Good work.
Souza tries to free his leg and advance position but Power is retaining full guard.
Souza prevents Power from getting back to his feet.
Souza looking to pass the guard.
Souza is working hard here to advance position.
Power looking to hit a scissor sweep but Souza is one step ahead there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Power manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Souza manages to get himself to full guard.
Souza trying to control the position.
Souza seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Power pushes down on Souza's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Souza holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Souza is trying to maintain the position but Power is very close to passing his half guard.
Power thows a huge punch but Souza dodges it nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Power wants to free his trapped foot but Souza is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Souza blocking the ground and pound attempt from Power.
Power tries to pass the half guard into mount. Souza knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Souza moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Power wants to pass the guard but Souza is keeping the position.

Souza is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Power trying to control but Souza is working from the bottom.

Souza looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Power with a flurry of punches that miss.
Power throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Power trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Power postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Power postures up and lands a big shot to Souza's brow.
Power pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Souza is keeping the position for now.
Power postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Souza is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Souza wants to sweep here but Power controlling him for the moment.

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.
Souza avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Power tries to free his leg and advance position but Souza is retaining full guard.
Power trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Souza is trying to keep Power in close.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Power is pushing down on Souza's leg trying to pass to half guard. Souza is fighting to maintain full guard but Power has managed to sneak the leg through.
Power prevents Souza from improving his position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Souza slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Souza looking for a sweep. Not yet Souza, not yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Thomas Power will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Power fails with an attempt to clinch.
Souza displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Power throws out the jab.
Power is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Power ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Souza ducks under a wild hook from Power.
Souza walks into a straight right hand from Power.
Power tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Power catches Souza with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Souza swats away the attempt to clinch by Power.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Souza.
Power tries to work over Souza's front leg with a kick but Souza checks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Souza staying out of range there.
Souza slips under a jab from Power.
Thomas Power is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Souza throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Power was covering up waiting for the punch and Souza finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Power looking for a sweep. Not yet Power, not yet.
Power bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Souza's guard.
Souza keeping moving, preventing Power from controlling successfully.
Power wants to pass the guard but Souza is keeping the position.
Souza not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Power wants to get up but he can't break Souza's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Power scoring with some ground and pound.

Souza has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Power can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Souza keeping full guard, as Power tries to pass.

Souza escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Power gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Souza keeping full guard, as Power tries to pass.
Souza trying to keep a closed guard but Power is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza is controlling Power's posture.
Power throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Souza works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Power trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Power is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Souza is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Power lands a couple of digs.
Power pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Souza is keeping the position for now.
Souza is trying to keep Power in close.

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.
Souza tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Souza working a defensive guard but Power passes into half guard.
Souza regains full guard. Nicely done.
Power loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Power looking to pass the guard.
Souza trying to control the position.

Souza looking for a guillotine here but Power defends easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Power wants to pass the guard but Souza is keeping the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Power showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Power works Souza's body with a nice hook.
Souza moves out of range as Power strikes.
Souza takes one on the button.
Souza needs to keep his hands up - Power had a free shot at his head there.
Power jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Power paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Power circles and sees the opportunity to plant his feet and throw a really nice straight left hand that drops Souza to the canvas! Souza doesn't know where he is but he's trying to survive - Power keeps piling on the pressure and forces the referee to step in! This one is aaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:39 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Thomas Power!