PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between James Bija (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anderson Souza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Souza has a niggling injury. He would have liked to come in 100% fit but that's not always possible. Anderson Souza will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Bija
vs
Souza

188 cm
20
250 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

210 cm
27
298 lbs
7 - 8 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, James Bija!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Anderson Souza!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Alexandre Firmino and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Souza dodges the punch combination from Bija.
Souza's jab looks to have found its range, popping Bija under the eye.
Bija throws a right hand that misses
and Souza counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Bija is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Souza.
Bija misses with an uppercut
and Souza counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Souza slips under a jab.
Souza scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Bija throws a hook but Souza avoids it easily.
Bija throws a shot from downtown. Souza moves away and avoids it.
Souza ducks under a wild hook from Bija.
James Bija seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bija swings widly with a right hand
and Souza counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Souza throws a nice looking combination but Bija bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Bija takes a jab right on the kisser.
Souza pivots, looking for a leg kick but Bija is out of range and Souza settles back down.
Souza misses with a wild combination.
Bija throws a lazy uppercut
and Souza counters with a stiff right hand.
Bija falls off balance throwing a combination
and Souza counters with a series of strikes. Bija will be more careful next time no doubt.
Bija throws an off balance right hand
and Bija takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Bija misses with a looping right.
Souza bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Bija's head backwards.
Bija misses with a lunging right hand

and Souza counters by moving into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bija tries to circle away but Souza has him pinned against the ropes.

Souza breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Bija throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Souza counters with a three punch combo that has Bija backing up. Bija nods at Souza to acknowledge the strikes.

Souza closes the distance and clinches.

Souza escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Souza throws a right and a left that Bija avoids nicely.
Souza looks gassed!
Bija misses with a hook
and Souza counters with a stiff right hand.
Bija darts in trying to clinch
and Souza counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Souza throws a right and a left that Bija avoids nicely.
Bija misses the body punch
and Souza counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Left hook, right uppercut from Souza.
Bija misses with a double jab
and Souza counters with a stiff right hand.
Bija throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Souza bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Bija throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Souza counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Souza thuds a left hand into Bija's body.
Bija throws a lazy uppercut
and Souza counters with a nice uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bija throws a right hand that misses
and Souza counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Souza connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Bija's hands.
Bija is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Souza.
Souza is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Bija had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Souza connects with a nice looking jab.
Bija looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Bija avoids a punch combination nicely.
Souza has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Bija misses with a lunging right hand
and Souza counters with a left and a right that stings Bija.

Souza instigates a clinch.

Souza's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A combination from Bija does no damage.
Bija needs to keep his hands up - Souza had a free shot at his head there.
Bija closes the distance but Souza moves to the side
and Souza counters with a lovely shot to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bija misses with a lunging right hand
and Souza counters with a nice uppercut.
Left hook, right uppercut from Souza.
Souza throws a series of strikes that have Bija backpedaling.
Bija is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Bija takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Souza fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Bija misses with a lunging right hand
and Souza counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Nice uppercut lands for Souza. That snapped Bija's head back.
Souza circles away from the clinch attempt
and Souza counters with a left and a right that stings Bija.
Souza is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Bija misses with a left hand
and Souza counters with a three punch combo that has Bija backing up. Bija nods at Souza to acknowledge the strikes.
Souza scores with a hook.
Souza misses with a two punch combination.
Bija ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Souza moves away.
Bija shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Souza eats them both and turns towards Bija to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Souza is working the combinations to good effect here.
Bija misses with an uppercut

and Souza counters by clinching up.
Bija tries to circle away but Souza has him pinned against the ropes.
Bija wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Souza escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Souza lands an overhand right.
Bija throws a hook but Souza avoids it easily.
Souza throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Bija throws a right hand that misses
and Souza counters with a stiff right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bija misses with a lunging right hand
and Souza counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Bija misses with a telegraphed body shot
enabling Souza to counter with a crisp jab.
Bija throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Bija rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Souza counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Souza slips a straight right by Bija.
Bija is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Souza's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Bija throws an off balance right hand
and Souza counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Souza swinging wildly here.
Bija misses with a left hand
and Souza counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Bija misses with a hook
and Souza counters with a series of strikes. Bija will be more careful next time no doubt.
A big right from Bija misses.
Bija rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Souza counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Souza digs a good body shot into Bija's ribs.
Bija has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Souza finds it's way round the side to connect with Bija's head.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Souza misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Souza throws a series of punches but Bija avoids them all with ease.
Nice jab there from Souza.
Bija throws a looping overhand right but Souza ducks down to avoid it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anderson Souza dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Bija throws a big shot that misses.
Bija swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Bija swings widly with a right hand
and Bija takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Bija misses with a hook
and Souza counters with a left to the body.

Souza clinches with his opponent.

Souza breaks from the clinch.
Souza staying out of range there.
Souza lands a jab-cross combination.
Bija throws a left and a right that both miss

and Souza holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Souza breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Bija connects with a right hand. Souza shakes it off.
Anderson Souza seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Bija thows a body shot but no joy.
Bija tries to bum rush Souza with a series of wild strikes but Souza uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Bija looks to clinch
enabling Souza to counter with a crisp jab.
Bija rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Souza counters with a right hand to the body.
Souza lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Bija throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Bija throws a poor cross that misses
and Souza counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Bija uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bija misses with a right hand
and Souza counters with a stiff right hand.
Souza looks to land a combination. Bija sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Bija throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Bija rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Souza cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Bija misses with a lunging right hand
and Souza counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Souza scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Bija looks to clinch
letting Souza counter with a right hand.
Souza fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Bija on the side of the head.
Nice straight punches there by Souza. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Souza.
A looping hook to the body misses from Bija. Souza does a little dance to reset his feet.
Souza scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Souza ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Bija checks a low kick from Souza.

Souza moves into the clinch.

Souza breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Bija throws a hook but Souza avoids it easily.
Nice defenses there by Souza.
Bija lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bija misses with a wild combination.
Some wild striking there from Souza.
Bija misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Souza counters with a left to the body.
That kick from Souza tenderised Bija's leg. Bija is trying to keep his angry face on.
Bija misses with a lunging right hand

and Souza counters by moving into the clinch.
Bija working hard to break the clinch.

Souza's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bija throws a looping overhand right but Souza ducks down to avoid it.
Bija misses with an uppercut
and Souza counters with a one-two to the body.
Souza will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Souza throws a right and a left that both miss.
Bija misses with a lunging right hand
and Souza counters with a stiff right hand.

Souza fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Bija, pushing him back against the ropes.

Souza breaks from the clinch.
Souza ducks under a wild hook from Bija.
Bija misses with a body shot
and Souza counters with a nice uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Anderson Souza is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bija takes a swing at Souza's ribcage but misses.
Souza tries to score with a low kick but Bija moves his leg out of the way.
Souza circles away from the clinch attempt.
Nice shot by Souza.
Souza dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Bija looks to land a combination but Souza avoids it well.
Bija closes the distance looking to clinch
and Souza counters with a series of strikes. Bija will be more careful next time no doubt.
Bija misses with a left hand
enabling Souza to counter with a crisp jab.
Bija swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Bija takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Bija darts in trying to clinch
and Souza counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Bija thinking.
A right-left combo lands from Souza.

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.
Souza moves out of range of the strikes.
Souza misses the shot to the body.
Sloppy strikes from Souza. Those never looked like landing.
Bija throws a series of punches but Souza moves out of range.
Bija cracks Souza with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Souza throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Bija looks to land a left hand but Souza moved out of range nicely.
Bija misses with a lunging right hand

and Souza moves into the clinch.

Souza escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A big right from Bija misses.
Bija misses with an uppercut.
Bija sizes up Souza with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Souza moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Bija throws a body punch but Souza moves out of range.
Bija throws a poor cross that misses

and Souza moves into the clinch.
Bija is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Souza has Bija pressed against the ropes, preventing Bija from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anderson Souza showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Bija throws a series of punches but Souza moves out of range.
A telegraphed right hand from Bija misses the target.
Bija misses with a right hand
and Souza counters with a nice uppercut.
Bija throws a combination that misses
and Souza counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
A punch combination from Bija misses.
Bija misses with a left hand
and Souza counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Bija thinking.
Bija looks to score with a jab to the body but Souza is just out of range.
Bija throws a right hand that misses
and Souza counters with a nice body shot.
A right-left combo lands from Souza.
Bija gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Souza swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Bija.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bija misses with an uppercut
and Souza counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Bija closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.

Bija tries to keep at a distance but Souza has taken the fight into the clinch.

Souza escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Bija rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Souza connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Souza lands a nice shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bija misses with a left hand
enabling Souza to counter with a crisp jab.
Souza misses with a series of wild punches.
Souza misses with a jab, cross combination.
Bija misses with a double jab.
Sloppy strikes from Souza. Those never looked like landing.
Bija misses with a hook
and Souza cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Souza, as that shot connected.
No joy there for Bija, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Nice body punch from Souza.
Danga de danga de dang - Bija scores with a four punch combination!
Bija throws a lazy uppercut
and Souza counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Bija throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Bija takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Souza fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Bija looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Bija throws a right hand that Souza ducks under and follows up with a left that Souza also avoids with ease.
Bija missing with a left hand there. Souza was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Bija has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Souza finds it's way round the side to connect with Bija's head.
James Bija has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

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.
Bija throws a poor cross that misses

and Souza counters by clinching up.

Souza breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Bija lands a nice hook to Souza's body. Souza takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Bija misses with a left hand
and Souza counters with a straight right hand.
Bija misses with a hook
and Souza counters with a straight right hand.
Bija misses with an uppercut
and Souza counters with a nice uppercut.
Bija throws a body punch but Souza moves out of range.
Bija dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Bija misses with a lunging right hand

and Souza counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Souza breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Bija moves out of range of the leg kick from Souza.
Bija misses with an uppercut
and Souza counters with a straight right hand.
Bija throws a right hand that misses
and Souza cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Bija throws a lazy uppercut
and Souza counters with a right hand to the body.
No joy there for Souza, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Souza with a nice cross.
A slow jab from Bija misses its intended target.
Bija throws an off balance right hand
and Souza connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza lands a really nice looking cross but Bija seems unphased.
Bija ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Souza moves away.
Bija throws a poor cross that misses
and Souza counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Souza throws a shot to the body.
Bija misses with a right hand
and Souza counters with a left to the body.
Jab from Souza.
Souza avoids the body shot from Bija.
Bija throws a hook but Souza avoids it easily.
Bija throws a lazy uppercut
and Souza counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Bija wants to clinch
enabling Souza to counter with a crisp jab.
Souza throws a right hand that Bija ducks under and follows up with a left that Bija also avoids with ease.
Souza throws a good cross that connects.
Souza throws a low kick but Bija moves out of range easily.
Bija looks to score with a jab to the body but Souza is just out of range.
Bija moves to clinch but Souza breaks away

and Souza counters by clinching up.

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.
Bija is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.

Souza pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Souza lands a lovely overhand right.
Bija throws a hook but Souza blocks it.
Souza looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Souza walks into a left hand.
Bija takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Souza lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Bija rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Souza counters with a series of strikes. Bija will be more careful next time no doubt.
Bija misses with a left hand
and Souza makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Souza shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Bija throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Souza counters with a stiff right hand.
Bija rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Souza counters with a two punch combo.
Bija just misses with a punch to the body.
Souza lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Souza tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Bija is able to avoid easily.
Bija misses with a right hand

and Souza counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Bija working aggressively here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Anderson Souza comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Souza has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 26:30
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 26:30
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Anderson Souza!