PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Herman Lang (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ronaldo Souza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Herman Lang has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Lang
vs
Souza

189 cm
27
195 lbs
11 - 8 - 0

182 cm
22
200 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

ADCC Champion
Good kicks
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 11 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Herman Lang!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ronaldo Souza!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Souza circles away from the clinch attempt
and Souza counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Souza misses with a takedown attempt

and Lang counters with a single leg into guard. Souza didn't expect that.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lang stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Souza swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Souza keeping moving, preventing Lang from controlling successfully.
Souza bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Lang's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lang is trying to control the position but Souza postures up.

Lang has his foot on Souza's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Souza works his way back into a safe position though.

Souza postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Lang is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Souza, into his guard.
Lang throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Lang looking to pass the guard.
Lang passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Souza seems a little lost for a moment, as Lang dominates the positioning.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lang trying to control the position but Souza is working away.
Lang working the ground and pound but Souza is defending the strikes.
Souza tries to control but Lang manages to take his back.
Lang is trying to stick to Souza's back but Souza is turning into Lang. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Lang's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Souza.

Souza is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Lang is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Lang has escaped and now he's on top!
Souza looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lang wants to control from the top but Souza keeps moving.
Lang stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Souza swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Souza has his hands on Lang's head, controlling the position.
Lang tries to free his leg and advance position but Souza is retaining full guard.
Lang in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Souza has his hands on Lang's head, controlling the position.
Lang has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Lang enables Souza to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Lang manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

Souza has gone for a leg lock! Lang slips out almost immediately though and dives into Souza's guard.
Lang looking to sit in guard and control but Souza gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Lang trying to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Herman Lang 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.

Lang shoots and misses

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

Lang is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Souza defends well.
Lang looking to control.

Souza drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Lang manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Souza has Lang in his guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Souza is on top in guard.
Souza is looking to advance position but Lang has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza avoids a series of strikes thrown by Lang.
Lang trying to control but Souza is having none of it.
Souza gets back to half guard.
Souza has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Lang is working away from the top position though.
Souza is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Lang's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Lang's back!
Well, with Souza on his back, surely it's only a matter of time before Lang is tapping out... Can he escape the position?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lang trying to control the position but Souza manages to sink in the hooks.
Souza doesn't have the hooks in and Lang manages to turn into his guard.
Lang trying to control the position from guard on top but Souza is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lang pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Souza is keeping the position for now.
Souza bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Lang's guard.

Souza thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Souza 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Souza drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Lang dives on top into guard.
Herman Lang overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Lang trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Souza manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Souza prevents Lang from getting back to his feet.

Lang has his foot on Souza's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Souza works his way back into a safe position though.
Souza pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lang is keeping the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lang throws a strike but Souza rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Lang has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Souza 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 Lang.

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

Souza is trying to get an arm triangle but Lang is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ronaldo Souza showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Lang with a poor takedown

and Souza counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Souza seems to be looking for submissions.
Lang gets full guard.
Lang is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Souza drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Lang manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Souza has Lang in his guard.
Souza wants to sweep but no luck.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Lang postures up.
Lang looking to pass the guard.
Souza working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Lang.

Lang drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Souza dives on top into guard.

Souza drops back looking for a leg! Lang is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Lang manages to kick Souza off! Souza jumps back into Lang's guard.

Souza drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Lang dives on top into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lang with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Lang trying to move into half guard but instead Souza has managed to sweep!

Souza postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Lang is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Souza, into his guard.
Lang works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Souza takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza is not content to let Lang control the position.
Lang thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Lang thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Souza to regain full guard.
Souza is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Lang wants to control but Souza is keeping busy.

Souza is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Lang is just riding it out for now. Souza eventually gives up the hold.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Souza is working for a submission of some sort.
Lang is looking to improve his position.
Souza trying to pass the guard but Lang defending well.
Lang flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

Souza is working for a kimura but Lang is defending it quite comfortably.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ronaldo 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29

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