PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Graeme Souness (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Choke Liddell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Liddell has chosen Intro - DMX as his entrance music. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Souness
vs
Liddell

188 cm
22
213 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

189 cm
26
220 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Graeme Souness!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Choke Liddell!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Souness has managed to clinch.

Souness manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Liddell stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Souness swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Liddell prevents Souness from getting back to his feet.
Souness trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

Souness pushes Liddell off and gets back to his feet.
Souness feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Liddells jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Nice sprawl there from Liddell as Souness shoots in.
Souness throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Liddell.
Souness takes one on the chin but seems OK.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Some wild striking there from Souness.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Souness.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souness fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Graeme Souness. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Liddell stuffs the takedown.
Souness tries to bum rush Liddell with a series of wild strikes but Liddell uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Souness shoots in and drives through. Liddell sprawls well.
Souness shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Liddell as he jumps to the side.
Liddell lands with a good body shot.
Souness is breathing heavily.
Liddell throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Souness stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souness shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Liddell defends it nicely.
Souness looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Liddell is fending him off so far but Souness persists. Nope, Liddell circles away and we're back to standing.
Souness dives in and grabs Liddell's left leg, looking for a takedown. Liddell pushes down on Souness's head and hops out.
Graeme Souness seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Souness shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Liddell but Liddell pushes him off and we're back to square one.
A combination from Souness does no damage.
Liddell lands a glancing blow to the side of Souness's head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nice sprawl there from Liddell as Souness shoots in.
Liddell scores with a jab.
Liddell changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Souness tries to avoid it but Liddell manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Souness to the ground. Souness escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souness takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Liddell blocks a head kick by Souness.
Liddell stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Liddell wants it to stay on the feet.
Liddell stuns Souness with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Souness swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Souness dives in and grabs Liddell's left leg, looking for a takedown. Liddell pushes down on Souness's head and hops out.
Souness misses with a combination
and Liddell counters with a right hand to the body.
Liddell scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Liddell is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Souness rather than just go for the knockout.
Liddell scores with a jab to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Souness slaps away a takedown attempt from Liddell, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Souness is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Souness shoots in and drives through. Liddell sprawls well.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Souness rushes Liddell and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Liddell is trying to break the clinch but Souness is controlling him.

Souness breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Souness shoots in and drives through. Liddell sprawls well.
Souness shoots in but no luck this time.
Souness with a poor takedown
enabling Liddell to counter with a crisp jab.
Liddell lands a jab to Souness's midsection.
Liddell thuds a left hand into Souness's body.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Nice uppercut lands for Liddell. That snapped Souness's head back.
Liddell lands a jab to Souness's midsection.
Liddell just misses with a punch to the body.
Liddell just misses with a punch to the body.
Souness gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Liddell counters with a nice uppercut.
Nice defenses there by Liddell.
Liddell throws a nice looking combination but Souness bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Liddell keeps the fight on the outside.
Liddell throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Souness on the side of the head.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Liddell misses with a wild body shot.
Souness throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Souness looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Liddell is fending him off so far but Souness persists. Nope, Liddell circles away and we're back to standing.
Liddell misses with a wild body shot.
Liddell dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Souness looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Souness is looking to clinch but Liddell is avoiding it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
No luck for Souness with that takedown attempt.
Liddell lands with a right hand.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Souness shoots in but Liddell avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Liddell with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Nice shot by Liddell.
Souness throws a lazy right hand but Liddell sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Souness's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Liddell connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Souness scrambles back to his feet.
Liddell works Souness's body with a nice hook.
Liddell scores with a body shot.
Liddell throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Souness.
Souness misses with a left hand
and Souness takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Souness fails with a takedown attempt.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Souness misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Liddell connects with a looping right hand.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Souness shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Liddell scores with a decent looking hook.
Liddell circles away from the clinch attempt.
Souness tries for a takedown but Liddell sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Souness doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Liddell connects with a body shot that sends Souness's belly button to the back.
Liddell is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Souness had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Liddell tries for a takedown but Souness sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Liddell connects with a body shot.
Liddell uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Souness has time to react.
Liddell jabs Souness to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Souness shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Liddell but Liddell pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Liddell jabs Souness right on the nose. Souness blinks but takes it well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Liddell swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Liddell throws a shot to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Choke Liddell dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

No luck with that takedown attempt from Souness.
Liddell tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Liddell digs a good hook to Souness's body.
Liddell lands with a nice body punch.
Liddell comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Souness misses with a right hand
and Liddell counters with a left to the body.
Souness fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Liddell avoids it really well and circles away.
Liddell lands with a shot to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souness tries to close the distance and clinch but Liddell swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Souness.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Graeme Souness. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Liddell scores with a hook.
Souness takes one on the button.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Souness.
Liddell throws a head kick that misses.
Liddell getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Souness takes a jab right on the kisser.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Liddell clobbers Souness with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Souness tries for a takedown but Liddell sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Souness throws a looping overhand right but Liddell ducks down to avoid it.
Souness throws a left and a right that both miss
and Liddell counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Liddell lands with a nice body punch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Liddell looks to score with a jab to the body but Souness is just out of range.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Souness is defended easily by Liddell.
Liddell fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Souness on the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Liddell does it's job there.
Liddell paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Souness misses with a takedown attempt - Liddell sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Souness looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Souness misses with a takedown attempt - Liddell sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Liddell misses with a kick to the body

so Souness counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Souness trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Liddell is pulling down on Souness's head. It's preventing any offense from Souness, at least for the moment.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Choke Liddell hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Liddell stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Liddell wants it to stay on the feet.
Good shot there by Liddell.
Liddell is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Souness shoots in looking for a takedown. Liddell tries to sprawl out of it but Souness keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Liddell manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Souness is looking to clinch.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Souness tries to score a power double leg takedown but Liddell sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Souness somewhat.
Liddell connects with a nice looking jab.
Liddell displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Souness.
Souness takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Liddell blocks a low kick nicely.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Liddell takes a swing at Souness's ribcage but misses.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Liddell.
Liddell defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Souness.
Souness wants to clinch.
Souness throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Liddell's waist but Liddell gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Souness off to one side.
Souness on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Souness drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Liddell connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Liddell takes a swing at Souness's ribcage but misses.
Souness fails with a takedown attempt.
Jab by Liddell.
Graeme Souness has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Souness throws a left and a right that both miss
and Liddell counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Liddell throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Souness on the side of the head.
Souness shoots in and drives through. Liddell sprawls well.
Souness looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Souness tries for a takedown but Liddell circles away easily
and Liddell counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Souness is rocked!

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Souness shoots in but no luck this time.
Oh Souness is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Liddell throws a monster overhand right that drops Souness! Liddell follows up with more strikes from mount and the fight is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 8:10 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Choke Liddell!