PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tiger Mask (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alfonso Sosa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mask's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Eye of the Tiger. The crowd seem to be enjoying Sosa's choice of entrance music: Saliva - Ladies and Gentlemen. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Mask
vs
Sosa

170 cm
26
184 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

183 cm
23
183 lbs
10 - 3 - 0

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Tiger Mask!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Alfonso Sosa!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Anni Minnemäki and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mask has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Nice sprawl there from Sosa as Mask shoots in.
Sosa misses with a looping right.
Nice defenses there by Sosa.
Mask throws a leg kick but Sosa sees it coming and moves out of range.
Mask slips under a jab from Sosa.
A big right from Sosa misses.
Mask steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Sosa.
Mask is trying hard to land a takedown here. Sosa sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Sosa takes one on the button.
Mask throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Sosa scores with a body shot.
Sosa lands with a shot to the body.
Sosa throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Mask on the side of the head.
Mask ducks under a wild hook from Sosa.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Sosa ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Mask moves away.
Alfonso Sosa is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mask uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Sosa.
Sosa takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.

Mask shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Sosa manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Mask not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Mask postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Sosa is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Mask throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Mask showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Mask wants to control from the top but Sosa keeps moving.
Mask might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mask is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Mask scoring with punches to the head and body.

Sosa pushes Mask off and scrambles back to his feet.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sosa scores with a shot to the body.
Mask blocks a jab.
Sosa lands with a nice combination. Mask backs away looking to recover.
Mask avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sosa thuds a left hand into Mask's body.
Sosa thows a body shot but no joy.
Sosa scores with a nice strike.
Sosa leaves Mask with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tiger Mask. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mask is looking to land body kicks.
Mask tries to work over Sosa's front leg with a kick but Sosa checks it.
Mask takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Sosa tests Mask's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Sosa misses with a looping left.
Mask misses the jab.
Mask gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mask lands a body shot.
Mask dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Sosa. That did some damage!
Sosa misses with the combination.
Mask wants to clinch up but Sosa keeps it at a distance.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sosa throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Sosa pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Mask fails with a takedown attempt.
A punch combination from Sosa misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The fighters circling - Sosa throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Sosa ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Mask moves away.
Sosa stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Sosa wants it to stay on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Alfonso Sosa will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Sosa lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Mask throws a head kick that misses.
Mask ducks right into an uppercut from Sosa.
Sosa moves out of range as Mask throws a body kick.
Mask throws a head kick that misses
and Sosa counters with a low kick, right behind Mask 's knee.
Mask does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.

Mask closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Sosa's guard.
Mask has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Sosa is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Mask dives into side control.
Mask wants to control but Sosa is keeping him busy.
Sosa wants to control but Mask postures up.
Sosa wants to get back to his feet but Mask drags him back down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mask wants to control but Sosa is keeping him busy.
Sloppy strikes there by Mask.

Mask goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Sosa rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Mask's guard! Nice work there by Sosa!
Mask is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mask wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Sosa is now in half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mask wants to improve his position but Sosa is controlling well.
Sosa tries to stand and escape but Mask actually recovers to full guard.
Mask looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sosa wants to stand but Mask has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Sosa postures up in Mask's guard and throws a big left but Mask blocks it.
Sosa wants to pass the guard but Mask is keeping the position.

Mask escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Sosa gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mask working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Sosa doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Sosa manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Mask has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Sosa can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Sosa wants to get up but he can't break Mask's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Mask is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Sosa defends well.

Mask looking for a guillotine here but Sosa defends easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mask looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sosa must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Mask looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Mask is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sosa postures up.
Mask lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Sosa!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tiger Mask dominated that second round.
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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Sosa throws a shot from downtown. Mask moves away and avoids it.
Sosa moves out of range as Mask strikes.
Mask looks to land a combination but Sosa avoids it well.
A big right from Sosa misses.
Sosa moves into range and connects with a jab.
Mask misses with a head kick.
Sosa throws out a loose jab but Mask uses good head movement to avoid it.
Mask tries to close the distance and clinch but Sosa swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Mask throws a hook but Sosa avoids it easily.
A looping hook to the body misses from Mask. Sosa does a little dance to reset his feet.
Sosa connects with a good right hand that stumbles Mask. Mask circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Sosa throws a jab but it's blocked by Mask.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sosa looks to land a right hand but Mask moved out of range.
Sosa misses with a series of wild punches.
Sosa shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Mask eats them both and turns towards Sosa to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Sosa swings for the body but Mask moves out of range.
Mask shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Sosa pinned against the cage. Sosa gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Mask walks into a left hand.

Mask clinches with his opponent.
Sosa throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Mask goes for a takedown in the clinch but Sosa prevents it.
Mask prevents a body shot from Sosa.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mask has Sosa pressed against the cage, preventing Sosa from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Sosa pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Sosa will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Mask throws a nice inside leg kick.
Mask throws a body punch but Sosa moves out of range.
Sosa takes one to the chin there.
Sosa misses with an uppercut
and Mask counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mask moves in looking to clinch but Sosa pushes him off.
Sosa misses with a looping left.
Mask throws a shot from downtown. Sosa moves away and avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mask uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Sosa.
Sosa throws a big shot that misses.
Sosa avoids the head kick by Mask.
Sosa uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Mask.
Sosa works over Mask's head and body with a nice combination.
Sosa throws a hook but Mask blocks it.
Sosa with a hook.
Mask looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Sosa is fending him off so far but Mask persists. Nope, Sosa circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tiger Mask. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A slow jab from Mask misses its intended target.
Sosa fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Mask on the side of the head.
Mask thows a body shot but no joy.
Mask misses with a jab, cross combination.
Sosa's jab looks to have found its range, popping Mask under the eye.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mask ducks under a wild hook from Sosa.
Sosa is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Sosa avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Sosa fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Mask manages to avoid it.
Sosa blocks a head kick by Mask.
Sosa paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Sosa checks a low kick from Mask.
Mask looks to throw a body kick
and Sosa counters with a stiff right hand.
Sosa scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Mask looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mask swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Mask misses with the body kick
and Sosa counters with a straight right hand.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sosa ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Mask moves away.
A jab lands there for Sosa.
Sosa connects with a nice looking jab.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alfonso Sosa comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Sosa has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 28:29
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:29

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