PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Chael Sonnen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tony Pupa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the fighters buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Sonnen
vs
Pupa

185 cm
25
197 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

181 cm
18
190 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Big right hand

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Chael Sonnen!
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, Tony Pupa!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Some wild striking there from Sonnen.

Pupa gets caught napping as Sonnen dives in and scores a takedown. Pupa manages to retain guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sonnen throws an elbow that misses. Pupa uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Sonnen's guard. Nice move by Pupa!
Sonnen wants to sweep but no luck.
Sonnen has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Pupa has passed into side control.

Pupa decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Pupa misses with a takedown attempt

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sonnen tries to pass the half guard into mount. Pupa knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Sonnen controlling the action here.
Pupa is trying to stand.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sonnen wants to get back to his feet.

Sonnen is working for a submission of some sort.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pupa regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Sonnen.
Pupa is looking to stand up but Sonnen isn't so interested in that idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen wants to get up but he can't break Pupa's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Sonnen postures up in Pupa's guard and throws a big left but Pupa blocks it.
Pupa keeping moving, preventing Sonnen from controlling successfully.
Pupa wants to stand and escape but Sonnen is having none of it.
Pupa looks gassed!
Sonnen trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Pupa preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Sonnen slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Pupa is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Sonnen is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Chael Sonnen.
Sonnen shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Pupa pinned against the cage. Pupa gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Sonnen shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sonnen controls from within his opponent's guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Pupa looking to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chael Sonnen dominated that round.
That's time! Sonnen's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Sonnen looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Pupa is fending him off so far but Sonnen persists. Nope, Pupa circles away and we're back to standing.
Pupa fails in his attempt to clinch.
Chael Sonnen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Pupa defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Sonnen.

Sonnen shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Pupa napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Sonnen wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pupa keeps working.
Sonnen with the ground and pound but Pupa regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Sonnen missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Sonnen working the head and body with strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pupa looks like he's trying to stand up.
Sonnen tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Pupa.
Sonnen looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Chael Sonnen wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
A nice combination there by Sonnen.
Pupa is breathing heavily.
An inside leg kick from Sonnen misses.

Sonnen gets a takedown into half guard.
Sonnen is stalling here. Pupa is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Sonnen seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Pupa has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pupa decides to stand up, so the ref orders Sonnen to his feet.

Sonnen drives through with a takedown into guard.
Sonnen wants to pass the guard but Pupa is keeping the position.
Sonnen works over Pupa with some ground and pound from guard.
Sonnen trying to move into half guard but instead Pupa has managed to sweep!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pupa preventing the sweep.
Sonnen has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Sonnen has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Chael Sonnen has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Pupa tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Sonnen counters with a single leg into guard. Pupa didn't expect that.
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!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pupa can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Sonnen controls the pace.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chael Sonnen dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Sonnen throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Pupa was covering up waiting for the punch and Sonnen finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Sonnen lands a couple of digs.
Sonnen is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Sonnen throws a strike but Pupa rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Sonnen is trying to control the position but Pupa postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sonnen tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Sonnen pulls Pupa in close to prevent any damage.

We're going to have a standup here because Chael Sonnen wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Sonnen scores with a sloppy right hand. Pupa should have avoided that one.

Pupa gets caught flat footed, as Sonnen shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Sonnen is working Pupa over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Pupa takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Pupa keeping full guard, as Sonnen tries to pass.
Chael Sonnen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Sonnen showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Sonnen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Pupa is keeping the position for now.
Tony Pupa has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sonnen is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Pupa can do to turn this around?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen trying to control but Pupa is working from the bottom.

Chael Sonnen has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Sonnen changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Pupa tries to avoid it but Sonnen manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Pupa to the ground. Pupa escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Sonnen fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Sonnen fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Chael Sonnen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sonnen scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sonnen shoots in and gets a takedown into Pupa's guard.

Sonnen got a little sloppy there for a moment and Pupa has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Sonnen has managed to get both his arms back between Pupa's legs - danger averted.
Sonnen slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chael Sonnen showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Sonnen has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chael Sonnen!
In his post fight interview, Chael Sonnen started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.