PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Eduardo De Souza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eric Bateman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

De Souza
vs
Bateman

210 cm
22
250 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

197 cm
20
245 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo De Souza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Eric Bateman!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Daniel Cesar and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Bateman closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Bateman lands in his opponent's guard.

Bateman got a little sloppy there for a moment and De Souza has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Bateman has managed to get both his arms back between De Souza's legs - danger averted.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Bateman accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
De Souza wants to sweep but no luck.
Bateman with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Bateman controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
De Souza wants to improve his position but instead Bateman has moved into half guard.
Bateman scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bateman wants to pass the guard but De Souza is defending well.
De Souza wants to control but Bateman is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Bateman performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
De Souza has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Bateman is working away from the top position though.
De Souza wants to get back to his feet.
Bateman wants to free his trapped foot but De Souza is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

De Souza shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bateman tries to get back to half guard but can't.
De Souza throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Bateman looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Bateman wants to escape the position.
De Souza wants to control the position but Bateman frees himself and scrambles - De Souza manages to regain control in side control.

De Souza decides to stand up, so the ref orders Bateman to his feet.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

De Souza decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bateman is pressing down on De Souza's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Bateman has De Souza pulled in close to control his posture.

Bateman escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. De Souza gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Bateman keeping full guard, as De Souza tries to pass.

Bateman escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. De Souza gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
De Souza wants to get up but he can't break Bateman's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bateman is adopting a defensive guard.
De Souza looking to sit in guard and control but Bateman gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bateman showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Bateman gets to his feet. De Souza looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Eric Bateman will probably get the nod.
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.

De Souza closes the distance and pushes Bateman back into the cage.
De Souza fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Bateman breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Bateman misses with a body shot

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

Bateman is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but De Souza pulls his head out easily.
Bateman preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
De Souza wants to take a breather but Bateman is having none of it.
Bateman throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

Bateman kicks De Souza off and gets back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bateman stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Bateman wants it to stay on the feet.
De Souza shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Bateman sprawls well. Bateman wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. De Souza gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eduardo De Souza. That's going to take a lot out of him.

De Souza tries to sprawl but Bateman drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Bateman is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for De Souza!
De Souza is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
De Souza manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Bateman seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bateman throws a strike but De Souza avoids it easily and moves to full guard.

De Souza has his foot on Bateman's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Bateman works his way back into a safe position though.
Bateman working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
De Souza will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
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!
Bateman is stalling in the full guard.
Bateman wants to pass the guard but De Souza is keeping the position.

Bateman stands up and waves to De Souza to follow him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
De Souza tries to clinch there but Bateman circles away.

Bateman shoots in and bounces De Souza off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Bateman postures up.
Bateman looking to pass the guard.
Bateman is working De Souza over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bateman is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Bateman looking to pass the guard.

De Souza has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Bateman can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Bateman's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Eric Bateman has got the better of the ground game so far.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bateman works over De Souza with some ground and pound from guard.

Bateman gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Bateman showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Bateman keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
A head kick misses from Bateman.
Bateman takes a shot to the body in his stride.
De Souza shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Bateman as he jumps to the side.
Bateman scores with a head kick.
Eduardo De Souza is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

De Souza shoots in and bounces Bateman off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
De Souza wants to pass the guard but Bateman is keeping the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Bateman is on top in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

De Souza is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Bateman is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Bateman landing with the ground and pound.
De Souza controls Bateman momentarily but Bateman frees himself.
Bateman is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Let's hope that Bateman has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
De Souza utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
De Souza wants to get back to his feet but Bateman is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Bateman showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Eric Bateman.

Bateman gets the takedown into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

Bateman stands up and beckons De Souza to his feet.

De Souza gets caught flat footed, as Bateman shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Bateman scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Bateman content to stall in guard here.

Bateman stands up from De Souza's guard - Bateman perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
De Souza's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and De Souza duly obliges.
De Souza tries to close the distance and clinch but Bateman swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Bateman shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in De Souza's guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bateman is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
De Souza has momentary wrist control but Bateman slips an elbow through the middle.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eric Bateman comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Bateman winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eric Bateman!