PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lucas Souza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Adil Ek (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Souza
vs
Ek

180 cm
22
205 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

190 cm
25
205 lbs
2 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good knees
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight 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, Lucas Souza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Adil Ek!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Konstantin Menshow and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ek closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Souza is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Ek gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Ek tries for a takedown. No joy.
Souza tries to break the clinch but Ek is controlling the position.

Ek has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Souza uses from the top position.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Ek looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

Ek throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Ek keeping moving, preventing Souza from controlling successfully.

Ek is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ek trying to control the position here.
Ek keeping moving, preventing Souza from controlling successfully.
Ek has his hands on Souza's head, controlling the position.

We're going to have a standup here because Lucas Souza wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Ek shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Souza pinned against the cage. Souza gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ek shoots in but Souza avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Lucas Souza has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Adil Ek.
Ek wants to clinch up but Souza keeps it at a distance.
Souza fails with a takedown attempt.

Souza tries to keep at a distance but Ek has taken the fight into the clinch.
Ek stalling against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Souza fails to land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ek managing to block the knees to the body from Souza.
Ek is looking for a takedown.
Nice body punch from Ek - that landed with a thud.

Ek ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Ek no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Souza trying to stand up but can't free himself from Ek's guard.
Ek wants to stand and escape but Souza is having none of it.
Ek keeping moving, preventing Souza from controlling successfully.

Souza decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Ek, up you get!
Souza looks to clinch
and Ek counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Ek shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Souza sprawls well. Souza wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Ek gets slowly back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Horrible takedown by Ek or perhaps it was just good defense by Souza which made him look bad.
Souza shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Ek pinned against the cage. Ek gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Souza fails with the takedown
enabling Ek to counter with a crisp jab.
Ek misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Souza fails to land the takedown.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ek has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Souza.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Adil Ek dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Ek clinches up with Souza and pushes him back against the cage.
Souza is looking to control Ek's arms but Ek gets an underhook and turns him. Now Souza has his back to the cage.
Ek tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Ek drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Ek stalling the fight.
Ek prevents a takedown attempt there.
Souza blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Souza goes for a takedown attempt but Ek pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Souza checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ek closes this distance looking for a takedown but Souza circles away.
Souza is trying hard to land a takedown here. Ek sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lucas Souza. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Souza shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Ek pinned against the cage. Ek gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Ek looks for a takedown but Souza sprawls well.

Ek moves into range and clinches up with Souza.
Ek is pressed up against the cage. Souza has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Ek down to the mat. Ek avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Ek looks for a takedown but Souza sprawls well.

Ek has Souza up against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ek breaks from the clinch.
Souza shoots in and drives through. Ek sprawls well.

Ek closes the distance and clinches.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Souza is working for takedown but Ek is calmly controlling the position for now.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A frustrated look appears on Souza's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Ek pulls guard.
Ek 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.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ek pulls Souza in close to prevent any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza wants to control from the top but Ek keeps moving.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Souza stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Souza wants it to stay on the feet.

Ek moves into range and clinches up with Souza.
Ek fails to pull guard.
Ek is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Souza with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ek prevents the takedown attempt.
Souza wants a takedown.

Ek breaks from the clinch.

Ek instigates a clinch.
Ek can't get the takedown.
Souza tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Souza tries to break the clinch but Ek is controlling the position.

Souza breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ek throws a sloppy head kick and Souza moves out of range easily.
Souza slaps away a takedown attempt from Ek, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Souza shoots in looking for a takedown but Ek manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Souza's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Adil Ek showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Souza shoots for a takedown but Ek saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Souza swinging wildly here.
Ek swats away the attempt to clinch by Souza.
Ek looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Ek circles away from the clinch attempt
and Ek counters with a one-two to the body.
Souza fails with the takedown

and Ek counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Ek wants to break the clinch but can't.
Souza is trying to pull guard but Ek turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lucas Souza. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ek jumps guard and drags Souza to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Souza drops back looking for a leg! Ek is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Ek manages to kick Souza off! Souza jumps back into Ek's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Souza wants to control from the top but Ek keeps moving.

Ek is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Ek keeping moving, preventing Souza from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ek had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Souza defends it easily.
Souza trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Ek has his hands on Souza's head, controlling the position.

Ek manages to escape and get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Souza gets tackled into the cage by Ek. Ek maintains the clinch.
Ek manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Souza tries a body shot but Ek blocks it.
Souza tries to stall but Ek uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
A frustrated look appears on Ek's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Souza drops down looking for an ankle pick but Ek pulls his leg out and moves away.
Ek shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Souza as he avoids it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Ek.

Ek takes the fight into the clinch.

Ek pulls guard effortlessly.
Souza throwing strikes from guard but Ek blocks nicely.
Ek wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Adil Ek comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Ek 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 Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 27:30
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Adil Ek!