PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gerard Link (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lucas Souza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Link
vs
Souza

200 cm
19
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
205 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent knees
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Gerard Link!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Lucas Souza!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Igor Prikhodko and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Souza takes one on the button.
Souza shoots in looking for a takedown. Link tries to sprawl out of it but Souza keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Link manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Souza pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Souza clinches up against the cage.
Souza misses with a body punch.
Come on Souza - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Link tries to circle away but Souza has him pinned against the cage.
Souza misses with a body punch.
Souza drops down looking for an ankle pick but Link pulls his leg out and moves away.
Souza slips a jab and a cross from Link.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Link lands a jab to the nose.
Souza is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Souza throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Link's waist but Link gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Souza off to one side.
Gerard Link has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lucas Souza.
Souza fails with a takedown attempt.
Link cracks Souza with a right hand to the side of the head.
Link scores with a shot to the body.
Souza tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Link counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza is trying hard to land a takedown here. Link sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Lucas Souza seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Link displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Souza.
Souza doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Link getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Link is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Link avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Souza on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Link connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Souza closes the distance and clinches up with Link, looking for a takedown. Souza pushes Link against the cage but Link circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Link displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Souza.
Souza throws a head kick that misses.
Link throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Souza.
Souza misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Souza looks gassed!
Link throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Souza.
Souza fails with a takedown attempt.
No joy there for Link, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Link sizes up Souza with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Souza ducks right into an uppercut from Link.
Souza is trying hard to land a takedown here. Link sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Link throws a one two combo.
Link pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Souza back to the cage. Link follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Link rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Souza moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Link digs a good body shot into Souza's ribs.
Souza tries to clinch up
and Link counters with a series of strikes. Souza will be more careful next time no doubt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Link scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Nice sprawl there from Link as Souza shoots in.
Link sizes up Souza with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
A decent looking cross lands there for Link.
Souza shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Link lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Souza circles away quickly and effectively.
Souza shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Link sprawls well. Link wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Souza gets slowly back to his feet.
Gerard Link has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lucas Souza.
Link lands a nice looking body shot.
Link throws a series of strikes that have Souza backpedaling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Link swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Gerard Link is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Link misses with a kick to the body.
Link rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Souza moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Souza fails to land the takedown.
Souza shoots in for a takedown but Link shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Link goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Link is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Souza shoots in looking for a takedown. Link tries to sprawl out of it but Souza keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Link manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Souza is breathing heavily.
Souza lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Link circles away quickly and effectively.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Good exchange - Link coming out on top.
Link feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Souzas jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Souza wants to clinch.
Souza takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Souza throws a nice looking combination but Link bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Link throws a one two combo.
Link lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Souza circles away quickly and effectively.
Link throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Souza counters with a head kick. That will keep Link thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Souza throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Souza shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Link as he avoids it easily.
Souza blocks the body kick.
Link scores with a crisp jab that stopped Souza in his tracks.
Souza takes a body punch but keeps moving.

Link gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Souza to score an easy takedown into full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Link wants to stand and escape but Souza is having none of it.
Souza's corner is telling him to maintain position.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Lucas Souza.
Link lands a nice looking body shot.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Souza decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Souza perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Gerard Link 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. This is the final round!

Link lands with a nice combination. Souza backs away looking to recover.
Souza fails in his attempt to clinch.
Souza pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Souza misses with a jab, cross combination.
Link looks to land a combination but Souza avoids it well.
Souza has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Souza fails to land the takedown.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Souza.
Souza lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Link circles away quickly and effectively.
Gerard Link is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Gerard Link has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lucas Souza.
Souza takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Souza throws a push kick but Link slaps the foot to one side.
Gerard Link is winning the standup battle so far.
Left hook, right uppercut from Link.
Souza walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Link bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Souza shoots for a double leg takedown but Link sprawls well. He's pushed Souza's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Link lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Souza takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Link throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Souza on the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Link fails to land with a series of punches.
Link cracks Souza with an open hand slap.
Souza shoots in for a takedown but Link shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Souza fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Link lands the left hand.
Link throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Good standup being displayed there by Link as he connects with a hook.
Link lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Link fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Souza looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Link misses with a head kick.
Link stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Link wants it to stay on the feet.
Souza on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Souza misses with a takedown attempt - Link sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Nice shot by Link.
Link tries to bum rush Souza with a series of wild strikes but Souza uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Link uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Link fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Souza on the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Link stalks Souza and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Souza's face. Souza staggers backwards, shaken.
Souza looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Link lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Link.
Link connects with a good right hand that stumbles Souza. Souza circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Link looks to land a combination. Souza sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Link catches Souza with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Souza.
Link scores with a nice right hand.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gerard Link showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Link, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 30:28
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:28
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gerard Link!