PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dana White (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Augusto Soto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

White
vs
Soto

185 cm
24
195 lbs
15 - 3 - 0

181 cm
23
193 lbs
13 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 15 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Dana White!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Augusto Soto!
The judges for this bout are Patrick Alders, Wagner Zegers and Albert Achterberg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
White avoids a low kick by using good footwork.

Soto moves into the clinch successfully.
Soto lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of White backwards.
White misses with a punch to the body.
White blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Soto gets through White's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Soto goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
White blocks a body shot from Soto.
Soto is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
White throws a punch but it's blocked by Soto.
Soto blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A nice right hand lands inside from White.

White's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Soto rushes White and presses him up against the cage.
White is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
White being controlled against the cage.
White misses with a punch on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
White slows down the pace here.
Soto misses with a hook from the clinch.
White swings wildly with an uppercut but Soto uses good head movement to avoid it.
Soto can't find room to land a body shot as White controls the action.
White throws a head punch that misses.
Nice body punch from Soto - that landed with a thud.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Soto throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Soto struggles to land a body shot inside as White controls his hands.
White is looking to control Soto's arms but Soto gets an underhook and turns him. Now White has his back to the cage.
Soto misses with a hook to the ribs.
Soto tried to land a shot to the body but connects with White's elbow.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, White creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Soto lands a body shot in the clinch.
White dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Soto can't find room to land a body shot as White controls the action.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
White lands a hook that snaps the head of Soto backwards.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by White as Soto tries to tie him up.
Soto misses with a hook to the ribs.
Soto scores with a shoulder strike.
White throws a head punch that misses.
White lands a shoulder strike.
White tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Soto tries a body shot but White blocks it.
Soto tries to throw a body punch but White avoids it by throwing Soto back against the cage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from White.
Soto blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Soto tries to land knees in the clinch but White avoids the damage to the body.
White lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Soto backwards.
Soto stalling against the cage.
Soto lands a left hand.
White blocks an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
White is trying to force a seperation but Soto has the dominant position.
White looking to stall.
Soto misses with some punches.
White lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

White pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Soto wants to land a leg kick but White is out of range.
White throws a leg kick which misses Soto's front leg but catches the back leg as Soto tries to avoid it.
Soto tries to close the distance and clinch but White swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Soto fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
White misses with a jab, cross combination.
White misses with a left hand
and Soto counters with a low kick, right behind White 's knee.
Soto dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on White. That did some damage!
Dana White seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
White fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Soto manages to avoid it.
Soto takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Soto is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in White's half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
White is looking to control Soto's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can White avoid being mounted?
White is looking to improve his position.
White is working hard here to advance position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Soto is taking a breather. White says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Soto throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
White keeps the fight on the outside.
White misses with a straight right.
White misses with a looping left.
Soto misses with a body shot.
Soto takes a body punch but keeps moving.
A low kick from Soto is predictable there
and White counters with a straight right hand.
Soto fakes the leg kick and cracks White in the body.
White thumps Soto with a low kick.
Nice shot lands for White.
A looping hook to the body misses from White. Soto does a little dance to reset his feet.
White blocks a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Soto fails in his attempt to clinch.
Soto shoots for a takedown but White saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Nice defenses there by Soto.
White throws a lazy uppercut
and Soto counters with a low kick, right behind White 's knee.
Soto blocks a head kick by White.
A jab from White misses.
White feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Sotos jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
White takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
White tries to bum rush Soto with a series of wild strikes but Soto uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Dana White is winning the standup battle so far.
A low kick from Soto misses
and White counters with a low kick, right behind Soto 's knee.
White dips to his left and cracks Soto with an uppercut!
Soto staying out of range there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Soto lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Soto. White does a little dance to reset his feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Soto connects with an inside leg kick.
White ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
White scores with a body shot.
White jabs Soto to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Soto throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Soto throws a quick inside leg kick.
White pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
White chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Soto can pounce on him.
Soto connects with a solid leg kick.
White connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Soto's hands.
Soto throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent White stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
White swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Donk. White catches Soto right on the button with a cross.
Soto swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Soto scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. White doesn't seem bothered though.
White moves into range and connects with a jab.
White throws a lazy right hand but Soto sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Soto.
White's jab looks to have found its range, popping Soto under the eye.
Good work by White as he checks the leg kick.
Soto throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Soto slips a straight right by White.
Soto is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down White rather than just go for the knockout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
White bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Soto comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
White lands with an uppercut that bounces Soto off the cage and back into range.
Soto is looking to slow White down with leg kicks.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Soto tries to clinch up but White circles away and keeps his distance.

Soto closes the distance and pushes White back into the cage.
Soto stalling in the clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Soto.
Soto misses with the head strike.
White wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Soto lands an uppercut.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Soto doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A head punch blocked on the inside by White.
Soto lands with a short punch from the clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Soto.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Augusto Soto will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Soto avoids the head kick by White.
Soto stuns White with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
White avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Soto bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of White's head.
Soto checks a leg kick.
White misses with a right hand
and Soto finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Soto throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around White's waist but White gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Soto off to one side.

Soto changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. White looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
White tries to buck Soto off but Soto is having none of it.
The strikes coming from Soto are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
A lull in the action here as Soto stalls from top position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
White regains half guard, as Soto was trying to land strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Soto wants to control but White is keeping him busy.
Soto works his way into side control.
Soto remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Soto wants to lay and pray for a moment but White keeps working.
Soto creates some space and throws a big elbow, but White sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
White wants to control but Soto postures up.
Soto is looking to take a break and control but White is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
White regains half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Soto wants to lay and pray for a moment but White keeps working.
Soto not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Soto thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed White's head.
Soto thows a huge punch but White dodges it nicely.
White wants to control but Soto is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Soto throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
White is refusing to be controlled, as Soto sits in half guard.
Soto throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Soto missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
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!
White is looking to control Soto's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can White avoid being mounted?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
White is refusing to be controlled, as Soto sits in half guard.
White gets full guard.
White keeping moving, preventing Soto from controlling successfully.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
White is trying to keep Soto in close.
Soto landing some decent shots from guard.
Soto has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
White keeping moving, preventing Soto from controlling successfully.
Soto scoring with some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Soto preventing the sweep.
White has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Soto has passed into side control.
White avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Soto.
Dana White has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Soto is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt White will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Soto trying to control the position but White is working away.
White prevents Soto from improving position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Soto scoring with punches from side control.
Soto lands an elbow.
The strikes coming from Soto are missing the target in this wave of attacks.

And that's the end of the fight!
Augusto Soto comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Soto 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 Patrick Alders scores the fight 27:30
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight 27:30
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Augusto Soto!
An out of breath Augusto Soto thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.