PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ko Pono (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and First Soul (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Pono comes to the cage accompanied by Far Away by Jose Gonzalez. Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Pono
vs
Soul

186 cm
19
179 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
24
180 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Likes musicals

Work Hard, Fight Hard Apparel

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Ko Pono!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, First Soul!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, William Gold and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Soul clinches up against the cage.
Pono misses with a knee strike.
Pono has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Soul is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Pono misses with a knee to the head.
Pono tries to land a knee to the head but Soul blocks with his arms.
Soul lands an elbow inside that Pono shrugs off.
Pono's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

Soul pulls Pono into guard.
Pono trying to control the position from guard on top but Soul is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pono tries to free his leg and advance position but Soul is retaining full guard.
Soul seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pono wants to control from the top but Soul keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Ko Pono wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Soul moves out of range of the strikes.
Soul is looking to clinch.
Pono misses with a hook.

Pono rushes Soul and presses him up against the cage.
Pono with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Pono tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Pono has Soul pressed against the cage.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Soul obliges.
Pono is breathing heavily.
Pono stalling in the clinch but Soul improves position.
Soul throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Pono blocks it with crossed arms.
Nice elbow from Soul.

It looks like Ko Pono has been cut.
Pono with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Soul misses with an elbow over the top.
Soul throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Soul misses with an elbow over the top.
Pono with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Soul stalls.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Soul gets underhooks to prevent Pono's takedown attempt.

Soul's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Pono misses with a looping right.

Soul shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Soul performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pono avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Soul.
Soul tries to pass to full mount but Pono defends it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Soul decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Soul tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Pono paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Pono throws a hook to the side of Soul's head but Soul sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Pono looks to throw the jab but Soul is out of range.
Soul tries to clinch but Pono is having none of it.
Soul tries to clinch there but Pono circles away.

Soul scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Soul content to control rather than advance.
Soul missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Soul sitting and controlling from the half guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up. First Soul was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Soul tries to clinch but Pono is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

First Soul dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ko Pono's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Soul tries to close the distance and clinch up but Pono swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Soul is looking to clinch.
Soul throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Pono pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Pono misses with a right hand
and Soul counters with a nice low kick that buckles Pono's knee momentarily.

Soul closes the distance and pushes Pono back into the cage.
Soul is struggling to control the position.
Pono throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Soul blocks it with crossed arms.
Pono misses with a knee strike.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Soul just misses with a elbow thrown towards Pono's brow.
Pono misses with a knee strike.
Soul tries for a takedown but Pono manages to get underhooks.

Soul breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Soul tries to close the distance and clinch but Pono swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Pono does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Pono displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Soul throws out the jab.
Both fighters circling a little - Soul finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Soul tries to close the distance and clinch up but Pono swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Ko Pono is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Soul, right into the meat.
Pono circles away from the clinch attempt.
First Soul is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Pono throws an off balance right hand
and Soul counters with a slapping leg kick.
Soul wants to clinch.
Soul tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Pono manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Soul fails in his attempt to clinch.
Pono throws a poor cross that misses
and Soul counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

Soul looking to score a takedown here. Pono is defending well but Soul drives through and ends up in Pono's guard.
Pono being controlled here, momentarily.
Pono avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Soul sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Pono's guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Soul moves into full mount! Pono won't be happy about that!
Soul lands a heavy elbow.
Soul looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Soul is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!

Soul shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Soul was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
First Soul has got the better of the ground game so far.
Pono is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Pono is letting Soul control him for a moment.

Soul stands up and we're back to a striking position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pono swats away the attempt to clinch by Soul.
Pono connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Soul's hands.

Soul looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Soul slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Soul slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

First Soul showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Ko Pono's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Soul wants to clinch up but Pono keeps it at a distance.
Soul ducks under a wild hook from Pono.

Soul shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Pono napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Soul tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

Soul thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Soul taking a breather here.

Soul is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Pono has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pono is trying to escape the position but Soul is controlling the position.
Soul misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Soul has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Soul has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Soul tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Pono paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Soul fails in his attempt to clinch.
Good shot there by Pono.
Nice body kick from Soul.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Soul clinches up against the cage.
Pono tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Soul dodges an elbow strike from Pono.

Soul manages to pull guard.
Soul managing to control the position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Pono is looking to advance position but Soul has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

Soul stands up from mount. Strange move.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Soul closes the distance but Pono moves to the side
and Pono connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
A jab from Pono misses.
Pono circles away from the clinch attempt.
Pono throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Soul sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Pono throws an overhand right that lands on Soul's shoulder, as Soul tries to avoid the shot.
Soul wants to clinch.
Soul tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Pono manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Soul tries to clinch there but Pono circles away.
Soul bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

Soul closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Pono's guard.

Soul stands up from Pono's guard - Soul perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Soul tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
First Soul seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Soul tries to close the distance and clinch but Pono swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Soul throws a nice looking combination but Pono bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Soul pushes Pono up against the cage in a clinch.

Soul escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ko Pono has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Soul slips under a jab.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Pono throws a lazy uppercut
and Soul counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Pono thinking.
Soul staying out of range there.
Soul ducks under a wild hook from Pono.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Soul defending well as Pono loads up on a big left hand.

Soul drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Soul decides to stand up, so the ref orders Pono to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
First Soul comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Soul 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 Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 27:30
Judge William Gold scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... First Soul!