PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between William Sosipater (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joaquim Antunes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). William Sosipater has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Sosipater
vs
Antunes

168 cm
18
145 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

175 cm
18
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Good gas tank

Merciless Gladiators

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, William Sosipater!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Joaquim Antunes!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, David Schapiro and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Antunes fails with a takedown attempt.
Antunes looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Sosipater is fending him off so far but Antunes persists. Nope, Sosipater circles away and we're back to standing.
Sosipater misses with a looping left.
Sosipater displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Antunes.
William Sosipater has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joaquim Antunes.

Antunes fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Sosipater sprawls well initially but Antunes persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Antunes missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Antunes content to control rather than advance.
Let's hope that Antunes 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.
Antunes winds up and cracks Sosipater with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Antunes in particular looking to stall.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Joaquim Antunes was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Sosipater misses with a hook. Antunes ducked under it nicely.

Antunes closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Antunes lands in his opponent's guard.
Sosipater knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Antunes on the ground.
Antunes advances to half guard.
Sosipater on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Sosipater keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Sosipater is looking for a sweep. Antunes is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Antunes perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Antunes working the head and body with strikes.
Antunes slows the pace down in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Antunes's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
This has been an exciting period of action!

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Joaquim Antunes.
Sosipater misses with a looping left.
William Sosipater is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Sosipater misses with a looping right.
Antunes looks for a takedown but Sosipater sprawls well.
Joaquim Antunes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Antunes looking to score a takedown here. Sosipater is defending well but Antunes drives through and ends up in Sosipater's guard.
Antunes is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Joaquim Antunes.
Antunes moves out of range of the strikes.
A jab lands there for Sosipater.

Antunes shoots in and bounces Sosipater off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Antunes not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Antunes is looking to stand up but Sosipater won't let him.
Antunes postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Sosipater working for a triangle but Antunes defends it easily.
Antunes stands up over Sosipater, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Antunes stands and throws Sosipater's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Antunes working the head with strikes.
Sosipater is looking for a sweep.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Antunes creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Antunes in side control, just content to control the action for now.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

A telegraphed takedown attempt from Antunes is defended easily by Sosipater.
The fighters circling - Sosipater throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Antunes looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.

Antunes fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Sosipater sprawls well initially but Antunes persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Antunes is controlling the pace.
Antunes has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Sosipater looks like he's trying to stand up.
Joaquim Antunes has got the better of the ground game so far.
Antunes working Sosipater over with strikes.
Antunes is nestled in close to Sosipater, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Antunes is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sosipater taking some punishment here, with Antunes in his half guard.
Still in half guard, Antunes seems content to control.
Antunes prevents Sosipater from improving his position.
Antunes passes to side control.
Antunes takes a little break here. Sosipater wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Antunes working the body and head with strikes.
The referee asks Antunes politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Antunes prefers to stall for the moment though.
Antunes cracks Sosipater with a big elbow.
You can see the frustration on Sosipater's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Sosipater is working to avoid the ground and pound but Antunes connects with a decent elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Antunes has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Antunes closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Antunes taking a breather here.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

Joaquim Antunes has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
A slow jab from Sosipater misses its intended target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Antunes.
Antunes shoots in but no luck this time.

Antunes decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Antunes not doing much here.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Joaquim Antunes.
Horrible takedown by Antunes or perhaps it was just good defense by Sosipater which made him look bad.
William Sosipater has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joaquim Antunes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sosipater throws a right hand that misses

and Antunes counters with a shoot takedown into 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!
Antunes is thwarting Sosipater's attempts to control the position.
Antunes is figuring out what he wants to do next.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Joaquim Antunes has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Antunes gets a takedown into half guard.
Antunes sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Sosipater defending well though.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Sosipater is looking for a sweep. Antunes is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Antunes slows the pace down in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joaquim Antunes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Antunes misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Antunes shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Antunes showed some decent athleticism there.
Antunes controlling the pace.
Sosipater is trying to control but can't.
Antunes lands with a punch from half guard.
Sosipater wants to control the action here but instead Antunes manages to pass to full mount!
Antunes with shots to the head and body - Sosipater looks very uncomfortable down there.
Antunes content just to control the position here.
Sosipater is bucking up trying to escape but Antunes cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Antunes controlling his opponent.
Antunes putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Antunes in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Antunes is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Antunes controlling the position easily from mount.
Antunes is landing with some decent strikes but Sosipater is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Antunes sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!
Antunes with a couple of short strikes.
Antunes looking to control and managing it successfully.
Antunes landing strikes, looking to finish!
Antunes content just to control the position here.
Antunes lands a big shot there that rocks Sosipater but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Antunes looking to control and managing it successfully.
Joaquim Antunes is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Antunes lands a big shot there that rocks Sosipater but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Antunes controlling the pace for now.
Antunes with a couple of short strikes.
Antunes sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Sosipater is looking to get to half guard.
Sosipater is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sosipater tries to reverse the position but Antunes maintains control.
Antunes controlling the position easily from mount.
Antunes blocks Sosipater's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
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.
Antunes takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
William Sosipater has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

And that's the end of the fight!
Joaquim Antunes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Antunes 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 Jonathan Paton scores the fight 27:30
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joaquim Antunes!
A very excited looking Joaquim Antunes made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.