PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ab Soul (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Roy Nelson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nelson is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Hyper - We Control . Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Soul
vs
Nelson

192 cm
18
256 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

188 cm
26
242 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ab Soul!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Roy Nelson!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Trevor Gratis and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Nelson shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Soul napping and manages to drive through into side control!
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Soul tries to improve position but can't.
Nelson working away.
Nelson has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Soul is desperately trying to improve his position but Nelson has a good base and remains in mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nelson throws a wild left hand from mount and Soul manages to wriggle his way back to half guard.
Nelson not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Soul trying to hold on to Nelson's head to control him but Nelson postures up.
Nelson prevents Soul from improving his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Soul has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Nelson is working away from the top position though.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Ab Soul just wasn't active enough.
Soul throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Nelson's waist but Nelson gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Soul off to one side.

Nelson gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Nelson as Soul tries to tie him up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nelson lands with a left to the head.

Nelson successfully pulls guard.
Soul stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Nelson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Soul passes Nelson's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Nelson tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Soul not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Soul is looking to advance position but Nelson won't allow it.
Soul is working hard here to advance position.
Soul is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Soul tries to control but Nelson wriggling away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Soul thowing shots but they're missing.
Soul looking to control but Nelson is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Soul throws a wild left hand from mount and Nelson manages to wriggle his way back to half guard.
Nelson trying to hold on to Soul's head to control him but Soul postures up.
Soul wants to pass to mount but Nelson is defending the position.
Soul could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Soul passes to full mount!
Soul can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Nelson is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nelson is trying to escape the mount.

Soul is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Nelson has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Nelson!
Soul working a defensive guard but Nelson manages to pass into side control anyway.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Soul gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Soul wants to control but Nelson is keeping busy and won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ab Soul dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Nelson tries to clinch there but Soul circles away.
Soul tries to close the distance and clinch up but Nelson swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Nelson scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Roy Nelson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nelson fakes the leg kick and cracks Soul in the body.

Soul looking to score a takedown here. Nelson is defending well but Soul drives through and ends up in Nelson's guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Soul tries to free his leg and advance position but Nelson is retaining full guard.
Soul looking to sit in guard and control but Nelson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Nelson trying to control the position from guard on top but Soul is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nelson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Soul is keeping the position for now.
Soul bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Nelson's guard.
Soul looking to pass the guard.

Soul has gone for a leg lock! Nelson slips out almost immediately though and dives into Soul's guard.
Soul looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nelson wants to get up but he can't break Soul's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Nelson scoring with punches to the head and body.
Soul tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Nelson trying to control but Soul is working from the bottom.

Nelson has gone for a leg lock! Soul slips out almost immediately though and dives into Nelson's guard.
Soul wants to pass the guard but Nelson is keeping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nelson keeping moving, preventing Soul from controlling successfully.
Soul postures up in Nelson's guard and throws a big left but Nelson blocks it.
Soul trying to control the position from guard on top but Nelson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nelson working a defensive guard here.
Soul passes Nelson's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Soul passes to full mount!
Soul wants to control the pace but Nelson is squirming around nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Soul is working for a guillotine from mount but Nelson frees his head quite easily.

Soul moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Nelson has worked his arm free - good work by Nelson!
Soul throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Soul advances to mount.
We've been informed that Nelson has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nelson wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Soul.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Soul moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Nelson has worked his arm free - good work by Nelson!
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 Ab Soul 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. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Nelson clinches up with Soul and pushes him back against the cage.
Soul fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Nelson breaks from the clinch.

Nelson clinches up against the cage.
Soul has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Nelson after a bit of a struggle.
Nelson working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Nelson jumps into guard, dragging Soul to the mat.
Soul trying to control but Nelson is working from the bottom.
Nelson looking to hit a scissor sweep but Soul is one step ahead there.
Soul stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Nelson swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Soul trying to control but Nelson is working from the bottom.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Soul tries to free his leg and advance position but Nelson is retaining full guard.
Soul trying to control the position from guard on top but Nelson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Soul pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Nelson is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Nelson stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Nelson wants it to stay on the feet.
Soul tries to close the distance and clinch but Nelson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Soul shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ab Soul. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Nelson drives through and clinches with Soul against the cage.
Nelson slows down the pace here.

Nelson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Nelson drives through with a takedown into guard.
Soul seems keen to control Nelson's posture.
Nelson wants to control from the top but Soul keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Soul is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Nelson defends well.
Nelson trying to control but Soul is working from the bottom.
Soul is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Nelson looking to pass the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Roy Nelson wasn't active enough on the ground.
Soul circles away from the clinch attempt.
A head kick from Nelson lands but Soul takes it in his stride.
Nelson shoots in and drives through. Soul sprawls well.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Nelson is defended easily by Soul.
Soul fails with the takedown
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Roy Nelson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A head kick from Nelson lands but Soul takes it in his stride.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nelson cracks the inside of Soul's front leg.

Soul gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Roy Nelson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Soul has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Yves DeLean scores the fight 29:28
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ab Soul!
After winning the bout, Ab Soul thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.