PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Hjalmar Soderberg (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jonny Victorio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Victorio is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Massive Attack - Angel. Jonny Victorio has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Hjalmar Soderberg's chin.

Soderberg
vs
Victorio

189 cm
30
225 lbs
17 - 4 - 0

193 cm
32
210 lbs
35 - 14 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Conquer

Perkele!

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 17 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Hjalmar Soderberg!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 35 - 14 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Jonny Victorio!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Richard Clark and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Soderberg has closed the distance and engaged Victorio in a clinch.

Soderberg jumps guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

Soderberg looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Soderberg keeping moving, preventing Victorio from controlling successfully.
Victorio working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Soderberg working a defensive guard here.
Soderberg wants to sweep here but Victorio controlling him for the moment.
Victorio seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Soderberg looking to hit a scissor sweep but Victorio is one step ahead there.
Victorio tries to free his leg and advance position but Soderberg is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Soderberg is on top in guard.
Victorio controls Soderberg momentarily but Soderberg frees himself.

Victorio has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Soderberg is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Victorio.
We've been hearing that Soderberg has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Victorio gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Victorio tries to reverse the position but Soderberg maintains control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Soderberg wants to control the pace but Victorio is squirming around nicely.
Victorio tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Soderberg takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Soderberg avoids the attempt from Victorio to control.
Soderberg prevents Victorio from getting the reversal.
Victorio tries to hold on but Soderberg pushes him away.
Victorio is trying desperately to improve position.
Soderberg connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Victorio is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Soderberg sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Soderberg cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Soderberg landing strikes from the mount.
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!
Soderberg can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Victorio is looking to escape.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Victorio wants to hold on but Soderberg pushes him away.
Soderberg lands a nice shot to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hjalmar Soderberg dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Victorio misses with an uppercut.
Soderberg moves out of range of the strikes.
Soderberg avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Soderberg scores with a kick to the body.
Victorio tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Soderberg tries to clinch up.
Soderberg shoots for a takedown but Victorio saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Soderberg fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Victorio manages to avoid it.
Victorio lands with a shot to the body.
Victorio tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Victorio scores with a decent looking hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Soderberg drops his hands momentarily and Victorio takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Soderberg closes the distance and clinches up with Victorio, looking for a takedown. Soderberg pushes Victorio against the cage but Victorio circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Jonny Victorio is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Soderberg swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Victorio blocks the body kick.
Victorio throws a hook but Soderberg blocks it.
The fighters circling - Victorio throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Victorio throws a lazy right hand but Soderberg sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Victorio defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Soderberg.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hjalmar Soderberg. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Soderberg.
Victorio trying to control but Soderberg flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Soderberg keeps control of the position as Victorio tries to break free.
Soderberg not allowing Victorio to control his hands.
I would not like to be Victorio right now.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
You can see the frustration on Victorio's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Soderberg biding his time, controlling Victorio.
Soderberg keeps control of the position as Victorio tries to break free.
Victorio felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Soderberg loading up with punches from the back mount - how long can Victorio hold on?
Soderberg trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Victorio rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Victorio on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Soderberg trying to control from half guard but Victorio is working away.
Soderberg has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Victorio is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Soderberg controlling his opponent.
Victorio sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Victorio is trying to get back to full guard.
Soderberg wants to control but Victorio is keeping him busy.
Victorio is trying to get back to full guard.
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.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Soderberg in particular looking to stall.
Soderberg passes the guard and advances to mount!
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 Hjalmar Soderberg will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Victorio tries a low kick but Soderberg avoids it.
A leg kick checked by Soderberg.
Victorio lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Victorio misses with a kick to the body.
Soderberg throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Soderberg checks a leg kick.
Victorio looks to land a left hand but Soderberg moved out of range nicely.

Victorio forces Soderberg back against the cage and clinches.
Victorio tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Victorio tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Soderberg's elbow.
Soderberg working hard to break the clinch.
Victorio is struggling to control the position.
Victorio can't find room to land a body shot as Soderberg controls the action.
Soderberg blocks a body shot from Victorio.
Victorio prevents a body shot from Soderberg.
Soderberg has had enough of the clinch but Victorio keeps him there for the moment.
A body shot lands from Victorio.
Soderberg jumps guard but Victorio turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Victorio prevents Soderberg from breaking the clinch.
Victorio swings wildly with an uppercut but Soderberg uses good head movement to avoid it.
Soderberg softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
A short right from Victorio on the inside.
Victorio swings wildly with an uppercut but Soderberg uses good head movement to avoid it.
Victorio tries to work over Soderberg's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Victorio misses with some punches.
Victorio lands a right hand that snaps the head of Soderberg backwards.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Soderberg pulls guard effortlessly.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Victorio preventing the sweep.

Soderberg has an active guard here but Victorio has managed to pass into half guard.
Victorio trying to mount his opponent but Soderberg defends it.
Jonny Victorio has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Soderberg moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Victorio controls from within his opponent's guard.
Victorio throws a big elbow that misses.

Soderberg had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Victorio defends it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Victorio throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Victorio trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Soderberg keeping moving, preventing Victorio from controlling successfully.

Soderberg looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Soderberg controlling the position.

Soderberg has his foot on Victorio's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Victorio works his way back into a safe position though.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Soderberg had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Victorio defends it easily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Victorio is looking to work some ground and pound but Soderberg has wrist control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jonny Victorio comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Soderberg 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 Daniel Bishop scores the fight 29:28
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hjalmar Soderberg!
Hjalmar Soderberg took to the mic in his post fight interview and said 'And stay down.'.