PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Lester Matthews (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ronaldo Souza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lester Matthews has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Matthews
vs
Souza

193 cm
24
194 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
25
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Lester Matthews!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ronaldo Souza!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Emerson Jorge and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Matthews doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Souza counters with a one-two to the body.
Souza throws a body punch but Matthews moves out of range.
Matthews comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Matthews has a takedown stuffed.
A good leg kick by Souza.
Matthews pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Souza misses with a leg kick
and Matthews counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Nice sprawl there from Souza as Matthews shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lester Matthews. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Matthews darts in and clinches Souza up against the cage.
Souza tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Souza wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Souza wants to break the clinch but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matthews doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Matthews has Souza pressed against the cage, preventing Souza from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Souza is looking for a takedown.
Souza stops a takedown attempt from Matthews.
Souza stops a takedown attempt from Matthews.
Matthews keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Souza's efforts to push away.

Matthews pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Souza moves out of range of the body kick from Matthews.

Matthews tries to sprawl but Souza drives through with a takedown into half guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Matthews is looking to escape.
Souza is keen to just control but Matthews is a slippery customer.
Matthews knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Souza on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Souza is looking to take a break and control but Matthews is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Matthews looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Matthews is breathing heavily.

Souza is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Souza wants to stand up but Matthews has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Matthews is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Souza jumps into side control!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matthews tries to bench press Souza off him but Souza keeps the position.
Matthews looking for a sweep but Souza has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Matthews tries to hold on but Souza postures up.
Matthews is working to get back to half guard.
Souza landing strikes from the mount and Matthews is in trouble!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Souza raining down hammerfists from mount.
Souza sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Souza wants to control the pace but Matthews is squirming around nicely.
Matthews is in a horrible position here. Souza smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Souza connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Souza looking to control but Matthews is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Matthews is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ronaldo Souza dominated that round.
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.

Souza keeps the fight on the outside.
Matthews shoots in looking for a takedown. Souza tries to sprawl out of it but Matthews keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Souza manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Souza closes the distance but Matthews moves to the side
and Matthews counters with a one-two to the body.
Souza shoots for a takedown but Matthews saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Souza drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Souza controlling from the top position.
Souza wants to get up but he can't break Matthews's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Matthews trying to keep a closed guard but Souza is proving a slippery customer.
Matthews will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Nice strikes from Souza there.
Ronaldo Souza has got the better of the ground game so far.
Souza missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Matthews is not content to let Souza control the position.
Souza tries to stand but can't do so whilst Matthews controls his leg.
Souza stalling.
Souza tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Matthews.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matthews trying to control from the bottom.

Matthews looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Souza seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Souza tries to stand but can't do so whilst Matthews controls his leg.
Souza prevents Matthews from improving his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza slows the pace down in half guard.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Ronaldo Souza wasn't active enough on the ground.
Souza shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Matthews as he jumps to the side.
Souza is breathing heavily.
Matthews shoots for a double leg takedown but Souza sprawls well. He's pushed Matthews's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Souza wants to clinch up but Matthews keeps it at a distance.
Souza shoots in for a takedown but Matthews shows good takedown defense.
Lester Matthews has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ronaldo Souza.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Souza closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Matthews is trying to control Souza's posture but Souza avoids it.
Souza trying to control the action but Matthews is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Souza tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ronaldo Souza showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

No luck with that takedown attempt from Matthews.
Matthews shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Souza but Souza pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Nice sprawl there from Matthews as Souza shoots in.
Matthews misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Souza shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Matthews sprawls well. Matthews wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Souza gets slowly back to his feet.
A head kick from Matthews lands but Souza takes it in his stride.
Matthews swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Souza closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Matthews quickly recovers to half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Souza is keen to just control but Matthews is a slippery customer.

Souza is working for a kimura but Matthews is defending it quite comfortably.
Matthews manages to get to full guard.
Matthews looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza trying to control the position from guard on top but Matthews is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Souza preventing the sweep.
Matthews being controlled here, momentarily.
Souza passes Matthews's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Souza wants to pass the guard but Matthews is defending well.
Souza trying to control from half guard but Matthews is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matthews gets full guard.
Souza trying to control the position from guard on top but Matthews is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Matthews is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Souza trying to control but Matthews is working from the bottom.
Souza sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Ronaldo Souza was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Matthews tries to clinch up but Souza circles away and keeps his distance.

Souza feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Souza trying to control the position from guard on top but Matthews is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Souza is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Souza postures up in Matthews's guard and throws a big left but Matthews blocks it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ronaldo Souza comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Souza 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 27:30
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 27:30
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ronaldo Souza!
A victorious Ronaldo Souza thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.