PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Juha Nimmaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bruno Souza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Nimmaki
vs
Souza

170 cm
23
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

172 cm
23
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Juha Nimmaki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Bruno Souza!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, Chris Dean and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Souza displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Nimmaki.

Souza darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Souza lands with a punch from half guard.
Nimmaki works his way to full guard. Good work.
Souza trying to stand up but can't free himself from Nimmaki's guard.

Nimmaki escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Souza gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Souza tries to free his leg and advance position but Nimmaki is retaining full guard.

Nimmaki escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Souza gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Nimmaki is keeping the position for now.
Souza content to stall in guard here.
Souza wants to control from the top but Nimmaki keeps moving.
Souza must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Souza throws a big right hand that misses.
Souza is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bruno Souza has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
No luck for Nimmaki with that takedown attempt.
Souza throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Souza bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Nimmaki tries to bench press Souza off him but Souza keeps the position.

Souza tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Souza looking to control but instead Nimmaki has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Nimmaki looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Nimmaki.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nimmaki is looking to improve his position.
Nimmaki wants to control but Souza is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Souza wants to lay and pray for a moment but Nimmaki keeps working.
Nimmaki is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Souza's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Souza's back!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Nimmaki's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Nimmaki controls the action.
Souza is in bad spot here.

Nimmaki is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Souza has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Souza wants to escape the position.
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.

A close round but Bruno Souza will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Nimmaki rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Souza moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A punch combination from Nimmaki misses.
Nimmaki tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Souza paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Some wild striking there from Souza.

Souza pushes Nimmaki up against the cage in a clinch.
Nimmaki wants to get back to striking at distance but Souza won't allow it.
Nimmaki gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Souza.
A frustrated look appears on Nimmaki's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Souza drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Nimmaki gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Nimmaki wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nimmaki breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nimmaki shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Souza counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Souza really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Nimmaki. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Souza won't allow Nimmaki to sweep him here.
Souza slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Nimmaki is on top in guard.
Souza controls Nimmaki momentarily but Nimmaki frees himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza keeping moving, preventing Nimmaki from controlling successfully.
Souza trying to keep a closed guard but Nimmaki is proving a slippery customer.
Nimmaki wants to stand but Souza has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nimmaki slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Nimmaki wants to control but Souza is keeping him busy.
Souza tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza is trying to control Nimmaki's posture but Nimmaki avoids it.
Nimmaki has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Souza!
Nimmaki sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Nimmaki wants to control the pace but Souza is squirming around nicely.
Souza really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nimmaki trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Souza taking shots to the head.

Souza has left one of his arms exposed and Nimmaki doesn't need a second invitation. He's isolated it and locked on a tight armbar. Souza screams and taps out, obviously in a lot of pain. Hopefully there isn't permanent damage to that arm.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:51 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Juha Nimmaki!