PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Luiz Araujo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steve Squirrel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Araujo comes to the cage accompanied by Who Shot Ya?. Squirrel has chosen Bio Crisis - Delirio as his entrance music. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Araujo
vs
Squirrel

187 cm
22
214 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

195 cm
22
226 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Good gas tank

Valhalla Fight Wear

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 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Luiz Araujo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Steve Squirrel!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Squirrel slips a jab and a cross from Araujo.
Squirrel blocks a head kick by Araujo.

Squirrel shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Araujo manages to get to full guard.
Squirrel postures up.
Squirrel postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Squirrel postures up in Araujo's guard and throws a big left but Araujo blocks it.
Araujo keeping moving, preventing Squirrel from controlling successfully.
Squirrel postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Squirrel is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Araujo utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Squirrel with a nice head shot there.
Araujo not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Squirrel stopping the sweep attempt from Araujo.
Araujo pulls Squirrel in close to prevent any damage.
Squirrel with a nice head shot there.
Squirrel lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Araujo avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Squirrel trying to control but Araujo is working from the bottom.
Squirrel throws an elbow that misses. Araujo uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Squirrel's guard. Nice move by Araujo!

Squirrel seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Araujo cracks Squirrel with a solid left hand.
Squirrel trying to control the position.
Squirrel wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Squirrel looking to control but Araujo passes into half guard.
Squirrel regains full guard. Nicely done.
Araujo loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Araujo with a flurry of punches that miss.
Squirrel trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Araujo looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Squirrel working a defensive guard here.
Squirrel is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Squirrel keeping moving, preventing Araujo from controlling successfully.
Squirrel is trying to keep Araujo in close.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Squirrel manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Araujo on his heels. He'll look to pass Araujo's guard now, I'm sure.
Squirrel throwing strikes from guard but Araujo blocks nicely.
Araujo tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Squirrel postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Squirrel loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Araujo trying to control the position.
Squirrel works over Araujo with some ground and pound from guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Araujo preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Squirrel's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Squirrel is looking to work some ground and pound but Araujo has wrist control.
Araujo looking to hit a scissor sweep but Squirrel is one step ahead there.

Araujo working for a triangle but Squirrel defends it easily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Araujo keeping moving, preventing Squirrel from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Squirrel dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Squirrel throws a right and a left that Araujo avoids nicely.
A telegraphed right hand from Araujo misses the target.

Squirrel gets a clinch.

Araujo manages to break the clinch.

Squirrel darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Araujo is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Squirrel pulls his head out easily.

Araujo is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Squirrel pulls his head out easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Araujo tries to roll over but Squirrel keeps him under control.
Steve Squirrel has got the better of the ground game so far.
Squirrel is looking to take a break and control but Araujo is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Araujo wants to control but Squirrel is keeping busy.
Araujo keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Squirrel has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Ground and pound from Squirrel.
Araujo avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Squirrel.
Squirrel looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Squirrel scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Squirrel missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Araujo looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Araujo blocking the ground and pound attempt from Squirrel.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Squirrel not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Araujo has hold of Squirrel's hands but Squirrel slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Squirrel lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Squirrel throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Araujo to regain full guard.
Squirrel tries to free his leg and advance position but Araujo is retaining full guard.
Araujo wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Squirrel is now in half guard.
Squirrel wants to take a breather but Araujo is having none of it.

Araujo actively working from the bottom here.
Squirrel trying to pass the guard but Araujo defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Squirrel thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Araujo's head.
Squirrel not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Nice strikes from Squirrel there.
Squirrel missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Squirrel lands a nice short elbow.
Araujo is refusing to be controlled, as Squirrel sits in half guard.
Squirrel missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Squirrel not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Squirrel wants to control but Araujo is keeping him busy.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Squirrel misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Araujo tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Squirrel uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Araujo.
Squirrel wants to clinch.

Squirrel moves into the clinch successfully.
Araujo looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Araujo scores with a nice hook to the head.
Squirrel throws a punch but it's blocked by Araujo.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Squirrel misses with a hook to the ribs.
Araujo is trying to push Squirrel away but Squirrel has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Squirrel lands a left hand that snaps the head of Araujo backwards.
I was talking to Araujo's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Araujo can't break the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Squirrel 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. This is the final round!

Araujo delivers a nice body kick.
Decent striking displayed by Squirrel there.

Squirrel closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Araujo did well to prevent Squirrel getting side control.
Squirrel missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Squirrel lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Araujo looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Araujo regains full guard. Nicely done.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Squirrel keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Araujo's head.
Araujo is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Squirrel throwing strikes but missing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Squirrel throws a big elbow that misses.
Squirrel loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Squirrel scoring with punches to the head and body.
Squirrel scoring with some ground and pound.
Squirrel throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Araujo works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Squirrel pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Araujo is keeping the position for now.
Squirrel trying to control but Araujo is working from the bottom.
Squirrel postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Luiz Araujo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Araujo tries to keep at a distance but Squirrel has taken the fight into the clinch.

Araujo breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Squirrel misses with a takedown attempt - Araujo sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Squirrel uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Araujo.
Squirrel lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Araujo circles away quickly and effectively.
Araujo throws a head kick but Squirrel moves out of range.
Araujo swats away the attempt to clinch by Squirrel.
Squirrel throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Araujo's waist but Araujo gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Squirrel off to one side.
Araujo lands a right hook to the body.
Araujo lands a two punch combo.
Araujo pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Squirrel drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Araujo is adopting a defensive guard.
Araujo wants to sweep here but Squirrel controlling him for the moment.
Squirrel wants to control from the top but Araujo keeps moving.
Araujo looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Araujo has momentary wrist control but Squirrel slips an elbow through the middle.
Squirrel throws a big elbow that misses.
Squirrel lands a couple of digs.
Squirrel throws a strike but Araujo rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Squirrel bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Araujo's guard.

Squirrel loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Squirrel makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Squirrel postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Araujo had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Squirrel defends it easily.
Squirrel is in close to Araujo's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Squirrel postures up in Araujo's guard and throws a big left but Araujo blocks it.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Squirrel working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Squirrel working some strikes from top position.
Steve Squirrel is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Araujo keeping moving, preventing Squirrel from controlling successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
Steve Squirrel comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Squirrel 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steve Squirrel!
Steve Squirrel really struggled to get his t-shirt on before his hand was raised. Making sure that Valhalla Fight Wear logo gets some air time is pretty tricky when you're all sweaty.