PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Horace Sosa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thurman Potts (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thurman Potts has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Horace Sosa's chin.

Sosa
vs
Potts

169 cm
18
278 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

190 cm
18
270 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Horace Sosa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Thurman Potts!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Jorge Garcia and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Potts throws a series of punches but Sosa moves out of range.
Potts throws a right hand that Sosa ducks under and follows up with a left that Sosa also avoids with ease.
Sosa moves out of range of the body kick from Potts.
Sosa tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Potts manages to circle out of the way.
Sosa takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Sosa dives in and grabs Potts's left leg, looking for a takedown. Potts pushes down on Sosa's head and hops out.

Sosa jumps guard and drags Potts to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Potts trying to control the position from guard on top but Sosa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Potts showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Sosa throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Potts escapes and throws Sosa's legs to the side, diving into side control!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sosa is trying to get back to half guard.
Potts wants to control but Sosa is keeping him busy.
Potts really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Sosa. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Potts wants to stand but Sosa is controlling his arm.
Sosa tries to improve position but can't.
Potts wants to control but Sosa is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Potts tries to stand but Sosa controls the position and pulls Potts into his guard.
Potts tries to stand but Sosa is controlling from the bottom.
Sosa trying to keep a closed guard but Potts is proving a slippery customer.

Sosa is looking for a triangle but Potts pushes his legs off easily.
Potts is looking to stand up but Sosa won't let him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sosa wants to sweep here but Potts controlling him for the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Potts wants to stand but Sosa is controlling his posture from full guard.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Potts throws a series of punches but Sosa moves out of range.
Potts throws a hook to the side of Sosa's head but Sosa sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Potts tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Sosa seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Potts throws a leg kick that is checked
and Sosa counters with a body kick that stops Potts in his tracks momentarily.
Potts chopping away at his opponent's legs.

Potts gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Potts tries to strike from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Potts throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Potts trying to keep a closed guard but Sosa is proving a slippery customer.

Potts is working an open guard so Sosa takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Potts fails with an attempt to clinch.
Sosa blocks a head kick by Potts.
Potts misses with a few strikes there.
Potts shoots in but no luck this time.
Potts looks winded!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Potts swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Potts pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
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!
Potts lands a jab.
A jab from Potts misses.
Sosa is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Potts.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thurman Potts dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Horace Sosa's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Potts tries to clinch but Sosa moves out of range.
Potts is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Sosa manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Potts on his heels. He'll look to pass Potts's guard now, I'm sure.
Potts trying to keep a closed guard but Sosa is proving a slippery customer.
Sosa could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Potts is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Sosa might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Sosa stands up from Potts's guard - Sosa perhaps looking for a knockout.
Potts misses with a hook. Sosa ducked under it nicely.
Sosa wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Potts throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Potts misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Thurman Potts seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Potts tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Sosa manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Potts pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Potts tries to clinch up.
Sosa throws a big counter combination but Potts scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Sosa takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Potts is breathing heavily.
Sosa shoots in but Potts avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Sosa is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Potts.
Sosa avoids the head kick by Potts.
As Potts tries to get set, Sosa tries to push him back and clinch up but Potts manages to avoid the attempt.
Sosa is looking to clinch.
Potts throws a lazy head kick
and Sosa counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

Sosa instigates a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sosa tries to pull guard but Potts holds him up against the cage and eventually Sosa drops back down to his feet.
Sosa gets underhooks to prevent Potts's takedown attempt.
Sosa tries to pull guard but Potts won't allow it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Horace Sosa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sosa tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Potts smiles and moves away.
Potts misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Potts fails with the takedown
and Sosa makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sosa shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Potts sprawls well. Potts wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Sosa gets slowly back to his feet.
Nice body punch from Potts.
Potts throws a series of punches but Sosa moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sosa takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Potts throws a left and a right that both miss

and Sosa counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Sosa.

Sosa drags the fight down to the ground.
Potts wants to stand but Sosa has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Sosa pulls Potts in close to prevent any damage.
Sosa keeping moving, preventing Potts from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sosa wants to sweep here but Potts controlling him for the moment.
Potts trying to control the position from guard on top but Sosa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sosa is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Sosa decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Potts jabbing away but nothing is landing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Thurman Potts will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Horace Sosa's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Potts throws a sloppy head kick and Sosa moves out of range easily.
Potts fails with the takedown.
Sosa blocks a head kick by Potts.
Potts misses with a wild combination.
Potts rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Sosa moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Potts swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Sosa holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Sosa ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Sosa no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Potts takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Sosa is on top in guard.

Sosa stands up from Potts's guard - Sosa perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Potts tries to score with a low kick but Sosa moves his leg out of the way.
Potts misses with a head kick.
Sosa tries to counter by clinching up but Potts breaks away and moves out of range.
Potts swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Sosa moves into the clinch.

Sosa breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Sosa shoots in and drives through. Potts sprawls well.
Potts misses with a leg kick

and Sosa holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Sosa tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Sosa is trying to pull guard but Potts turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Horace Sosa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Potts wants to take the fight to the mat but Sosa manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Sosa jumps guard but Potts stands there with Sosa around his waist. Sosa gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Potts creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Potts tries to break free but Sosa pushes him back against the cage.

Sosa has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Potts uses from the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Sosa is on top in guard.

Potts working a defensive guard here.

Sosa stands up and waves to Potts to follow him.
Sosa slips a jab and a cross from Potts.
Potts swings for the body but Sosa moves out of range.
Potts tries to clinch but Sosa moves out of range.

Sosa looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Sosa stands up from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sosa clinches.

Sosa manages to pull guard.
Potts preventing the sweep.
Potts trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Sosa manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Potts lands with a heel strike from the guard.
Sosa is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Sosa trying to control but Potts is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sosa decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Potts closes the distance and clinches.
Potts wants to take the fight to the mat but Sosa manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

Sosa manages to pull guard.

Sosa manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Horace Sosa has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Thurman Potts is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Potts fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Sosa is out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Horace Sosa showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Potts has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Russell Pearce scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 29:28
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Thurman Potts!