PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Solomon Bolton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anas Giou (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Bolton
vs
Giou

198 cm
18
177 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

190 cm
18
177 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Solomon Bolton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Anas Giou!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Daniel Bishop and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bolton fails with a takedown attempt.

Giou bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Giou working the ground and pound from side control.

Giou looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Bolton is trying to get back to half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bolton sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Bolton is looking to escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bolton wants to improve his position but Giou is controlling well.
Giou trying to mount his opponent but Bolton defends it.
Giou seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Bolton does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Bolton tries to roll over but Giou keeps him under control.
Giou stalling away here and it's allowed Bolton to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

Bolton had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Giou defends it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Giou gets to his feet - Bolton follows without any prompting.
Bolton ducks under a wild hook from Giou.
Giou fails with a takedown attempt.
Giou shoots for a double leg takedown but Bolton sprawls well. He's pushed Giou's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Giou looks for a takedown but Bolton sprawls well.
Solomon Bolton has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Anas Giou.
Giou shoots in and drives through. Bolton sprawls well.
Bolton changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bolton swings for the body but Giou moves out of range.
Bolton with a lazy takedown attempt
and Giou cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Giou blocks a head kick by Bolton.
Giou dives in and grabs Bolton's left leg, looking for a takedown. Bolton pushes down on Giou's head and hops out.
Giou looks winded!
Giou misses with a takedown attempt
and Bolton counters with a straight right hand.
Anas Giou seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bolton goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Giou steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Bolton.

Bolton drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Bolton in side control, throwing shots but Giou defends.

Bolton stands up and we're back to a striking position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
No joy there for Giou, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Bolton throws a shot to the body.
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!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Bolton.
Giou slaps away a takedown attempt from Bolton, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Giou gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bolton jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Giou walks away with a smile on his face. Bolton gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Giou closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Solomon Bolton 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.

Giou gets caught flat footed, as Bolton shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Bolton gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Bolton really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Bolton tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Giou will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Anas Giou is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Giou connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.

Giou rushes Bolton and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Giou looking for a takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bolton has Giou pressed against the cage, preventing Giou from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Giou wants to take the fight to the mat but Bolton manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Solomon Bolton has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Anas Giou.
Giou is breathing heavily.

Bolton successfully pulls guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Bolton working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Giou has passed into half guard!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Giou takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Giou trying to control the action but Bolton is working from the bottom.
Bolton flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Giou wants to control but Bolton is keeping him busy.

Bolton actively working from the bottom here.

Giou is working for a kimura but Bolton is defending it quite comfortably.

That's two 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.
Giou stalling away here and it's allowed Bolton to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Bolton looking to hit a scissor sweep but Giou is one step ahead there.
Giou wants to control from the top but Bolton keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Giou has gone for a leg lock! Bolton slips out almost immediately though and dives into Giou's guard.

Bolton trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Bolton is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Giou wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Bolton manages to pass to side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Bolton performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bolton tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Solomon Bolton dominated that second round.
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!

A head kick by Bolton misses

and Giou counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Bolton tries to get to full guard but Giou has control of the leg.
Giou misses with a head shot. Bolton uses the momentum to regain guard.

Bolton escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Giou gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Giou advances to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Giou uses his free foot to push down on Bolton's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Bolton.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Giou can't control as he wanted to and Bolton manages to get the fight back to his half guard.

Giou is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Bolton doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Giou.

Giou is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Bolton sees it coming and defends easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bolton wants to improve his position but Giou is controlling well.

Bolton has one foot on Giou's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Giou looks to throw the jab but Bolton is out of range.

Bolton gets tackled into the cage by Giou. Giou maintains the clinch.

Bolton jumps guard.

Bolton is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Giou defends well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Giou 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.
Bolton throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Giou content to stall in guard here.
Bolton is looking to stand up but Giou isn't so interested in that idea.

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.
Bolton looking for a sweep. Not yet Bolton, not yet.
Bolton keeping full guard, as Giou tries to pass.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Giou fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Bolton is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Giou fails with the takedown

and Bolton counters by moving into the clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bolton drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Anas Giou.
I think Bolton 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 29:29
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Solomon Bolton!