PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Jose Aldo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Antonio Souza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Antonio Souza acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Aldo
vs
Souza

170 cm
25
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
25
135 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Dangerous knees
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
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 Rio de Janeiro, Jose Aldo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Antonio Souza!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Thiago Cunha and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Souza lunges at Aldo with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Aldo's hand.
Aldo fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Souza avoids it really well and circles away.
Aldo shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Souza counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Aldo shoots in for a takedown but Souza shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jose Aldo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Souza works over Aldo's head and body with a nice combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Aldo with a poor takedown
and Souza makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Aldo shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Souza counters with a left and a right that stings Aldo.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Aldo drives through with a takedown into guard.

Souza has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Aldo can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Souza is looking for a triangle but Aldo pushes his legs off easily.
Aldo seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Aldo has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Souza escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Aldo gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Aldo slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Souza has his foot on Aldo's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Aldo works his way back into a safe position though.

Souza is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Aldo is aware though and is defending well.

Aldo gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Souza misses with a takedown

and Aldo holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Souza looks winded!

Aldo pulls guard successfully.
Aldo striking from his own guard.

Souza drops back, looking for a kneebar! Aldo looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Aldo looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Aldo!

Souza is pushing Aldo's head away, looking to escape. Aldo manages to hold on to the position though.

Aldo decides to stand back up. Aldo steps back and let's Souza get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Aldo clinches up against the cage.

Aldo is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Souza can't fight it off and eventually Aldo manages to take the fight to the floor. Souza looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Souza looking for a guillotine here but Aldo defends easily.
Aldo 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.

Aldo stands up from Souza's guard - Aldo perhaps looking for a knockout.
Souza lands with an uppercut that bounces Aldo off the cage and back into range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A shot to the body from Aldo misses
and Souza counters with a stiff right hand.

Aldo looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Souza!
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Souza manages to get back to half guard.
Aldo controlling the action here.
Souza tries to kick Aldo off but Aldo keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Aldo working the head and body with strikes.
Aldo not doing much here.
Souza is trying to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antonio Souza dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Aldo shoots for a takedown but Souza saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Souza has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Aldo gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Souza connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Aldo plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

Aldo closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Souza did well to prevent Aldo getting side control.
Souza pushes Aldo off looking to stand but Aldo dives back in and keeps control.
Aldo slows the pace down in half guard.
Jose Aldo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Souza looking for submissions off his back.

Souza looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Souza actively working from the bottom here.
Souza is breathing heavily.

Souza looking for submissions off his back.
Aldo stops Souza from getting back to his feet.

Souza is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Aldo pulls his head out easily.
Aldo performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

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.

Souza looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

Souza is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Aldo pulls his head out easily.

Souza is defending against the submission attempts here by Aldo.

Souza looking for submissions off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Aldo is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Souza sees it coming and defends easily.

Souza looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Aldo seems to be working for a kimura but Souza defends the submission attempt.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Souza is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Aldo pulls his head out easily.
Souza is trying to stand up here but Aldo is controlling him well.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Aldo lands a nice short elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Souza is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Aldo pulls his head out easily.
Souza is looking to escape.

Aldo stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Souza to get to his feet.
Souza fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Aldo lands a high kick!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Aldo shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Aldo showed some decent athleticism there.

Souza looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Aldo dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Aldo forces Souza back against the cage and clinches.
Souza drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Souza can't get the takedown.
Souza goes for a takedown attempt but Aldo pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Souza has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Jose Aldo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Antonio Souza.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Aldo shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Souza manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Souza takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza can't keep his opponent in guard - Aldo advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Aldo is looking for a kimura here.
Aldo stalling.
Souza is looking to improve his position.
Aldo passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Souza!
Aldo controlling his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza really wants to buck Aldo off and get back to his feet.
Aldo tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Souza is wriggling around trying to escape.
Aldo controlling from the full mount.
Souza is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Souza is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Souza is desperately trying to improve his position but Aldo has a good base and remains in mount.
Aldo knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Souza on the ground.
Aldo landing strikes, looking to finish!
Aldo looking to control and managing it successfully.
Souza is working to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aldo scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Aldo scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Souza is desperately trying to improve his position but Aldo has a good base and remains in mount.
Souza keeps trying to improve his position.
Souza is in a horrible position here. Aldo smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Aldo sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
The referee warns Souza that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Souza is in all sorts of trouble here.

Souza defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Aldo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aldo tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Souza is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Souza is desperately trying to improve his position but Aldo has a good base and remains in mount.
Aldo pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Souza regains half guard.

Souza looking for subs from the bottom but Aldo mounts him!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Aldo controlling from mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Souza tries to reverse the position but Aldo maintains control.
Aldo scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Souza?

And that's the end of the fight!
Jose Aldo showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Aldo 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 29:28
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 29:28
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jose Aldo!