PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Georgio Socrates (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Asa Sharp (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Socrates
vs
Sharp

178 cm
33
169 lbs
18 - 12 - 0

175 cm
32
168 lbs
22 - 12 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Georgio Socrates!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 12 - 1, fighting out of New York, Asa Sharp!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Frank Antenori and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Socrates lands with a thumping leg kick.
Sharp throws a combination that misses
and Socrates counters with a straight right hand.
Socrates comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Socrates slips a jab from Sharp.

Sharp closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Socrates digs a right hand into Sharp's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Sharp's gas tank.
Socrates is stalling here.

Sharp gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Socrates regains guard.
Socrates pulls Sharp in close to prevent any damage.
Sharp wants to pass the guard but Socrates is keeping the position.
Socrates is adopting a defensive guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Socrates wants to sweep here but Sharp controlling him for the moment.
Socrates being controlled here, momentarily.
Socrates is trying to control the position but Sharp postures up.
Socrates keeping moving, preventing Sharp from controlling successfully.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Sharp controlling from the top position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Sharp keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Sharp wants to counter the offense by Socrates and move into the clinch position.

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

Sharp shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Socrates looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Well, if Sharp is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Sharp wants to lay and pray for a moment but Socrates keeps working.
Sharp wants to stand but Socrates has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Socrates is trying to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Sharp is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Sharp controlling the action here.
Socrates is trying to control but can't.
Sharp seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Socrates does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

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.
Sharp misses with a leg kick

and Socrates counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Socrates stays in close to Sharp's body and controls the position.
Sharp keeping moving, preventing Socrates from controlling successfully.
Socrates loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Socrates sitting in guard here, content to control.
Sharp thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Socrates postures up and lands a big shot to Sharp's brow.
Sharp bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Socrates's guard.

Socrates is trying to keep Sharp in close.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Asa Sharp will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Sharp ducks under a wild hook from Socrates.

Socrates closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Sharp did well to prevent Socrates getting side control.
Socrates lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Sharp blocking the ground and pound attempt from Socrates.

Sharp manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Socrates takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Socrates misses with a two punch combination.

Socrates tries to keep at a distance but Sharp has taken the fight into the clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Sharp just misses with a elbow thrown towards Socrates's brow.

Sharp gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Sharp is pressing down on Socrates's thigh, looking to free his foot. Socrates is holding on for now.
Sharp throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sharp is trying to control. Socrates wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Sharp is looking for a kimura here.
Sharp throwing shots but Socrates is blocking nicely.
Socrates wants to control but Sharp is keeping busy.
Asa Sharp has got the better of the ground game so far.
Sharp is looking to advance position but Socrates won't allow it.
Socrates wants to improve his position but Sharp is controlling well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Sharp has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Sharp looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Socrates has worked his way to half guard, taking advantage of Sharp's lack of action.
Sharp is trying to control the action in half guard but Socrates is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Socrates tries to roll over but Sharp keeps him under control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Socrates is working hard here to advance position.
Sharp is nestled in close to Socrates, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Sharp trying to control the action but Socrates is working from the bottom.

Sharp stands up from half guard.
Sharp has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Sharp drives through with a takedown into guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Socrates is on top in guard.

Socrates with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sharp trying to keep a closed guard but Socrates is proving a slippery customer.
Socrates landing some decent shots from guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Socrates accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Sharp trying to control the position.
Socrates chips away with some ground and pound.

Sharp is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Socrates working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Asa Sharp showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Sharp is looking to clinch.

Sharp closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Socrates turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Sharp struggling a bit here.
Socrates is chipping away with strikes.
Socrates working the head with strikes.
Socrates working the ground and pound from side control.
Sharp is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Socrates trying to control the position but Sharp is working away.
Socrates cracks Sharp with a big elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Socrates tries to move to mount but Sharp blocks the move with his legs.
Sharp tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Socrates wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Socrates trying to control the action but Sharp is working from the bottom.

Socrates is trying to get an arm triangle but Sharp is defending well.
Socrates postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.

Socrates tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Socrates has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Sharp can't do much from the bottom here.
Sharp is looking to reverse the position.
Socrates creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Sharp regains half guard, as Socrates was trying to land strikes.
Socrates is looking to take a break and control but Sharp is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sharp slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Socrates has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Sharp working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Socrates.
Socrates stands up over Sharp, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Socrates throws a big right hand that misses.
Socrates throwing strikes but missing.
Socrates stands up over Sharp, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Socrates preventing the sweep.
Socrates wants to control from the top but Sharp keeps moving.
Georgio Socrates has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Socrates makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Sharp keeping moving, preventing Socrates from controlling successfully.
Socrates makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Socrates throwing strikes but missing.
Socrates not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Sharp working a defensive guard here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Georgio Socrates showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Sharp 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Asa Sharp!
An out of breath Asa Sharp thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.
The defeated Georgio Socrates had this to say: 'Tough loss. Big shoutout to SnapNapTap.wordpress.com for shining a light on what we do!'.