PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Francis Solis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rory Knight (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Solis
vs
Knight

225 cm
18
177 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

181 cm
19
170 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 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Francis Solis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Rory Knight!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Aleksandr Martynov and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Solis leaves Knight with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Knight.
Solis half committed to a counter leg kick.

Solis rushes Knight and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Knight manages to pull guard.
Knight is trying to keep Solis in close.

Knight wriggles free and stands up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Knight tries to keep at a distance but Solis has taken the fight into the clinch.
Solis tries to pull guard but Knight won't allow it.
Knight drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Francis Solis has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rory Knight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Solis takes an elbow to the forehead.
Solis is trying to pull guard but Knight turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Knight is fighting off a takedown attempt but Solis is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Knight to the mat. Knight regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Solis trying to stand up but can't free himself from Knight's guard.
Solis stops Knight from standing up.
Knight is pulling down on Solis's head. It's preventing any offense from Solis, at least for the moment.
Solis throws a big right hand that misses.

Solis avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Knight has Solis pulled in close to control his posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Solis working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Knight's head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Knight preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Solis landing with the ground and pound.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Knight is on top in guard.

Solis looking for a sweep. Not yet Solis, not yet.
Knight trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Knight trying to control but Solis is working from the bottom.
Solis is controlling Knight's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Solis looking to hit a scissor sweep but Knight is one step ahead there.
Knight controlling from the top position.

Solis is looking for a triangle here but Knight uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Solis is looking for a sweep.

That's four 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.

Knight swings around for an armbar but Solis sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Knight's guard.
Solis throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Solis won't allow Knight to get back to his feet.
Knight working a defensive guard here.
Knight 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.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Solis with a nice head shot there.
Knight preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Solis accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Solis lands a couple of digs.
Solis throwing strikes but missing.
Knight is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

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 Francis Solis will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Solis fails with an attempt to clinch.
Solis is looking to clinch but Knight is avoiding it.

Knight darts in and clinches Solis up against the cage.
Solis tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Knight smiles and moves away.

Solis dives in and scores a takedown into Knight's guard.

Knight is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Solis will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Knight utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Solis working some strikes from top position.
Solis has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Solis won't allow Knight to sweep him here.
Solis with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knight is looking to stand up but Solis isn't so interested in that idea.
Knight looking to hit a scissor sweep but Solis is one step ahead there.
Solis cracks Knight with a solid left hand.
Solis throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Knight works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Solis trying to stand up but can't free himself from Knight's guard.
Solis preventing the sweep.
Solis working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Knight preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Knight is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Solis makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Knight has momentary wrist control but Solis slips an elbow through the middle.
Knight managing to control the position.
Knight working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Solis.
Knight managing to control the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Solis moves into range and clinches up with Knight.
Knight tries for a takedown. No joy.
Knight is breathing heavily.

Knight pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Solis is looking to clinch.
Knight steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Solis.
Knight avoids the head kick by Solis.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Solis is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
A head kick misses from Knight.
As Knight looks to move away, Solis throws a big counter combo but Knight just gets out of the way.
Rory Knight seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Knight fails with the takedown
and Solis counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Knight thinking.
Knight shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Solis but Solis pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Solis went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Francis Solis has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rory Knight.
Knight misses with a takedown attempt
and Solis counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Solis shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Knight sprawls well. Knight wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Solis gets slowly back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Solis tries to clinch but Knight moves out of range.
Solis really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Solis fails in his attempt to clinch.
Solis will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Solis drives through with a takedown into Knight's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Solis is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Solis with a nice head shot there.
Solis postures up.
Solis with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Solis with a nice head shot there.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Solis throwing strikes from guard but Knight blocks nicely.
Solis scoring with punches to the head and body.
Solis throws a big elbow that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Francis Solis dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Knight closes this distance looking for a takedown but Solis circles away.
Knight keeps the fight on the outside.
Solis fails with a takedown attempt.
Knight looks to score with a jab to the body but Solis is just out of range.
Knight keeps Solis at a distance using the push kick.
Solis shoots in for a takedown but Knight shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Despite the aggression on Knight's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Solis tries to clinch there but Knight circles away.
Solis on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Solis wants to clinch
and Knight connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knight avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Knight fails with a takedown attempt.
Rory Knight seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Knight takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Solis tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Knight looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Solis tries to close the distance and clinch but Knight swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rory Knight is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Knight misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Francis Solis has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rory Knight.
Knight throws a leg kick that misses.
Solis shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Knight as he jumps to the side.
Knight steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Solis.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Knight fails with the takedown
and Solis counters with a stiff right hand.
Knight pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Knight throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Solis's waist but Solis gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Knight off to one side.

Solis has closed the distance and engaged Knight in a clinch.
Solis is trying to drag Knight to the mat but Knight just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Knight is defending well against a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Solis is trying to pull guard but Knight has him pressed against the cage.
Solis can't get the takedown.
Still in the clinch, Knight scores with a nice short uppercut.
Solis goes for a takedown attempt but Knight pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Solis tries to clinch up but Knight circles away and keeps his distance.
Solis is trying hard to land a takedown here. Knight sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Knight unleashes a big counter combination but Solis bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.

Knight closes the distance and clinches.
Knight goes for a takedown in the clinch but Solis prevents it.
Knight leaning against his opponent.
Knight unloads a knee to the mid-section. Solis lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Solis takes an elbow to the temple.
Knight stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Knight stalling the fight.
Knight slows down the pace here.
Knight fails to pull guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Solis is looking for a takedown.
Solis is working for takedown but Knight is calmly controlling the position for now.
Rory Knight has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Francis Solis is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Knight tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Solis avoids it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rory Knight comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Solis 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 Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rory Knight!