PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Andre Souza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jeffrey Miller (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Souza comes to the cage accompanied by Brazil National Anthem. Miller is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Killers. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Andre Souza
vs
Miller

165 cm
26
145 lbs
8 - 6 - 0

173 cm
30
156 lbs
19 - 15 - 3

Abu Dhabi Champ
Lethal high kicks
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

PED Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Andre Souza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 15 - 3, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jeffrey Miller!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Dmitry Maklakov and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Miller throws a shot to the body.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Miller has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Souza misses with a body shot.
Andre Souza seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A jab from Miller misses.
Souza lands a body shot.
Souza connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Souza bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Miller scores with a jab. Souza acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Miller throws a body punch but Souza moves out of range.
Nice defenses there by Souza.
Miller misses with the combination.
Souza throwing a counter right hand but Miller manages to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A swing and a miss from Souza.
Souza lands with a hook. Miller tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Souza misses with a wild body shot.
Miller looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Miller loads up on a big right hand but Souza slips the punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza tried to score with a low kick but Miller checks it.
Souza lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Souza throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

Souza forces Miller back against the cage and clinches.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Souza creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
A short right from Miller on the inside.
Miller has a couple of punches blocked by Souza.

Miller breaks the clinch.
Miller rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Souza counters with a right hand to the body.
Miller throws a lazy right hand but Souza sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Souza is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Souza swings for the body but Miller moves out of range.
Miller misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Souza.
Souza drops down looking for a counter takedown but Miller sprawls and moves away.
Miller misses with a wild body shot.
Souza misses with a hook
and Miller counters with a stiff right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Miller takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Miller misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Miller swinging wildly here.
Miller with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Souza to score with a decent uppercut.
Souza throws a leg kick that is checked
and Miller counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Souza works Miller's body with a nice hook.
Souza tries to close the distance and clinch up but Miller swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Souza walks into a left hand.
Miller jabs Souza right on the nose. Souza blinks but takes it well.
Souza misses the jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza scores with a jab.
Souza throws the left hand but Miller avoids the punch easily.
Miller looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.

Souza shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Miller napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Souza controlling the position from side mount.

Souza is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Miller knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Souza passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Miller!
Souza controlling from the full mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Souza is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Miller has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Miller!

Souza is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Souza being controlled here, momentarily.
Miller's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jeffrey Miller will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Miller slips a straight right by Souza.

Souza gets a takedown into half guard.
Miller is looking for a sweep. Souza is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Souza seems to be working for a kimura but Miller defends the submission attempt.

Souza seems to be working for a kimura but Miller defends the submission attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Souza seems to be looking for submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Souza wants to work for an arm triangle but Miller is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Souza seems to be looking for submissions.
Miller is staying active underneath Souza, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Miller has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Souza is working away from the top position though.

Souza is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Miller has managed to free his arm - good work.
Souza is trying to control. Miller wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Souza stalling away here and it's allowed Miller to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Souza preventing the sweep.
We've been hearing that Souza has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Souza wants to control from the top but Miller keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Souza changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Miller takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Miller throws a lazy uppercut
and Souza counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Jeffrey Miller is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Miller displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Souza throws out the jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Miller getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Miller doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Miller throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Souza on the side of the head.
Souza slips a straight right by Miller.
Miller scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Jeffrey Miller seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Souza connects with a body shot that sends Miller's belly button to the back.
Miller blocks the body kick.
Souza swings for the body but Miller moves out of range.
Souza's corner calls for a 1-2. Souza obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Souza shoots for a double leg takedown but Miller sprawls well. He's pushed Souza's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Miller has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Souza finds it's way round the side to connect with Miller's head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Souza keeps Miller at a distance using the push kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Souza.
Souza connects with a solid leg kick.
Miller scores with a nice strike.
Souza throws a body punch but Miller moves out of range.
Souza connects with a nice looking jab.
Miller steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Souza.
Miller doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
A looping hook to the body misses from Souza. Miller does a little dance to reset his feet.
Souza throws a body kick that misses.
Souza throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Miller ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Miller doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andre Souza 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!

Decent striking displayed by Souza there.
Souza motions for Miller to come forward. Souza throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Miller rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Souza moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Souza misses with a hook
and Miller counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Souza blocks a jab.
Souza swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Souza moves into range and connects with a jab.
Souza lands a slapping body shot.
Souza throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Miller sees it coming and avoids it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Souza scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Souza is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Miller can do to turn this around?
Souza connects with a body shot that sends Miller's belly button to the back.
Miller throws a big shot that misses.
Souza appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Souza wants to land a leg kick but Miller is out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Miller slips a straight right by Souza.
Souza lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Miller at a distance.
Souza throws a good cross that connects.
Souza tries to clinch but Miller moves out of range.

Souza scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Souza is trying to work for a kimura but Miller is defending well.

Souza is trying to work for a kimura but Miller is defending well.
Miller tries to roll over but Souza keeps him under control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

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

Souza is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Miller doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Souza.
Souza trying to control from half guard but Miller is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Souza is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

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

Souza is working for an americana but Miller has been sneaky and has managed to get back to half guard, whilst Souza was thinking about the submission.

That's four 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 trying to control the position from guard on top but Miller is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Souza postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Miller is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Souza, into his guard.

Miller is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Souza working for submissions but it's allowed Miller to get to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Andre Souza showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Souza has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Andre Souza!
A very excited looking Andre Souza rambled incoherently for about 5 minutes post fight about how awesome he is. It was kinda funny for a while but then everyone got annoyed.
Jeffrey Miller spoke after the fight, saying 'Hugged by a Finnfairy! I need a shower.'.