PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jeremy Sullivan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rufus Soderberg (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jeremy Sullivan could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Rufus Soderberg's chin.

Sullivan
vs
Soderberg

180 cm
33
185 lbs
21 - 11 - 0

179 cm
43
186 lbs
31 - 29 - 1

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 21 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jeremy Sullivan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 31 - 29 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Rufus Soderberg!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Johanna Lukiainen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sullivan misses with a takedown
and Soderberg counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Sullivan thinking.
Soderberg scores with a punch to the head.
Sullivan looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Soderberg is fending him off so far but Sullivan persists. Nope, Soderberg circles away and we're back to standing.
Soderberg swings for the body but Sullivan moves out of range.
Soderberg looks to score with a jab to the body but Sullivan is just out of range.
Soderberg connects with a high kick.

It looks like Jeremy Sullivan has been cut.
Sullivan has a takedown stuffed.
Soderberg changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jeremy Sullivan. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sullivan fails with the takedown
and Soderberg counters with a three punch combo that has Sullivan backing up. Sullivan nods at Soderberg to acknowledge the strikes.

Sullivan shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Soderberg's guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sullivan is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sullivan looking to pass the guard.
Sullivan won't allow Soderberg to sweep him here.
Sullivan postures up in Soderberg's guard and throws a big left but Soderberg blocks it.
Sullivan has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Sullivan working some strikes from top position.

Soderberg has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Sullivan can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Soderberg working a defensive guard here.
Sullivan distracts Soderberg with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Soderberg keeping moving, preventing Sullivan from controlling successfully.
Sullivan chips away with some ground and pound.

Soderberg looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Sullivan passes into side control.
Sullivan scores with punches from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

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

Sullivan is trying to get an arm triangle but Soderberg is defending well.
Soderberg parries the strikes from Sullivan easily there. Sullivan is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Soderberg to escape.
Soderberg tries to bench press Sullivan off him but Sullivan keeps the position.
Sullivan lands a decent elbow from side control.
Sullivan 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.
Soderberg is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Soderberg is still trying to improve position.
Sullivan in side control lands a decent elbow.
Sullivan wants to lay and pray for a moment but Soderberg keeps working.
Soderberg is trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sullivan working the head with strikes.
Sullivan connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Soderberg some visible discomfort.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Soderberg wants to control but Sullivan postures up.
Soderberg takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

Sullivan is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Soderberg is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Sullivan trying to control the action but Soderberg is working from the bottom.
Sullivan lands a decent elbow from side control.
Sullivan scoring with punches from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sullivan is trying to get an arm triangle but Soderberg is defending well.
Soderberg can't do much from the bottom here.
Soderberg takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Soderberg is trying to control Sullivan's posture but Sullivan avoids it.
Soderberg tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Sullivan wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Sullivan is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Soderberg is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Soderberg is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Sullivan off and has taken his back!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
I really don't envy Sullivan right now.
Soderberg struggling to land strikes to the head as Sullivan covers up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jeremy Sullivan dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Jeremy Sullivan's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

A slow jab from Soderberg misses its intended target.
The fight stays on the outside here - Sullivan looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Sullivan avoids a kick to the body.
Sullivan appears to be looking for a counter takedown.

Sullivan closes the distance and pushes Soderberg back into the cage.
Sullivan fails to pull guard.

Soderberg ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Soderberg no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Soderberg 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.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Sullivan's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sullivan preventing the sweep.
Sullivan sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Sullivan scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Soderberg keeping moving, preventing Sullivan from controlling successfully.

Soderberg looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Sullivan is pushing down on Soderberg's leg trying to pass to half guard. Soderberg is fighting to maintain full guard but Sullivan has managed to sneak the leg through.
Sullivan is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Soderberg can do to turn this around?
Sullivan seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Soderberg does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Soderberg looking for submissions off his back.
Sullivan working Soderberg over with strikes.
Sullivan takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Sullivan trying to control the action but Soderberg is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Sullivan connects with a nice short shot to Soderberg's temple.
Soderberg is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Sullivan scores with a couple of nice shots.
Sullivan looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Soderberg is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Sullivan scores with a couple of nice shots.

Soderberg is rocked!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Soderberg trying to control but Sullivan postures up.
Soderberg is still in real trouble! Can Sullivan finish him?

Soderberg looking for submissions off his back.
Soderberg seems to have recovered his senses.

Sullivan is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Sullivan performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Sullivan working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Soderberg is trying to get back to full guard.
Soderberg on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Sullivan controlling the position here and throwing strikes from the top. Nice elbow lands there... and another... and another... oh, Soderberg is out! Sullivan gets to his feet and admires his work - nice finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Jeremy Sullivan!
A victorious Jeremy Sullivan thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.
Rufus Soderberg was interviewed post fight and said 'I'm not done. I'm not done. '.