PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rodrigo Souza (ranked 5086 p4p, 538 weight class) and Dre Battle (ranked 6744 p4p, 637 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Souza
vs
Battle

185 cm
25
190 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

186 cm
19
191 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Intelligent

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Heavy handed

Wild Rio Nutrition - 90% Laundry

Conviction

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rodrigo Souza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Dre Battle!
The judges for this bout are Paulsen Ambrosius, Wagner Zegers and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Battle lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Souza takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Souza tries for a takedown but Battle sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Souza gets tackled into the cage by Battle. Battle maintains the clinch.

Souza turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Souza manages to end up in side control.
Souza has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.

Souza working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
A lull in the action here.
Battle is trying to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Battle can do anything to dispel that myth.
Battle struggling a bit here.
Battle tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Souza wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Souza wants to stand but Battle is controlling his arm.

Souza wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Battle, who protects the arm well.
Battle is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Souza slows the pace down.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza trying to control the action but Battle is working from the bottom.
Souza wants to stand but Battle is controlling his arm.

Souza working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Battle avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Souza.
Battle felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Souza trying to control the action but Battle is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Battle is trying to work for a sweep but Souza has mounted him!
Battle wants to control but Souza is having none of it.
Battle really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Souza. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Souza lands a big elbow.
Battle keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Battle tries to lock up and control but Souza gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Souza is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Battle can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Battle doing his best to control the position. Can he escape?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Souza wants to control the pace but Battle is squirming around nicely.
Souza manages to capitalize on a mistake by Battle to take his back!
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Souza's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Souza misses with an elbow to the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Battle is in bad spot here.
Battle keeps trying to improve his position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Battle looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
You can see the frustration on Battle's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rodrigo Souza dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Battle scores with a nice right hand.
Souza has his takedown stuffed
letting Battle counter with a right hand.
Battle scores with a jab to the body.
Souza on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Battle connects with a looping right hand.
Battle tries to close the distance and clinch but Souza swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Battle lands a really nice looking cross but Souza seems unphased.
Souza moves to clinch but Battle breaks away
and Battle counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Souza gets a clinch.
Souza is trying to pull guard but Battle turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Battle lands a left hand.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Battle scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Souza tries to work over Battle's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Battle.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Battle decides to pull guard.
Battle keeping full guard, as Souza tries to pass.
Battle looking to control.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Souza accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Battle is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Souza is aware though and is defending well.
Battle not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Souza has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Battle is proving hard to escape from.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Battle scores with a jab to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Battle uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Battle jabs at Souza's body.
Battle ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Souza goes for a double leg but Battle avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Battle continues to drive forward.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rodrigo Souza. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Battle listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Dre Battle seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Battle scores with a nice right hand.

Souza is rocked!
Souza misses with a takedown attempt
and Battle counters with a crisp right that sends Souza to the canvas! Battle follows up with punches from the mount and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:33 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Dre Battle!