PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jon Jones (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Renato DeSouza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jones's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Eu quero ver o oco. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Jones
vs
DeSouza

185 cm
22
230 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

200 cm
18
275 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jon Jones!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Renato DeSouza!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Eddie Farnsworth and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Jones closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Jones lands in his opponent's guard.
Jones is looking to work some ground and pound but DeSouza has wrist control.
DeSouza trying to control the position.
DeSouza wants to sweep here but Jones controlling him for the moment.
DeSouza looking to control.
DeSouza working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Jones.
DeSouza looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as DeSouza holds on and takes a little breather.
Jones in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
DeSouza misses with a kick to the body.
Jones tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but DeSouza paws at him with a jab and circles away.
DeSouza tries to clinch up but Jones circles away and keeps his distance.

DeSouza instigates a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Jones pulls guard.
Jones trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Jones wants to stand and escape but DeSouza is having none of it.
Jones could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Jones keeping full guard, as DeSouza tries to pass.

Jones throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Jones is trying to keep DeSouza in close.
Jones might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
DeSouza has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Jones is proving hard to escape from.
DeSouza advances to half guard.
DeSouza lands strikes from half guard.
Jones is staying active underneath DeSouza, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

DeSouza decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Jones tries to clinch up.
DeSouza clinches but Jones breaks the clinch
and Jones counters with a two punch combo.
DeSouza shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Jones counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in DeSouza's guard now.
Jones is breathing heavily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
DeSouza controlling the position.
DeSouza wants to sweep here but Jones controlling him for the moment.
Jones wants to get up but he can't break DeSouza's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

DeSouza looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Jones drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but DeSouza manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Jones has DeSouza in his guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
DeSouza sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Jones's guard.

DeSouza wants to work for an arm triangle but Jones is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Jones is trying to defend against the ground and pound but DeSouza scores with a couple of nice shots.
DeSouza prevents Jones from improving his position.

DeSouza postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Jones to stand up.

DeSouza closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Jones to the mat! Jones manages to get full guard.
DeSouza chips away with some ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
DeSouza not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jones is trying to control the position from the bottom.
DeSouza stands and throws Jones's legs to the side, diving into side control.

DeSouza decides to stand up, so the ref orders Jones to his feet.
DeSouza shoots for a takedown but Jones saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Jones with a poor takedown
and DeSouza counters with a one-two to the body.

DeSouza closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Jones manages to break the clinch.
Jones shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and DeSouza counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Jones gets caught flat footed, as DeSouza shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Renato DeSouza dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

DeSouza pushes Jones up against the cage in a clinch.
Jones wants a takedown.
Jones is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

DeSouza breaks the clinch.
DeSouza will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Jones fails with the takedown

and DeSouza counters by moving into the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jon Jones. That's going to take a lot out of him.

DeSouza manages to pull guard.

DeSouza is looking for a triangle but Jones pushes his legs off easily.
DeSouza wants to stand up but Jones is controlling him.
Jones wants to control from the top but DeSouza keeps moving.
Renato DeSouza has got the better of the ground game so far.

DeSouza had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Jones is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. DeSouza Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Jones's back instead.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Jones trying to control the action but DeSouza just sinks the hooks in.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - DeSouza's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
DeSouza might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Jones kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Jones is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
DeSouza slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
Jones rolls, trying to escape but DeSouza keeps control of the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
DeSouza trying to control momentarily.
Jones takes a big shot to the side of the head.
DeSouza is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Jones. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.
DeSouza is riding his opponent, not letting Jones buck him off.
DeSouza lands punches and elbows.
DeSouza is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.

DeSouza looking for the RNC.
Jones just trying to survive but DeSouza is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
DeSouza keeps control of the position easily here as Jones tries to buck him off.
Jones is really stuck here.
DeSouza controlling the position well here. Jones rolled but DeSouza kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.
Jones looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
A bit of a pause in the action here. DeSouza controlling the positon.

Despite being in the dominant position, Renato DeSouza just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
DeSouza will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
DeSouza shoots in but no luck this time.

Jones shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Jones passes easily into side control. Nice work.
DeSouza is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Jones stalling away here and it's allowed DeSouza to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Jones wants to control from the top but DeSouza keeps moving.
Jones stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. DeSouza swivels though and keeps the full guard.
DeSouza has Jones pulled in close to control his posture.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Renato DeSouza showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

DeSouza will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

DeSouza has closed the distance and engaged Jones in a clinch.
DeSouza stops a takedown attempt from Jones.

Jones has clasped his hands together around DeSouza's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Jones working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Jones wants to stand but DeSouza has him controlled and pulls him back into his guard.
DeSouza bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Jones's guard.
DeSouza postures up and lands a big shot to Jones's brow.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Jones 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.
DeSouza forces his way into half guard.
Jones is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
DeSouza wants to lay and pray for a moment but Jones keeps working.
Jones is trying to maintain the position but DeSouza is very close to passing his half guard.
DeSouza frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
A nice elbow there by DeSouza.
DeSouza punishing his opponent with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
DeSouza takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
You get the feeling that Jones really doesn't like being in this position too much.
DeSouza connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
DeSouza landing strikes, looking to finish!
DeSouza controlling the pace for now.
DeSouza manages to capitalize on a mistake by Jones to take his back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones looking very determined here, making life difficult for DeSouza.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.

DeSouza has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Jones covering up well under a barage of strikes.

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.
DeSouza has the hooks in. Jones is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Will DeSouza go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Jones covers up after that shot from DeSouza.
Jones has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
Good control from DeSouza.
DeSouza is looking to finish with some ground and pound!
DeSouza avoiding Jones 's attempts to control his hands.
DeSouza just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Renato DeSouza comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got DeSouza winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Columbo Gatti scores the fight 27:30
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Renato DeSouza!