PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Syco Souirrel (ranked 4140 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rasul Dolaev (ranked 3634 p4p, 0 weight class). Rasul Dolaev has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Souirrel
vs
Dolaev

185 cm
25
159 lbs
1 - 8 - 0

178 cm
25
158 lbs
2 - 1 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Syco Souirrel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 1, fighting out of New York, Rasul Dolaev!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, Franklyn Lucas and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dolaev shoots in for a double leg but Souirrel sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Souirrel moves into the clinch.
Dolaev is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Souirrel is defending well for now.
Souirrel stalls.
Souirrel displaying some good clinch control by pressing Dolaev up against the cage.
Dolaev effectively controlling the action here.
Souirrel has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Dolaev is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Souirrel breaks the clinch.
Souirrel looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Souirrel is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Dolaev.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dolaev misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Souirrel tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Dolaev swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Syco Souirrel. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Souirrel rushes Dolaev and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Souirrel changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Dolaev fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Dolaev instigates a clinch.
Dolaev changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Souirrel fights it off and pushes away nicely.
The crowd cheers as Dolaev lands an impressive looking overhand right. Souirrel doesn't seem phased though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dolaev fails with a takedown attempt.
Dolaev ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

Souirrel gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Dolaev wants to get back to striking at distance but Souirrel won't allow it.
Dolaev is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Souirrel's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Dolaev is trying hard to land a takedown here. Souirrel sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Dolaev looks winded!
Nice sprawl there from Souirrel as Dolaev shoots in.
Souirrel goes for a double leg but Dolaev avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Dolaev continues to drive forward.
Dolaev defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Souirrel.
Souirrel keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dolaev tries to clinch but Souirrel is having none of it.
Souirrel throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Souirrel throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Dolaev's waist but Dolaev gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Souirrel off to one side.
Dolaev shoots in for a double leg but Souirrel sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Souirrel misses with an uppercut. Dolaev saw that one coming.
Souirrel shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Dolaev defends it nicely.
Souirrel shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Dolaev as he jumps to the side.
Dolaev misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Souirrel shoots in for a takedown but Dolaev shows good takedown defense.
Dolaev fails with an attempt to clinch.
Dolaev shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Souirrel as he jumps to the side.
Dolaev leaves Souirrel with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Souirrel throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Dolaev's waist but Dolaev gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Souirrel off to one side.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Souirrel throws a head kick but Dolaev moves out of range.
Souirrel leaves Dolaev with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Rasul Dolaev will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Dolaev scores with the left hand. Souirrel knows he should have avoided that one.
Dolaev tries to clinch up but Souirrel circles away and keeps his distance.
Dolaev throws a head kick that misses.
Souirrel changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Souirrel defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Dolaev.
Dolaev throws a leg kick but Souirrel moved away.
A counter left hand to the body from Souirrel misses its target.
Dolaev tries to land a leg kick but Souirrel saw it coming and moves away.
Souirrel seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Dolaev keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dolaev dives in for a single leg takedown but Souirrel sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Souirrel changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Dolaev tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Souirrel tries to counter by clinching up but Dolaev breaks away and moves out of range.
Dolaev is breathing heavily.
Souirrel throws a half hearted mid kick.
Dolaev tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Dolaev lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dolaev tries to clinch up.
Souirrel lands a nice hook to Dolaev's body. Dolaev takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

Souirrel moves into the clinch.

Souirrel pulls guard.
Souirrel trying to control the position.
Souirrel is really struggling to control Dolaev but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Souirrel really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Souirrel bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Dolaev's guard.

Souirrel stands up and waves to Dolaev to follow him.
Dolaev slaps away a takedown attempt from Souirrel, before circling back to the center of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souirrel dives in for a single leg takedown but Dolaev sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Souirrel fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Dolaev avoids it really well and circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Syco Souirrel. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Dolaev dives in for a single leg takedown but Souirrel sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Dolaev tries to close the distance and clinch but Souirrel swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Souirrel wants to clinch up but Dolaev keeps it at a distance.
Dolaev misses with a double jab.
Souirrel closes this distance looking for a takedown but Dolaev circles away.
Souirrel tries to score a power double leg takedown but Dolaev sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Souirrel somewhat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dolaev dives in and grabs Souirrel's left leg, looking for a takedown. Souirrel pushes down on Dolaev's head and hops out.

Souirrel moves into the clinch successfully.
Dolaev changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Souirrel fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Souirrel shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Dolaev but Dolaev pushes him off and we're back to square one.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Dolaev gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Souirrel.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dolaev throws an elbow but it misses.
Dolaev wants a takedown but no success here.
Dolaev drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Souirrel decides to pull guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Souirrel is trying to keep Dolaev in close.
Souirrel 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.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Syco Souirrel will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Souirrel shoots in but no luck this time.
Dolaev looks for a takedown but Souirrel sprawls well.

Souirrel closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Dolaev throws an elbow but it misses.
Dolaev stalling in the clinch but Souirrel improves position.
Souirrel just leaning against Dolaev, taking a breather.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Souirrel.
Dolaev tries to pull guard but Souirrel holds him up against the cage and eventually Dolaev drops back down to his feet.
Dolaev takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Souirrel tries to pull guard but Dolaev won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dolaev trying to land knees to the body.
Souirrel lands an elbow inside.

Souirrel's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Dolaev throws a right and a left that Souirrel avoids nicely.
Souirrel tries to counter by clinching up but Dolaev breaks away and moves out of range.
Souirrel tries to score a power double leg takedown but Dolaev sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Souirrel somewhat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Syco Souirrel. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Some wild striking there from Souirrel.
Souirrel keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Dolaev fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Dolaev as Souirrel shoots in.
Despite the aggression on Dolaev's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Dolaev displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Souirrel.
Souirrel goes for a double leg but Dolaev avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Dolaev continues to drive forward.

Dolaev moves into the clinch.

Dolaev drags the fight down to the ground.
Souirrel stands and throws Dolaev's legs to the side, diving into side control.
The ground and pound from Souirrel seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Dolaev wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Souirrel tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Souirrel has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Dolaev dodges the ground and pound from Souirrel.
Dolaev seems a little lost for a moment, as Souirrel dominates the positioning.
Souirrel tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Dolaev tries to bench press Souirrel off him but Souirrel keeps the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Souirrel cracks Dolaev with a big right hand but Dolaev just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Souirrel passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Dolaev!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Souirrel takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Dolaev really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

Souirrel is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Dolaev has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Souirrel looking for a guillotine from mount but Dolaev is having none of it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Syco Souirrel showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Souirrel 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 Reed Andrews scores the fight 30:28
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 28:29
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Syco Souirrel!