PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Aleksei Yahontov (ranked 4677 p4p, 5129 weight class) and Thales Souza (ranked 536 p4p, 556 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Yahontov
vs
Souza

182 cm
18
187
1 - 0 - 0

182 cm
18
190
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Very strong

Dangerous GnP
Basic striking
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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Aleksei Yahontov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Thales Souza!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, James Ackerman and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Yahontov shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Souza is trying to defend but Yahontov finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Yahontov landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Souza is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Yahontov scores with a couple of nice shots.
Souza moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Souza preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Yahontov knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Souza on the ground.
Souza has momentary wrist control but Yahontov slips an elbow through the middle.
Yahontov distracts Souza with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Souza bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Yahontov's guard.

Yahontov looking to hit a scissor sweep but Souza is one step ahead there.
Souza prevents Yahontov from getting back to his feet.
Yahontov pulls Souza in close to prevent any damage.
Yahontov keeping moving, preventing Souza from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yahontov preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Yahontov working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Souza.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Souza scoring with some ground and pound.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Souza makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Yahontov working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Souza.
Souza working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Souza landing with the ground and pound.
Souza distracts Yahontov with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Yahontov is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Souza stopping the sweep attempt from Yahontov.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza lands a couple of elbows.
Yahontov is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Souza postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Yahontov trying to control the position.
Yahontov looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Yahontov has momentary wrist control but Souza slips an elbow through the middle.
Souza throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Yahontov works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Yahontov throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Souza makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Souza makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Souza postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Souza missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza throwing strikes from guard but Yahontov blocks nicely.
Souza distracts Yahontov with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Souza working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Yahontov's head.
Souza won't allow Yahontov to sweep him here.
Souza working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Yahontov on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Yahontov tries to get out of the position.
Souza wants to control from the top but Yahontov keeps moving.
Yahontov working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Souza.
Souza trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Souza wants to control from the top but Yahontov keeps moving.
Yahontov avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Souza throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Yahontov works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Souza throwing strikes from guard but Yahontov blocks nicely.
Souza connects with a couple of short punches.
Yahontov looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Souza puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Souza not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Yahontov is staying active underneath Souza, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Souza thows a huge punch but Yahontov dodges it nicely.
Souza sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Yahontov defending well though.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Yahontov blocking the ground and pound attempt from Souza.
Souza trying to control from half guard but Yahontov is working away.
Yahontov blocking the ground and pound attempt from Souza.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thales Souza dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Souza clinches up against the ropes.

Souza manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Souza is looking for a triangle but Yahontov pushes his legs off easily.
Souza manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Yahontov manages to get himself to full guard.

Souza wants to control from the top but Yahontov keeps moving.
Yahontov wants to stand but Souza is controlling the position.
Souza working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Souza throws a big right hand that misses.
Souza postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Souza with a flurry of punches that miss.
Yahontov is trying to keep Souza in close.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yahontov throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Souza is looking to work some ground and pound but Yahontov has wrist control.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Souza accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Yahontov avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Souza scoring with punches to the head and body.
Souza trying to control the position from guard on top but Yahontov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Yahontov looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Souza puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Souza not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Souza has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Yahontov is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Souza scores with a couple of nice shots.
Souza looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Yahontov with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Yahontov is refusing to be controlled, as Souza sits in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza working Yahontov over with strikes.
Souza working the head and body with strikes.
Souza throwing shots but Yahontov is blocking nicely.
Yahontov keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Souza throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Yahontov to regain full guard.
Souza missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Yahontov looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Souza stands up over Yahontov, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Souza cracks Yahontov with a solid left hand.
Souza won't allow Yahontov to sweep him here.
Yahontov working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Souza.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza trying to control but Yahontov is working from the bottom.
Souza preventing the sweep.
Souza lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Souza wants to control from the top but Yahontov keeps moving.
Souza chips away with some ground and pound.
Souza trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Souza won't allow Yahontov to get back to his feet.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Yahontov working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Souza.
Souza is looking to work some ground and pound but Yahontov has wrist control.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Souza moves into range and clinches up with Yahontov.

Souza drags the fight down to the ground.
Yahontov is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Yahontov scoring with some ground and pound.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Souza is on top in guard.

Souza is in close to Yahontov's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Thales Souza has got the better of the ground game so far.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Souza accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Souza scoring with punches to the head and body.
Souza lands a couple of elbows.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Souza lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Souza pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Yahontov is keeping the position for now.
Souza working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thales Souza showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Souza is looking to clinch.
Souza tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Yahontov counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Souza has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Souza wants to control but Yahontov is keeping busy.
Yahontov is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Ground and pound from Yahontov.
Souza trying to control but Yahontov postures up.
Souza gets full guard.
Souza is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Yahontov trying to control from the bottom.
Yahontov is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Souza scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Souza throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Yahontov has hold of Souza's hands but Souza slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
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. Souza connects with a nice short shot to Yahontov's temple.
Yahontov is looking to improve his position.
Yahontov is working hard here to advance position.
Yahontov wants to control but Souza is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Yahontov keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Souza thows a huge punch but Yahontov dodges it nicely.
Souza not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Yahontov with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Souza is trying to control. Yahontov wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Souza missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Souza prevents Yahontov from improving his position.
Souza landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Yahontov taking some punishment here, with Souza in his half guard.
Yahontov keeping control of the position.
Souza not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Souza trying to control from half guard but Yahontov is working away.
Aleksei Yahontov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza drops an elbow to the side of Yahontov's head.
Yahontov avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Souza.
Souza missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Yahontov is staying active underneath Souza, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Souza winds up and cracks Yahontov with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Souza not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Yahontov trying to control from the bottom.
Yahontov wants to improve his position but Souza is controlling well.
Souza seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Yahontov does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Yahontov keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Souza 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.
Yahontov is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Yahontov is not content to let Souza control the position.
Yahontov misses with some strikes from the bottom.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Souza lands a nice short elbow.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Souza winds up and cracks Yahontov with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Yahontov is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Souza lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thales Souza comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Souza 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 Sam Margolis scores the fight for Thales Souza!
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight for Thales Souza!
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight for Thales Souza!

Thales Souza wins by unanimous decision!
A relieved looking Thales Souza thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.