PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rexob Boxer (ranked 6942 p4p, 4800 weight class) and Briem Soup (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Rexob Boxer has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Boxer
vs
Soup

170 cm
25
166
0 - 2 - 0

174 cm
25
164
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Brawler
Very confident

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 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Rexob Boxer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Briem Soup!
The judges for this bout are Chris Saunders, Roger Salmon and Colin Fray.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Soup closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Boxer's guard.
Soup stopping the sweep attempt from Boxer.
Soup looking to pass the guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Soup is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Soup controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Soup trying to control the position from guard on top but Boxer is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Soup accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Soup's corner is telling him to maintain position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Soup tries to clinch there but Boxer circles away.
Soup shoots for a double leg takedown but Boxer sprawls well. He's pushed Soup's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Soup looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Boxer is fending him off so far but Soup persists. Nope, Boxer circles away and we're back to standing.
Boxer attempts a counter takedown but Soup avoids it well and moves away.

Soup closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Boxer's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Soup fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Rexob Boxer has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Briem Soup.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Soup with a poor takedown

and Boxer counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Boxer scores with a shoulder strike.

Boxer breaks from the clinch.
Boxer swats away the attempt to clinch by Soup.
Boxer changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Soup takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Soup misses with a takedown attempt
and Boxer counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Soup shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Boxer is trying to defend but Soup finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Boxer is looking for a sweep. Soup is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Boxer pushes Soup off but Soup dives into side control.
Boxer knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Soup on the ground.
Soup tries to move to mount but Boxer blocks the move with his legs.
Boxer is trying to control Soup's posture but Soup avoids it.
Soup is chipping away with strikes.
Boxer is looking to regain half guard here but Soup keeps moving and retains side control.

Soup is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Boxer is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Boxer struggling a bit here.
Boxer prevents Soup from improving position.
Boxer is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Soup is controlling him well.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
The referee asks Soup politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Soup prefers to stall for the moment though.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Briem Soup will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Boxer shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Soup but Soup pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Soup fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Soup looks to clinch
and Boxer counters with a straight right hand.

Soup closes the distance and pushes Boxer back into the cage.

Boxer pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Soup will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Soup closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Boxer's guard.
Boxer is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Soup working some strikes from top position.
Soup controls from within his opponent's guard.

Boxer wriggles free and stands up.
Soup pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Boxer changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Soup fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Soup pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Boxer appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Briem Soup seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nice sprawl there from Soup as Boxer shoots in.
Soup misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Rexob Boxer has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Briem Soup.
A combination from Boxer does no damage.
Soup takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Some wild striking there from Soup.
Boxer fails with a takedown attempt.
Rexob Boxer is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Soup fails in his attempt to clinch.
Boxer fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Boxer shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Soup eats them both and turns towards Boxer to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Boxer tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Soup manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Soup walks into a left hand.
Soup tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Boxer manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
It looked like Boxer wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Soup closes the distance and clinches up with Boxer, looking for a takedown. Soup pushes Boxer against the cage but Boxer circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Rexob Boxer is winning the standup battle so far.
Soup shoots in for a double leg but Boxer sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Boxer lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Soup backs up against the cage.
Boxer avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Soup tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Boxer manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Soup has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Boxer.
Soup walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Boxer stuffs the takedown attempt from Soup. Soup gets slowly back to his feet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Rexob Boxer dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Soup fails with an attempt to clinch.
Soup misses with a kick to the body.
Soup throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Boxer counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Boxer blocks a jab.
Boxer misses with a head kick.
Soup shoots in looking for a takedown but Boxer manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Soup's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Soup shoots and misses
and Boxer counters with a left and a right that stings Soup.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Soup moves in looking to clinch but Boxer pushes him off.

Soup shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Boxer is trying to defend but Soup finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Soup takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Soup prevents Boxer from standing back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Soup seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Boxer does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Soup wants to stand up but Boxer manages to regain full guard.
Boxer working a defensive guard here.
Soup working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Soup trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

That's two 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.
Soup trying to control the position from guard on top but Boxer is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Boxer fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Soup, pushing him back against the cage.
Soup is working for takedown but Boxer is calmly controlling the position for now.
Rexob Boxer has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Briem Soup.

Boxer manages to break the clinch.
Boxer is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Soup can do to turn this around?
Soup on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Soup shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Boxer as he jumps to the side.
Soup tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Boxer defends well and Soup ends up having to push Boxer into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Boxer throws a big counter combination but Soup scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Boxer wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Boxer darts in and clinches Soup up against the cage.

Boxer has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Soup uses from the top position.
Boxer wants to sweep but no luck.
Soup trying to control but Boxer is working from the bottom.
Soup trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Soup trying to control but Boxer is working from the bottom.
Soup loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Soup won't allow Boxer to get back to his feet.
Boxer keeping moving, preventing Soup from controlling successfully.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Soup tries to clinch there but Boxer circles away.
Soup keeps the fight on the outside.

Soup closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Boxer quickly recovers to half guard.
Briem Soup has got the better of the ground game so far.
Soup prevents Boxer from standing back up.
Boxer tries to roll over but Soup keeps him under control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Soup is looking to stall here but Boxer recovers full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rexob Boxer showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Boxer 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 Chris Saunders scores the fight 30:28
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 29:28
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rexob Boxer!