PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Sao Alela (ranked 1367 p4p, 1123 weight class) and Gabriel Soares (ranked 189 p4p, 154 weight class). Alela's entrance music is Cryin' Like a Bitch. A fine choice. Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Alela
vs
Soares

180 cm
40
160
31 - 25 - 0

180 cm
24
155
9 - 8 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Dangerous Nutrition

Silverguard Outfitters 🛡
Furnace Performance 🔥

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 31 - 25 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Sao Alela!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Gabriel Soares!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Patrick Alders and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alela misses with a hook. Soares ducked under it nicely.
Alela shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Alela fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Soares throws a big shot that misses.
Soares moves out of range of the strikes.
Soares's corner calls for a 1-2. Soares obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Soares slips a straight right by Alela.
Alela throws a big shot that misses.
The fighters circling - Soares throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Soares ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Some wild striking there from Alela.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Soares throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Alela sees it coming and avoids it easily.
A jab from Soares does it's job there.
Soares staying out of range there.
Alela will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Soares wants to clinch up but Alela keeps it at a distance.
Soares misses with a straight right.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Good work by Soares as he checks the leg kick.
Soares wants to counter with a clinch but Alela pushes him away.
Soares chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Alela can pounce on him.
Alela looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
A punch combination from Alela misses.
Gabriel Soares is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Soares rushes Alela and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Alela tries for a takedown but Soares manages to get underhooks.

Alela pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A nice inside leg kick there by Alela. That's going to slow Soares down.
Nice defenses there by Soares.
Alela ducks right into an uppercut from Soares.
Some bone on bone action there as Soares checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Alela throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Soares wants to counter with a clinch but Alela pushes him away.
Alela pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Alela is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Soares's half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Alela wants to lay and pray for a moment but Soares keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Soares is controlling Alela's trapped leg to prevent Alela from advancing to side control.
Alela is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Alela is trying to control the action in half guard but Soares is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Soares is trying to control but can't.

Alela is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Soares is in trouble now - Alela has advanced to mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Soares is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Alela working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Alela tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Soares can't escape the position.
Alela looking to control but Soares is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Soares is trying to escape the mount.
Alela trying to control but he's not successful this time.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Alela is looking to work his way around to Soares's back. He needs to be careful though, as he's in danger of losing this dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alela putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Soares manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Alela wants to control but Soares is keeping him busy.
Soares tries to roll over but Alela keeps him under control.
Soares is in trouble now - Alela has advanced to mount!
Alela with good strikes from the mount here!
Soares is in a horrible position here. Alela smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Alela tries to control but Soares wriggling away.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Sao Alela dominated that round.
That's time! Alela's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Alela swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Soares steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Alela.
Alela throws a body punch but Soares moves out of range.
Soares walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Soares blocks a jab.
Alela throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Soares on the side of the head.
Soares throws a hook but Alela blocks it.
Soares ducks under a wild hook from Alela.
Soares wants to counter the offense by Alela and move into the clinch position.
Soares takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Soares works Alela's body with a nice hook.
Alela throws a good cross that connects.

Soares is rocked!
Alela chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Soares is still on wobbly legs! Can Alela finish him?
Soares defending well as Alela loads up on a big left hand.
Soares seems to have recovered his senses.
Soares lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Alela throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Alela looks to land a right hand but Soares moved out of range.
A punch lands to the side of Alela 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Sao Alela seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Alela throws a leg kick which misses Soares's front leg but catches the back leg as Soares tries to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alela misses the jab.
Alela misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Soares.
Soares avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Alela throws a hook to the side of Soares's head but Soares sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Alela misses with a hook.
Alela misses with a low kick.
Soares wants to counter the offense by Alela and move into the clinch position.
Alela looks to land a right hand but Soares moved out of range.
Alela walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Soares lands with a nice body punch.
A big left from Alela misses.
Alela throws a hook to the side of Soares's head but Soares sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Alela throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A big left from Soares misses.
Soares lands with an overhand left.
Alela swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Alela tries a head kick but it misses.
Soares steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Alela.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alela throws a body shot but no joy.
Alela is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Soares can do to turn this around?
Soares waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Alela.
Alela was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Alela throws a looping overhand right but Soares ducks down to avoid it.
Alela thows a left - swing and a miss!
Soares takes a swing at Alela's ribcage but misses.
Jab from Soares.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Soares moves into the clinch.
Soares blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Soares tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Alela tries for a takedown but Soares manages to get underhooks.

Alela has Soares pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Alela pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Soares tumbling to the mat - Alela dives into Soares's guard.

Soares looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Alela stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Soares swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Soares keeping moving, preventing Alela from controlling successfully.
Soares trying to keep a closed guard but Alela is proving a slippery customer.
Alela has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Alela trying to control but Soares is working from the bottom.
Alela stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Soares swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Soares has control of Alela's left arm, preventing Alela from doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Alela looking to sit in guard and control but Soares gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Soares passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Soares tries for a kimura but Alela is defending well.

Soares wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Alela, who protects the arm well.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Sao Alela dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Soares checks the leg kick nicely there.
Soares is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Sao Alela is winning the standup battle so far.
Soares throws a jab but it's blocked by Alela.
Soares cracks Alela with a good jab.
Alela rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Soares moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Alela throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Soares sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Alela pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Alela tries to bum rush Soares with a series of wild strikes but Soares uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Soares steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Alela.
Alela misses with a looping left.
Soares uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Alela.
A jab from Alela misses.
Alela lands with an overhand left.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Alela throws out a powerful jab.
Soares looks to throw the jab but Alela is out of range.
Soares feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Alelas jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Alela throws an overhand right that lands on Soares's shoulder, as Soares tries to avoid the shot.
Soares scores with a hook to the body. Alela takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alela throws a leg kick but Soares moved away.
Soares lands an overhand right.
Alela scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Soares doesn't seem bothered though.
Alela throws a jab when Soares was well out of range.
Alela circles away from the clinch attempt.
Alela misses the jab.
Alela tries to land a leg kick but Soares saw it coming and moves away.
Soares slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Soares checks the leg kick nicely there.
Alela scores with a crisp jab that stopped Soares in his tracks.
Soares jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Alela misses with a hook. Soares ducked under it nicely.
Alela misses the jab.
Soares stuffs the takedown.
Soares blocks a jab.
Soares tries to counter with a clinch but Alela shakes him off and moves away.
Alela looks to land a left hand but Soares moved out of range nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Soares.
Soares ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Soares avoids the head kick by Alela.
Alela throws a body punch but Soares moves out of range.
Soares blocks a jab.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Alela misses with a low kick.
Alela swings for the body but Soares moves out of range.
Soares steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Alela.
Soares uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Soares checks a leg kick nicely.
Soares is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Alela misses with a few strikes there.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nice defenses there by Alela.
As Soares backs away, Alela returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Soares defending well as Alela loads up on a big left hand.
Alela misses with a body shot.
Soares steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Alela.
Alela takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Soares misses with a wild body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Soares throws a jab but it's blocked by Alela.
Soares slips a jab from Alela.
Soares with a hook.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Soares.
Soares scores with a decent looking hook.

Alela drives through with a takedown into Soares's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Soares is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Sao Alela is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Soares wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

Soares is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Soares is looking for a triangle but Alela pushes his legs off easily.
Alela seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Alela looking to pass the guard.
Alela trying to control but Soares is working from the bottom.
Gabriel Soares has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Alela throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sao Alela showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Alela, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Nard Betker scores the fight 30:27
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sao Alela!
Sao Alela managed to slip a mention for his sponsors, Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing, into his post fight interview.