PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Forrest Sonnen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lyzekel Rage (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Sonnen
vs
Rage

178 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

195 cm
18
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Adrenaline Fight Gear

Adrenaline Fight Gear
Adrenaline Supplements

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Forrest Sonnen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Lyzekel Rage!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Trevor Gratis and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A head kick misses from Rage.

Rage closes the distance and clinches.
Rage gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

It looks like Forrest Sonnen has been cut.
A nice right hand lands inside from Rage.
Sonnen drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Rage breaks the clinch.
Sonnen misses with a few strikes there.
Rage throws a head kick that misses.
Rage pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rage misses with an uppercut.

Rage moves into range and clinches up with Sonnen.
Rage lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Sonnen drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Rage breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rage tries to close the distance and clinch but Sonnen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Lyzekel Rage seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rage lands a nice looking body kick.
Sonnen avoids the head kick by Rage.
A head kick misses from Rage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rage throws a big shot that misses.
Rage throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rage misses the shot to the body.
Rage looks gassed!
Rage thows a left - swing and a miss!
Rage lands a high kick!

Sonnen gets the takedown into side control.
Sonnen trying to control the position but Rage is working away.

Sonnen looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Rage is looking for a sweep.
Sonnen tries to move to mount but Rage blocks the move with his legs.
Rage really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Sonnen. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sonnen working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Sonnen throws an elbow but Rage slips to the side and avoids it well.
Sonnen trying to control the position but Rage is working away.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Rage clinches with his opponent.
Rage throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Sonnen blocks it with crossed arms.
Rage with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Rage lands an elbow inside that Sonnen shrugs off.
Sonnen goes for a takedown attempt but Rage pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Forrest Sonnen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sonnen tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Rage counters with a flying knee. Nice.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Sonnen closes the distance but Rage moves to the side
and Rage counters with a head kick.

Sonnen shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Sonnen preventing the sweep.
Sonnen passes Rage's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Sonnen takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Rage is trying to control but can't.
Rage is trying to get back to full guard.
Sonnen is trying to control the action in half guard but Rage is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Ground and pound from Sonnen.
Rage is trying to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Sonnen.
Rage throws a jab but it's blocked by Sonnen.
Rage pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rage wants to clinch

and Sonnen counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rage won't be happy with that.
Sonnen controls the position.
Sonnen passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Rage!
Sonnen looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rage tries to lock up and control but Sonnen gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Sonnen lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Sonnen with shots to the head and body - Rage looks very uncomfortable down there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Lyzekel Rage will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Forrest Sonnen's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Rage rushes Sonnen and presses him up against the cage.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Sonnen tries for a takedown. No joy.
A hook to the body from Sonnen.
Rage comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Rage missing with knees to the body.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Sonnen can't get the takedown.
Rage is trying to stall.
Sonnen drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Forrest Sonnen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rage unloads a knee to the mid-section. Sonnen lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Sonnen wants a takedown but no success here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rage lands an elbow inside.
Sonnen lands a nice shot to the body.
Sonnen managing to block the knees to the body from Rage.
Rage swings wildly with an uppercut but Sonnen uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rage creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Sonnen's defenses.
Sonnen drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Rage gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Rage's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Sonnen closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Rage to the mat! Rage manages to get full guard.
Sonnen postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rage throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Sonnen won't allow Rage to sweep him here.
Sonnen slips nicely into half guard.
Rage is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Rage taking some punishment here, with Sonnen in his half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Rage can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen thows a huge punch but Rage dodges it nicely.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Rage takes the fight into the clinch.
Rage lands a damaging elbow.
A left hand lands to the body for Sonnen.
Rage lands a nice elbow.
Sonnen tries for a takedown. No joy.
Sonnen can't get the takedown.
Rage lands a damaging elbow.
Rage stalls.
Sonnen has had enough of the clinch but Rage keeps him there for the moment.
Sonnen has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Rage is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Rage manages to break the clinch.
Rage misses with a body kick.
Rage lands with a kick to the temple. Sonnen shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Rage throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Sonnen's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rage clinches with his opponent.
Rage with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Rage misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Sonnen.
Rage comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Sonnen wants a takedown but no success here.
Sonnen on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Rage is pressed up against the cage. Sonnen has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Rage down to the mat. Rage avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Nice takedown defense from Rage. No joy for Sonnen on that attempt.
Sonnen blocks a head kick by Rage.

Sonnen shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Rage tries to hold on but Sonnen postures up.
Rage is in all sorts of trouble here.
Sonnen has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Rage tries to buck Sonnen off but he can't manage it.
Rage tries to lock up and control but Sonnen gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
A nice elbow there by Sonnen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rage squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Sonnen wants to control the pace but Rage is squirming around nicely.
Rage tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Rage is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Rage squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Sonnen landing shots from mount.
Sonnen throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Rage because Sonnen loaded up on that one.
Sonnen blocks Rage's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Rage wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Sonnen.
Sonnen prevents Rage from getting the reversal.
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 Forrest Sonnen will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Forrest Sonnen's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Sonnen fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
A slow jab from Rage misses its intended target.
Sonnen moves out of range of the body kick from Rage.
Sonnen doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Sonnen avoids the head kick by Rage.

Sonnen shoots in and bounces Rage off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Sonnen stops Rage from standing up.
Rage has momentary wrist control but Sonnen slips an elbow through the middle.
Rage wants to stand but Sonnen is controlling the position.
Sonnen trying to control the position from guard on top but Rage is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Sonnen stands up and waves to Rage to follow him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rage instigates a clinch.
Sonnen is working for takedown but Rage is calmly controlling the position for now.
Rage is pushing Sonnen up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Sonnen jumps guard but Rage stands there with Sonnen around his waist. Sonnen gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Forrest Sonnen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sonnen is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

Rage escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sonnen fails to land the takedown.
Sonnen shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Rage as he avoids it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Nice shot by Rage.
Rage pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rage misses with a head kick.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Sonnen tries for a takedown. No joy.
Sonnen tries to score a body lock takedown but Rage shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Rage lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Rage stalling the fight.

Rage pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rage misses with a hook to the body

and Sonnen counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Sonnen decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Sonnen on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rage tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rage thuds his shin into the meat of Sonnen's side.
Rage closes the distance but Sonnen moves to the side

and Sonnen counters with a takedown into side control.
Rage tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Forrest Sonnen overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rage is trying to buck Sonnen off.

Sonnen decides to stand back up. Sonnen steps back and let's Rage get back to his feet.
Rage swings away with a body shot that misses

and Sonnen counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Sonnen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rage trying to control the position here.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sonnen scoring with some ground and pound.
Rage manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Sonnen manages to get himself to full guard.
Sonnen lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Rage!
Rage wants to hold on but Sonnen pushes him away.
Rage is looking to get to half guard.
Rage is bucking up trying to escape but Sonnen cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rage really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Sonnen working the ground and pound effectively.

And that's the end of the fight!
Forrest Sonnen showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Sonnen 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 Steve Smith scores the fight 29:29
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!