PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Thiago Souza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mr Miyagi (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.

Souza
vs
Miyagi

195 cm
19
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

173 cm
22
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good knees
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thiago Souza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mr Miyagi!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Matheus Silva and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Miyagi shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Souza tries to roll over but Miyagi keeps him under control.
Souza trying to control here.

Miyagi decides to return to a standing position.
Souza with a poor takedown

so Miyagi counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Miyagi with a flurry of punches that miss.
Miyagi controls from within his opponent's guard.
Miyagi scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Miyagi with a flurry of punches that miss.
Souza trying to control the position.
Souza bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Miyagi's guard.
Miyagi trying to keep a closed guard but Souza is proving a slippery customer.
Miyagi preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Miyagi looking for a sweep. Not yet Miyagi, not yet.

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.
Souza with a flurry of punches that miss.
Souza will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Souza wants to control from the top but Miyagi keeps moving.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Souza tries to clinch up

and Miyagi counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Souza!
Souza manages to regain half guard. Good work.

Miyagi stands up out of the half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Miyagi shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Souza manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Miyagi looks gassed!
Souza looking to control.
Miyagi wants to control from the top but Souza keeps moving.
Souza looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Miyagi is stalling in the full guard.

Souza is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Souza is pulling down on Miyagi's head to control his posture.

Miyagi gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mr Miyagi dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Miyagi circles away from the clinch attempt

and Miyagi counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Miyagi.
Souza manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Miyagi manages to get himself to full guard.
Miyagi keeping moving, preventing Souza from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Souza distracts Miyagi with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Miyagi looking for a guillotine here but Souza defends easily.
Miyagi is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Miyagi is breathing heavily.
Souza landing a few strikes.

Souza stands up and we're back to a striking position.

Miyagi rushes Souza and presses him up against the cage.

Souza breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Miyagi tries for a takedown but Souza circles away easily

and Souza counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Miyagi keeping moving, preventing Souza from controlling successfully.
Souza advances position into side control!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Souza tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Souza really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Miyagi takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Miyagi defending against the ground and pound.

Souza decides to stand back up. Souza steps back and let's Miyagi get back to his feet.
Souza throws out a powerful jab.

Souza decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Miyagi has hold of Souza's hands but Souza slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
The fighters are battling for position here. Miyagi manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Miyagi has Souza pulled in close to control his posture.
Miyagi wants to control the position but Souza says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Miyagi tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

Souza seems to be working for a kimura but Miyagi defends the submission attempt.
Miyagi is trying to maintain the position but Souza is very close to passing his half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Souza stalling away here and it's allowed Miyagi to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Miyagi keeping moving, preventing Souza from controlling successfully.
Miyagi controls Souza momentarily but Souza frees himself.

Souza drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Souza jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Miyagi pulls Souza in close to prevent any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Souza stands and throws Miyagi's legs to the side, diving into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Souza dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Souza tries to close the distance and clinch up but Miyagi swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Miyagi closes the distance and clinches.
Miyagi prevents the takedown attempt.
Miyagi tries to pull guard but Souza holds him up against the cage and eventually Miyagi drops back down to his feet.
Souza is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

Miyagi is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Souza can't fight it off and eventually Miyagi manages to take the fight to the floor. Souza looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Miyagi throws a big right hand that misses.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Miyagi stays in close to Souza's body and controls the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Miyagi trying to control but Souza is working from the bottom.
Souza trying to keep a closed guard but Miyagi is proving a slippery customer.
Souza wants to stand and escape but Miyagi is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Miyagi is looking to advance position but Souza has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

Souza has control of Miyagi's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Miyagi regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Miyagi regains half guard.

Souza is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Miyagi wants to control but Souza is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Souza is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Miyagi doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Souza.
Souza not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Miyagi punching from the bottom.
Souza is trying to control the action in half guard but Miyagi is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Miyagi is trying to maintain the position but Souza is very close to passing his half guard.

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.
Souza thows a huge punch but Miyagi dodges it nicely.
Mr Miyagi has got the better of the ground game so far.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Souza lands a nice short elbow.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Souza fails with the takedown

and Miyagi counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Miyagi trying to mount his opponent but Souza defends it.
Souza is trying to stand back up but Miyagi is controlling him
Souza is trying to maintain the position but Miyagi is very close to passing his half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mr Miyagi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Miyagi has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 28:29
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mr Miyagi!