PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Joseph Stalin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thiago Sobral (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Stalin
vs
Sobral

190 cm
22
210 lbs
3 - 8 - 1

182 cm
19
215 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Knockout Fight Gear
Hell's Kitchen Lab Corp

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 8 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Joseph Stalin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Thiago Sobral!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Viktor Lagutenko and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stalin misses with the combination.
Stalin keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Sobral.
Stalin lands with a nice combination. Sobral backs away looking to recover.
Sobral throws a left and a right that both miss

and Stalin counters by moving into the clinch.
Stalin wants to break the clinch but can't.
Stalin can't break the clinch.

Stalin escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sobral throws an overhand right that lands on Stalin's shoulder, as Stalin tries to avoid the shot.
Stalin doesn't manage to clinch there - Sobral circles away.
Sobral throws and low kick but Stalin moves out of range easily.

Sobral instigates a clinch.
Stalin working hard to break the clinch.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Sobral obliges.
Stalin wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Stalin misses with a knee strike.
Sobral misses with an elbow strike.
Stalin with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Sobral misses with an elbow over the top.
Stalin working hard to break the clinch.
Sobral with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Stalin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Sobral swings away with a body shot that misses
and Stalin counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Sobral circles away from the clinch attempt.
Stalin misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Sobral misses with a jab to the body

and Stalin counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Stalin lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Sobral tries to land a knee to the head but Stalin blocks with his arms.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stalin is trying to break the clinch but Sobral is controlling him.
Sobral throws an elbow but it misses.
Stalin connects with a knee to the head.
Sobral with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Stalin with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Stalin is breathing heavily.
Stalin avoiding damage as Sobral throws knees to the body.
Sobral is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Stalin is defending well for now.
Stalin dodges an elbow strike from Sobral.
Sobral goes for a takedown attempt but Stalin pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Thiago Sobral seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Stalin is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Stalin is looking to clinch but Sobral is avoiding it.
No joy there for Sobral, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Stalin looks to clinch

and Sobral counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Stalin!
Sobral controlling from mount.
Stalin wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Sobral.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sobral lands with some strikes.
Sobral lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Sobral looking to control and managing it successfully.
Sobral lands with some strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sobral controlling the pace for now.
Sobral scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Sobral lands with some strikes.
Sobral lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Stalin hang on?

Sobral working for a submission but Stalin is keeping him at bay.
Sobral controlling the position easily from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stalin is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Sobral lands with some strikes.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Stalin squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Sobral fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Sobral dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Stalin showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Sobral.
Stalin throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Sobral.

Stalin rushes Sobral and presses him up against the cage.
Sobral landing knees to the head.

It looks like Joseph Stalin has been cut.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Stalin just misses with a elbow thrown towards Sobral's brow.
Stalin on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Stalin managing to block the knees to the body from Sobral.
Stalin throws a knee to the head but misses.
Stalin wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Stalin blocks an elbow strike.
Sobral missing with knees to the body.
Knees to the body from Sobral.
Knees in the clinch landing for Sobral.
Sobral throws an elbow but it misses.
Stalin on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Sobral unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Sobral is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Stalin is defending well for now.
Sobral lands a knee to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sobral throws an elbow but it misses.
Sobral misses with an elbow over the top.
Stalin misses with an elbow strike.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Sobral.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sobral throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Sobral with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Stalin blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Stalin on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sobral pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Sobral scores a nice knee to the body.
Sobral tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Stalin avoiding damage as Sobral throws knees to the body.
Sobral landing knees to the body.
Stalin tries to land a knee to the head but Sobral blocks with his arms.
Stalin takes an elbow to the temple.
Sobral putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Stalin in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Sobral keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Stalin's efforts to push away.
Stalin managing to block the knees to the body from Sobral.
Stalin wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Sobral has him pressed against the cage.
Sobral throws a knee to the head but misses.
Stalin wants to break the clinch but can't.
Stalin throws a knee to the head but misses.
Stalin managing to block the knees to the body from Sobral.
Sobral misses with a knee to the head.
Stalin landing knees to the head.
Sobral lands a damaging elbow.
A frustrated look appears on Stalin's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Sobral throws an elbow but it misses.
Stalin managing to block the knees to the body from Sobral.
Sobral throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

Stalin manages to break the clinch.
Sobral looks to land a left hand but Stalin moved out of range nicely.

Sobral moves into range and clinches up with Stalin.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stalin lands a nice elbow.
Sobral looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Stalin managing to block the knees to the body from Sobral.
Stalin on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Stalin throws a knee to the head but misses.
Sobral throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Stalin blocks it with crossed arms.
Stalin is looking to break free of the clinch but Sobral has double underhooks.
Stalin tries to break free but Sobral pushes him back against the cage.
Sobral tries to land knees in the clinch but Stalin avoids the damage to the body.
Stalin wants to break the clinch but can't.
Stalin avoids a wild elbow strike from Sobral.
Stalin is trying to break the clinch but Sobral has him pressed against the cage.
Stalin has had enough of the clinch but Sobral keeps him there for the moment.
Stalin managing to block the knees to the body from Sobral.
Stalin is trying to break the clinch but Sobral has him pressed against the cage.

Sobral ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Sobral no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

Sobral uses the cage to get back to his feet.
A jab from Sobral misses.
Sobral throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Stalin looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stalin displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Sobral throws out the jab.
Sobral throws a body punch but Stalin moves out of range.
Sobral throws a lazy right hand but Stalin sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Some bone on bone action there as Stalin checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Sobral looks to throw the jab but Stalin is out of range.
Stalin lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Sobral backs up against the cage.
Sobral throws a lazy right hand but Stalin sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

Sobral rushes Stalin and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Sobral with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Stalin lands a good knee to the midsection. Sobral won't want to take too many of those.
Stalin lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Sobral scores a nice knee to the body.
Thiago Sobral seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Sobral lands a knee to the body.
Stalin avoiding damage as Sobral throws knees to the body.
Stalin pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Stalin looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Sobral throws a knee to the head but misses.
Stalin scores a nice knee to the body.
Sobral looking to throw knees to the head but Stalin is blocking nicely.
Sobral trying to land knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stalin blocks the elbow strike.
Sobral misses with a knee strike.
Sobral scores with a knee to the head.
Stalin wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Sobral lands a good knee to the midsection. Stalin won't want to take too many of those.
Sobral has Stalin pressed against the cage, preventing Stalin from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Sobral.
Sobral unloads a knee to the mid-section. Stalin lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Stalin wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Sobral has him pressed against the cage.
Stalin on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Stalin has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Sobral missing with knees to the body.
Stalin is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Sobral trying to land knees to the body.
Stalin is trying to break free.
Sobral using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Stalin has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Stalin blocks the elbow strike.
Sobral tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Stalin avoids it.
Stalin wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Stalin has had enough of the clinch but Sobral keeps him there for the moment.
Stalin managing to block the knees to the body from Sobral.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Sobral just misses with a elbow thrown towards Stalin's brow.

Stalin escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Stalin defending well as Sobral loads up on a big left hand.
Sobral shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Stalin but Stalin pushes him off and we're back to square one.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Sobral showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Joseph Stalin's cut.
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!

Sobral misses with a straight right.
Sobral shoots in looking for a takedown. Stalin tries to sprawl out of it but Sobral keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Stalin manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Stalin looks to land a combination. Sobral sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Stalin tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Sobral counters with a single leg into guard. Stalin didn't expect that.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sobral loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Stalin keeping full guard, as Sobral tries to pass.
Sobral is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stalin is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Sobral is controlling him.
Sobral slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Stalin can't keep his opponent in guard - Sobral advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Well, if Sobral is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Stalin avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Sobral.
Thiago Sobral has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sobral is controlling the pace.
Thiago Sobral is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Sobral has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

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.

Despite being in the dominant position, Thiago Sobral just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A jab from Sobral misses.
Sobral throws a left and a right that both miss

and Stalin moves into the clinch.
Sobral gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Stalin wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Stalin has had enough of the clinch but Sobral keeps him there for the moment.
Joseph Stalin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Stalin misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Sobral.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
Thiago Sobral comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Sobral 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 Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 27:30
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thiago Sobral!