PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Julio Sobral (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jay Zol (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Julio Sobral has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Sobral
vs
Zol

181 cm
28
168 lbs
20 - 13 - 1

170 cm
27
153 lbs
11 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 20 - 13 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Julio Sobral!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jay Zol!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Paulo Santos and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sobral throws an overhand right that lands on Zol's shoulder, as Zol tries to avoid the shot.
Sobral swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Zol changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Sobral looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Zol looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Sobral is avoiding damage well.
Zol looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Sobral is avoiding damage well.
Sobral tries to buck Zol off but Zol is having none of it.
Zol is looking to take a break and control but Sobral is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Zol working the head and body with strikes.
Zol working the body and head with strikes.
Sobral tries to bench press Zol off him but Zol keeps the position.
Sobral is working hard here to advance position.
Zol working the head and body with strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Zol lands some shots froms side control.
Sobral is looking for a sweep.
Zol landing a few strikes.
Sobral tries to bench press Zol off him but Zol keeps the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zol has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Zol lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Sobral down.
Sobral can't do much from the bottom here.
Sobral is looking for a sweep.
Zol tries to score with some ground and pound. Sobral controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Sobral is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sobral taking punishment in the form of punches.
Sobral can't do much from the bottom here.
Zol is chipping away with strikes.
Sobral is working to avoid the ground and pound but Zol connects with a decent elbow.

Sobral is rocked!
Sobral sneaks back into half guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Sobral regains full guard. Nicely done.
Sobral avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zol landing some decent shots from guard.
Sobral tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Zol is looking to work some ground and pound but Sobral has wrist control.
Zol working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Sobral seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.

Sobral throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Sobral avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Zol won't allow Sobral to sweep him here.
Zol wants to control from the top but Sobral keeps moving.
Sobral utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Zol with a nice head shot there.
Sobral looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sobral trying to control the position.
Sobral manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zol is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Sobral thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Zol trying desperately to get to his feet.
Sobral can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Zol is looking to escape.
Zol squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Sobral is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Zol's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sobral controlling his opponent.
Sobral looking to ground and pound but Zol is blocking nicely.
Zol wants to get back to his feet.
Sobral unloads with some shots from mount but Zol bucks and avoids them well.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sobral is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Zol can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Sobral landing shots from mount.
Sobral fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

Zol is rocked!
You get the feeling that Zol really doesn't like being in this position too much.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Sobral takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Sobral lands with some strikes.
Zol is still in real trouble! Can Sobral finish him?
Sobral punishing his opponent with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Julio Sobral will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Zol fails with a takedown attempt.
Sobral will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Zol seems to have recovered his senses.
No luck for Zol with that takedown attempt.
Nice uppercut lands for Sobral. That snapped Zol's head back.
Sobral lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Zol misses with a takedown attempt

and Sobral counters with a takedown into side control.
Julio Sobral has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jay Zol.
Zol is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sobral connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Zol some visible discomfort.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sobral trying to control the action but Zol is working from the bottom.
Sobral prevents Zol from escaping the position.
Julio Sobral overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Sobral trying to control the position but Zol is working away.
Sobral prevents Zol from escaping the position.
Zol is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Sobral throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Sobral wants to lay and pray for a moment but Zol keeps working.
Zol is pushing Sobral's head away, looking to escape. Sobral manages to hold on to the position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sobral is looking to take a break and control but Zol is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Zol wants to get back to his feet.
Sobral throws a strike aimed at the side of Zol's head but Zol avoids it well.
Sobral creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Zol sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Zol wants to get back to his feet.
Sobral lands an elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zol is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Sobral has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Sobral will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Sobral landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Sobral passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Zol!
Sobral won't let Zol get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Sobral landing strikes from the mount.
Sobral trying to control but Zol is having none of it.
Zol squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.

Sobral swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Zol is now in Sobral's guard. A big mistake from Sobral there, giving up the dominant position!
Zol working some strikes from top position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Zol advances to half guard.
Sobral wants to control but Zol is keeping busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zol seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

Zol thows an elbow strike that misses. Sobral gets hold of full guard and has managed to get a loose guillotine attempt. Zol doesn't seem too bothered but Sobral quickly shifts his position and has tightened the hold! Zol is in big trouble now - he's going a funny colour - he's tapping out! Nice finish there! Zol really should have spotted the danger earlier though... either incompetence or over-confidence has resulted in a big L on his record.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:29 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Julio Sobral!
In his post fight interview, Julio Sobral started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.