PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Marcello Sosa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jason McNeil (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sosa comes to the ring accompanied by HELLUVA LIFE. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the ring.

Sosa
vs
McNeil

169 cm
21
147 lbs
7 - 0 - 0

172 cm
23
157 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good gas tank

Convicted

Convicted
Convicted

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Marcello Sosa!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jason McNeil!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Jack Bonds and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
McNeil shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Sosa but Sosa pushes him off and we're back to square one.
McNeil needs to keep his hands up - Sosa had a free shot at his head there.
Sosa bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of McNeil's head.
Sosa swings and misses with a hook to the body.
McNeil blocks a jab.
Sosa misses with a hook. McNeil ducked under it nicely.
Sosa bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of McNeil's head.
Sosa throws out a loose jab but McNeil uses good head movement to avoid it.
Sosa misses with a straight right.
McNeil defending well as Sosa loads up on a big left hand.
McNeil moves out of range of the strikes.
Sosa swings for the body but McNeil moves out of range.
Sosa keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Sosa misses with a hook.
McNeil looks to score with a jab to the body but Sosa is just out of range.
Sosa throws an uppercut from half a mile away. McNeil sees it coming and avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sosa lands with a right hand.
Sosa lands a right hook to the body.
Sosa swings for the body but McNeil moves out of range.
Sosa takes a swing at McNeil's ribcage but misses.
Sosa throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Sosa misses with an uppercut.
McNeil misses with the combination.
Sosa looks to land a right hand but McNeil moved out of range.
McNeil cracks a nice hook into Sosa's ribs.
Sosa throws a sloppy body shot
and McNeil counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Sosa thinking.
McNeil scores with a jab to the jaw.
Sosa looks to score with a jab to the body but McNeil is just out of range.
Sosa throws the left hand but McNeil avoids the punch easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McNeil will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Sosa fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Sosa misses with an uppercut. McNeil saw that one coming.
A left and a right from Sosa both land. Nice combination.
Sosa throws a shot to the body.
Sosa throws a lazy right hand but McNeil sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Sosa falls off balance throwing a combination

and McNeil counters with a nice double leg into guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
McNeil throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sosa works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
McNeil stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sosa swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Sosa has McNeil pulled in close to control his posture.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
McNeil won't allow Sosa to sweep him here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sosa utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Sosa wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
McNeil looking to pass the guard.
Sosa is looking to stand up but McNeil isn't so interested in that idea.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Sosa looks to land a right hand but McNeil moved out of range.
Sosa scores with the left hand. McNeil knows he should have avoided that one.
Sosa scores with a jab to the body.
McNeil throws a hook to the side of Sosa's head but Sosa sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Nice shot lands for Sosa.
Sosa with a nice cross.
Sosa throws out a loose jab but McNeil uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sosa misses with a jab to the body
and McNeil counters with a one-two to the body.
Marcello Sosa is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
McNeil misses with a combination
and Sosa counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Marcello Sosa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
McNeil slips under a jab from Sosa.
Sosa scores with a body shot.
Sosa works McNeil's body with a nice hook.
Sosa misses with a series of wild punches.
Sosa misses with a double jab
and McNeil counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Sosa misses with a body punch
and Sosa takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sosa lands a really nice looking cross but McNeil seems unphased.
The fighters circling - Sosa throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Sosa just misses with a punch to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcello Sosa dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Sosa throws a series of punches but McNeil avoids them all with ease.
Sosa loads up on a big right hand but McNeil slips the punch.
McNeil bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

McNeil bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Sosa regains half guard.
McNeil not landing any meaningful shots this time.
McNeil sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Sosa defending well though.
McNeil not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
McNeil thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
McNeil takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Sosa is trying is best to control the position here.

McNeil is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Sosa doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time McNeil.
McNeil has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Sosa tries to get to full guard but McNeil has control of the leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Sosa misses with a wild body shot.
Jason McNeil is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
McNeil fails to land with a series of punches.
Sosa lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Sosa throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Sosa throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
McNeil looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Sosa throws out a loose jab but McNeil uses good head movement to avoid it.
McNeil ducks under a wild hook from Sosa.
Sosa lands a lovely overhand right.
Sosa connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Sosa throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McNeil misses with a few strikes there.
Sosa lands a right hook to the body.
McNeil fails with the takedown.
Marcello Sosa is winning the standup battle so far.
A shot to the body from Sosa misses

and McNeil counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Sosa is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst McNeil is controlling him.
Sosa is trying to keep McNeil in close.
Sosa is looking to stand up but McNeil isn't so interested in that idea.
McNeil is looking to work some ground and pound but Sosa has wrist control.
Sosa pulls McNeil in close to prevent any damage.
McNeil trying to control but Sosa is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sosa looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Sosa keeping moving, preventing McNeil from controlling successfully.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
McNeil ducks under a wild hook from Sosa.
McNeil works Sosa's body with a nice hook.
Sosa connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Sosa throws an overhand right that lands on McNeil's shoulder, as McNeil tries to avoid the shot.
Sosa swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
McNeil throws a nice looking combination but Sosa bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Sosa with a body punch. A glancing blow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sosa throws a predictable looking body shot
enabling McNeil to counter with a crisp jab.
Sosa throws a hook to the side of McNeil's head but McNeil sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Sosa lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Sosa.
McNeil uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Sosa.
Sosa just misses with a punch to the body.
Sosa swings and misses with a shot to the body
and McNeil counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Sosa pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Sosa avoids a punch combination nicely.
McNeil fails with a takedown attempt.
Sosa misses with a hook. McNeil ducked under it nicely.
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 Marcello Sosa will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Sosa misses with a combination

and McNeil counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Sosa has McNeil pulled in close to control his posture.
McNeil missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Sosa being controlled here, momentarily.
Sosa has control of McNeil's left arm, preventing McNeil from doing any damage.
McNeil postures up.
McNeil trying to control the position from guard on top but Sosa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
McNeil sitting in guard, not really doing much.
McNeil postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McNeil preventing the sweep.
Sosa avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
McNeil throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sosa works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Sosa misses with a double jab
and McNeil counters with a nice uppercut.
McNeil dodges the punch combination from Sosa.
McNeil takes a body punch but keeps moving.
McNeil moves out of range as Sosa strikes.
Sosa lands a head shot.
Sosa misses with a looping right.
Sosa throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sosa misses with a hook. McNeil ducked under it nicely.
Sosa connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Sosa swings away with a body shot that misses
and McNeil counters with a stiff right hand.
Sosa throws a hook to the side of McNeil's head but McNeil sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Good standup being displayed there by Sosa as he connects with a hook.
Sosa throws a jab but it's blocked by McNeil.
McNeil shoots for a takedown but Sosa saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Sosa swings and misses with a shot to the body

so McNeil counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Sosa preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Sosa trying to control the position here.
Sosa wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and McNeil manages to pass to side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McNeil wants to take a breather but Sosa is having none of it.
McNeil thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Sosa to regain full guard.
McNeil throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sosa works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
McNeil looking to sit in guard and control but Sosa gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
McNeil scores with a short punch from the bottom.
Sosa controls from within his opponent's guard.
Sosa passes easily into side control. Nice work.
McNeil struggling a bit here.

That's four 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.
McNeil manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Sosa preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Sosa avoiding damage under a succession of punches from McNeil.
Sosa keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Sosa is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Sosa is working hard here to advance position.
Sosa is not content to let McNeil control the position.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
McNeil thows a huge punch but Sosa dodges it nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close third round but Jason McNeil just about did enough to take it.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Sosa misses with a shot to the body

and McNeil counters with a nice double leg into side control. Sosa won't be happy with that.
Sosa wants to control but McNeil postures up.
McNeil remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Jason McNeil has got the better of the ground game so far.
McNeil wants to control but Sosa is keeping him busy.
McNeil working the ground and pound but Sosa is defending the strikes.
An elbow from McNeil crashes against the mat.
Sosa regains half guard.
McNeil prevents Sosa from standing back up.
McNeil throws a strike but Sosa avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Sosa controls McNeil momentarily but McNeil frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McNeil stopping the sweep attempt from Sosa.
McNeil with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
McNeil throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sosa works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
McNeil throws a strike but Sosa rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
McNeil throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

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.
McNeil wants to sweep here but Sosa controlling him for the moment.
McNeil is trying to control the position but Sosa postures up.
Sosa trying to stand up but can't free himself from McNeil's guard.

McNeil throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
McNeil is absolutely dripping with sweat - he looks exhausted.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Sosa with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Sosa swings for the body but McNeil moves out of range.
Sosa throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
McNeil moves away from the strike by Sosa.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sosa misses with a hook.
Sosa throws a body punch but McNeil moves out of range.
Sosa wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Sosa misses the shot to the body.
McNeil avoids the body shot from Sosa.
Sosa thows a body shot but no joy.
Sosa throws a sloppy body shot
and McNeil counters with a stiff right hand.
Sosa misses the shot to the body.
McNeil misses with an uppercut. Sosa saw that one coming.
Sosa throws a right and a left that McNeil avoids nicely.
Sosa throws a sloppy body shot
and McNeil counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Sosa scores with a one two! McNeil had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sosa lands a nice shot to the body.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from McNeil.
McNeil avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

McNeil scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Sosa keeping his opponent close.
McNeil misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Sosa defending against the ground and pound.
The ground and pound from McNeil seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Sosa parries the strikes from McNeil easily there. McNeil is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Sosa to escape.
Sosa can't do much from the bottom here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jason McNeil dominated that fourth round.
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!

Sosa thows a left - swing and a miss!
The fighters circling - Sosa throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Sosa scores with a shot to the body.
Sosa goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Sosa with a nice cross.
Sosa with a hook.
A shot to the body from Sosa misses
and McNeil counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Sosa looks to score with a jab to the body but McNeil is just out of range.
McNeil misses with an uppercut. Sosa saw that one coming.
Sosa falls off balance throwing a combination

and McNeil counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Sosa slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sosa is trying to control the position but McNeil postures up.
McNeil trying to control the position from guard on top but Sosa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
McNeil with a flurry of punches that miss.
McNeil wants to pass the guard but Sosa is keeping the position.
McNeil is wobbling all over the place through exhaustion. Will he make it to the final bell?
McNeil is looking to work some ground and pound but Sosa has wrist control.
Sosa utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Sosa has McNeil pulled in close to control his posture.
McNeil throwing strikes from guard but Sosa blocks nicely.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
McNeil uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Sosa.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Sosa throws a series of punches but McNeil avoids them all with ease.
McNeil drops his hands momentarily and Sosa takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Donk. McNeil catches Sosa right on the button with a cross.
McNeil drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
McNeil will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
McNeil uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Sosa.
Sosa throws an overhand right that lands on McNeil's shoulder, as McNeil tries to avoid the shot.
Sosa misses with the combination.
Sosa throws a hook to the side of McNeil's head but McNeil sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Decent striking displayed by Sosa there.
Sosa lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as McNeil backs up against the ropes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McNeil has a takedown stuffed.
McNeil displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Sosa throws out the jab.
Sosa lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Sosa loads up on a big right hand but McNeil slips the punch.
A punch combination from Sosa misses.
Sosa lands a nice looking body shot.
McNeil has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Sosa darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
McNeil on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Sosa lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
McNeil closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Sosa scores with a sloppy right hand. McNeil should have avoided that one.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sosa ducks down and throws a hook to the body but McNeil moves away.
Sosa connects with a good right hand that stumbles McNeil. McNeil circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
McNeil shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Sosa connects with the punch.
Sosa misses with an uppercut. McNeil saw that one coming.
McNeil bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
McNeil dodges the punch combination from Sosa.
Sosa misses with a hook to the body
and McNeil counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Sosa swinging wilding here.
Sosa throws a shot from downtown. McNeil moves away and avoids it.
McNeil rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Sosa moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marcello Sosa showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Sosa 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 48:47
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 48:47
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 48:47

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marcello Sosa!
Marcello Sosa retains his featherweight title!