PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Lop Sop (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jacob Rousso (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.

Sop
vs
Rousso

185 cm
19
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
19
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 Tokyo, Lop Sop!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jacob Rousso!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Yuuki Gou and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sop forces Rousso back against the cage and clinches.

Rousso breaks the clinch.
Sop tries to close the distance and clinch but Rousso swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Sop shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Rousso's guard.
Sop stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rousso swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Rousso working a defensive guard here.
Sop postures up in Rousso's guard and throws a big left but Rousso blocks it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sop trying to control the position from guard on top but Rousso is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Rousso looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Sop passes into half guard.
Rousso trying to control from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rousso blocking the ground and pound attempt from Sop.
Rousso wants to control but Sop is keeping busy.
Rousso wants to improve his position but Sop is controlling well.
Rousso trying to control from the bottom.
Sop is stalling here. Rousso is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Sop seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Rousso has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Rousso takes a little break here. Sop wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The strikes coming from Rousso are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Rousso trying to control the position but Sop is working away.
Sop can't do much from the bottom here.
Sop is looking for a sweep.
Sop wants to control but Rousso postures up.
Sop tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Rousso wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rousso is looking to take a break and control but Sop is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rousso tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Sop looking to score a takedown here. Rousso is defending well but Sop drives through and ends up in Rousso's guard.
Sop seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Rousso working a defensive guard here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rousso is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sop trying to stand up but can't free himself from Rousso's guard.
Rousso wants to stand but Sop is controlling the position.
Sop controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Sop wants to get up but he can't break Rousso's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lop Sop dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Sop throws a sloppy head kick
letting Rousso counter with a right hand.
Nice uppercut lands for Rousso. That snapped Sop's head back.
Sop tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A shot to the liver by Rousso. Beautiful body shot.

Rousso shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Sop manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

Sop looking for a guillotine here but Rousso defends easily.
Rousso trying to control but Sop is working from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sop has a closed guard, preventing Rousso from standing up.
Sop will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sop is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Sop trying to control from Rousso's half guard. Rousso has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Sop trying to control the position from guard on top but Rousso is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rousso controls Sop momentarily but Sop frees himself.
Sop stopping the sweep attempt from Rousso.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rousso is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Sop is looking to get back to is feet but Rousso passes into side control.
Lop Sop overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Sop is trying to control Rousso's posture but Rousso avoids it.
Sop is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Rousso is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Sop regains half guard.
Sop is looking to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sop trying to control from the bottom.
Rousso wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sop keeps working.
Rousso wants to get back to his feet.
Rousso prevents Sop from improving his position.
Sop wants to control but Rousso is keeping busy.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's four 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.
Sop tries to clinch up but Rousso circles away and keeps his distance.

Rousso drives through with a takedown into Sop's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Rousso trying to stand up but can't free himself from Sop's guard.
Sop has Rousso pulled in close to control his posture.
Sop keeping moving, preventing Rousso from controlling successfully.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rousso wants to pass the guard but Sop is keeping the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jacob Rousso showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Rousso darts in trying to clinch
and Sop counters with a big head kick but Rousso shrugs it off.
A combination from Sop does no damage.

Rousso throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Sop was covering up waiting for the punch and Rousso finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Sop keeping moving, preventing Rousso from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sop wants to control but Rousso passes easily into half guard.

Rousso is looking for a kimura here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sop trying to control here.
Rousso is keen to just control but Sop is a slippery customer.
Sop makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Sop.
Sop looking for a sweep. Not yet Sop, not yet.

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.
Rousso controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Sop is on top in guard.

Sop is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Rousso wants to stand up but Sop is controlling him.
Sop trying to control the position from guard on top but Rousso is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rousso has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Sop can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Sop gets to his feet. Rousso looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Sop wants to clinch up but Rousso keeps it at a distance.
Rousso wants to counter with a clinch but Sop pushes him away.
Rousso fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Sop avoids it really well and circles away.
Rousso takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's four 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.
Sop misses with a few strikes there.
Rousso avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Sop has Rousso up against the cage in a clinch.
Rousso managing to block the knees to the body from Sop.

Rousso has hold of one of Sop's legs. Sop is fighting the takedown attempt but Rousso gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Sop working a defensive guard but Rousso manages to pass into side control anyway.
Sop is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Sop is working hard here to advance position.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Jacob Rousso.
I think Rousso 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight for Jacob Rousso!
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight for Jacob Rousso!
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight for Jacob Rousso!

Jacob Rousso wins by unanimous decision!