PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Tusing Pocc (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andre Soares (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Soares has chosen Black Sabbath - Iron Man as his entrance music. Tusing Pocc has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Pocc
vs
Soares

165 cm
27
150 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

174 cm
25
155 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Counter fighter
Very strong

Powerful takedowns
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tusing Pocc!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Andre Soares!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, Anthony Taglia and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Soares dives in and scores a takedown into Pocc's guard.

Pocc working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Soares doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Soares manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Soares looking to pass the guard.
Soares wants to control from the top but Pocc keeps moving.

Soares drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Soares jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Soares avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Soares wants to pass the guard but Pocc is keeping the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Soares advances to half guard.
Soares not doing much here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Soares is looking to take a break and control but Pocc is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Pocc actively working from the bottom here.
Pocc is not content to let Soares control the position.
Pocc is looking to control Soares's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Pocc avoid being mounted?
Soares not doing much here.

Soares is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Pocc is just riding it out for now. Soares eventually gives up the hold.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Pocc tries to get to full guard but Soares has control of the leg.

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.
Pocc is staying active underneath Soares, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Pocc gets full guard.

Pocc escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Soares gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Pocc keeping full guard, as Soares tries to pass.

Pocc looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Soares wants to control from the top but Pocc keeps moving.
Soares told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.
Soares slips nicely into half guard.
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.
Soares trying to control the action but Pocc is working from the bottom.
Pocc trying to hold on to Soares's head to control him but Soares postures up.
Soares frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

Soares is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Pocc can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Pocc bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

Pocc avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Soares has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Pocc has passed into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Soares taking a bit of punishment here - Pocc scoring with strikes.

Pocc tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Pocc has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Soares manages to work his way to half guard, despite Pocc's best efforts.
Pocc seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Soares is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Soares has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Pocc is working away from the top position though.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Soares keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Soares trying to hold on to Pocc's head to control him but Pocc postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Andre Soares will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Soares gets a clinch.
Soares tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Soares goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Pocc drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Soares lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Soares digs a right hand into Pocc's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Pocc's gas tank.
Pocc drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Soares lands with a left to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Soares is defending well against a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tusing Pocc. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Soares lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Soares fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Soares fails to land.
Soares lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Pocc wants a takedown but no success here.
Soares misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pocc wants a takedown.
Pocc can't get the takedown.
Pocc is working for takedown but Soares is calmly controlling the position for now.
Soares makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Soares gets through Pocc's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
A nice left hand lands by Soares.
Soares lands with a short shot to the head.
Soares prevents the takedown attempt.
Soares lands a nice uppercut.
A short right from Soares on the inside.
Soares scores with a shoulder strike.
Pocc tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Pocc has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Soares after a bit of a struggle.
Soares works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Soares scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Pocc goes for a takedown attempt but Soares pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Soares tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Pocc swivels and escapes.
Pocc appears to be looking for a big counter.
Soares drops Pocc with a naaaaasty hook - Pocc is in real trouble here! Soares dives in to side control and pounds out his opponent for a TKO victory! The crowd goes nuts!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:58 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Andre Soares!
In his post fight interview, Andre Soares started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.