PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Baron Geisler (ranked 19981 p4p, 556 weight class) and Joao Sousa (ranked 4185 p4p, 422 weight class). Sousa has chosen Beat It as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Geisler
vs
Sousa

178 cm
28
170 lbs
13 - 9 - 0

180 cm
29
157 lbs
11 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
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 13 - 9 - 0, fighting out of New York, Baron Geisler!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Joao Sousa!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Yves DeLean and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Geisler has taken the fight to the clinch.
Geisler misses with a hook from the clinch.
Geisler makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Sousa has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Sousa scores with an uppercut up the middle.

Sousa gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Geisler blocking the ground and pound attempt from Sousa.
Sousa throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Sousa wants to free his trapped foot but Geisler is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Sousa in particular looking to stall.
Geisler keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Sousa wants to pass to mount but Geisler is defending the position.
Sousa seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Geisler is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Sousa scores with a couple of nice shots.
Sousa not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Sousa throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sousa uses his free foot to push down on Geisler's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Geisler.
Sousa thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Sousa unloads with some shots from mount but Geisler bucks and avoids them well.
Sousa scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Geisler?
Geisler wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Sousa.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sousa throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Geisler because Sousa loaded up on that one.
Sousa working some short elbows here. He postures up to throw some more ground and pound but Geisler slips a leg through to get back to half guard. Nice work.
Sousa wants to take a breather but Geisler is having none of it.
Sousa is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Geisler is trying to escape back to his feet but Sousa uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Sousa controlling the position from side mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sousa lands some shots froms side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sousa trying to control the action but Geisler is working from the bottom.
Sousa taking a breather here.
Sousa tries to move to mount but Geisler blocks the move with his legs.
Sousa creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Geisler sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Geisler regains half guard there - taking advantage of Sousa's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Sousa throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Sousa is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Geisler is refusing to be controlled, as Sousa sits in half guard.

Geisler manages to escape and get back to his feet!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Geisler lands a jab.
Sousa takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Geisler avoids the body shot from Sousa.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joao Sousa dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Geisler closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Sousa lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Geisler backwards.
Sousa tries to throw a body punch but Geisler avoids it by throwing Sousa back against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Sousa.
Sousa scores with a nice hook to the head.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Geisler.
Sousa blocks an uppercut.
Sousa misses with a hook from the clinch.
Sousa lands with a left to the head.

Sousa jumps guard and drags Geisler to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Geisler has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Sousa looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Sousa has a closed guard, preventing Geisler from standing up.
Geisler wants to stand and escape but instead Sousa has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Sousa postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sousa won't allow Geisler to get back to his feet.
Sousa wants to control from the top but Geisler keeps moving.
Sousa tries to free his leg and advance position but Geisler is retaining full guard.
Sousa 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.
Sousa is looking to work some ground and pound but Geisler has wrist control.
Sousa wants to pass the guard but Geisler is keeping the position.

Geisler wriggles free and stands up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sousa staying out of range there.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Sousa! But no joy.
Good exchange - Sousa coming out on top.
Geisler swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Sousa walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Geisler swings away with a body shot that misses
enabling Sousa to counter with a crisp jab.
Sousa getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Geisler keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Sousa.
Geisler takes one on the chin but seems OK.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Geisler misses with a hook. Sousa ducked under it nicely.
Sousa has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
A big left from Geisler misses.
Geisler cracks Sousa with a good jab.

Geisler gets tackled into the cage by Sousa. Sousa maintains the clinch.
A short uppercut from Sousa.
Geisler blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Geisler misses with a short punch on the inside.
Geisler misses with a punch on the inside.
A right hand to the body from Sousa.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Geisler swings wildly with an uppercut but Sousa uses good head movement to avoid it.
A short right from Sousa.
Sousa tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Sousa.
A right hand to the body from Geisler.
Geisler prevents a body shot from Sousa.
Sousa blocking some punches.
Sousa blocks an uppercut.
Geisler gets underhooks to prevent Sousa's takedown attempt.
Geisler digs a right hand into Sousa's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Sousa's gas tank.
Sousa lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Sousa blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A nice left hand lands by Sousa.
A head punch on the inside from Geisler fails to land.
Geisler lands a shoulder strike.
Sousa effectively controlling the action here.
Sousa misses with the head strike.
Sousa blocks a punch to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Geisler misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Sousa has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Geisler clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Geisler covering up well under a series of strikes from Sousa.
Sousa missing with punches from the back.
Sousa looking to soften up his opponent with punches.
Sousa looking to soften up his opponent with punches.
Sousa throwing wild punches that miss their target.
Sousa throwing sloppy strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joao Sousa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Geisler throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Nice defenses there by Geisler.
Sousa moves out of range of the strikes.
Geisler ducks under a wild hook from Sousa.

Geisler moves into range and clinches up with Sousa.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Sousa.
Nice body punch from Sousa - that landed with a thud.
Sousa lands with a right to the head.
Sousa has a couple of punches blocked by Geisler.
Sousa misses with a hook from the clinch.
Geisler lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Sousa or not.
Sousa is looking to take this one to the mat.
Sousa misses with a shot to the kidneys.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sousa blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Sousa working aggressively here.
Sousa working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Geisler as Sousa tries to tie him up.
Sousa scores with a nice hook to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sousa throws a head punch that misses.
A short right from Geisler on the inside.
Sousa scores with a nice hook to the head.
Sousa tries to work over Geisler's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Geisler has a couple of punches blocked by Sousa.
Sousa scores with a nice hook to the head.

Sousa jumps guard and drags Geisler to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Sousa has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Geisler decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Sousa, up you get!
Baron Geisler is winning the standup battle so far.
Sousa moves out of range of the strikes.
Nice shot lands for Sousa.
Geisler lands a head shot.
Geisler ducks under a wild hook from Sousa.
Sousa throws a jab when Geisler was well out of range.
Sousa might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Nice defenses there by Sousa.
Sousa steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Geisler.
Sousa slips a jab from Geisler.
Sousa looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Sousa defending well as Geisler loads up on a big left hand.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sousa tries to close the distance and clinch up but Geisler swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Baron Geisler has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Geisler throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Geisler scores with a nice body kick.
Geisler looks to throw the jab but Sousa is out of range.
Geisler lands a jab to the head.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Geisler.
Geisler works Sousa's body with a nice hook.
The fighters circling - Geisler throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Baron Geisler seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sousa slips under a jab from Geisler.
Geisler misses with a body shot.
Geisler throws a shot from downtown. Sousa moves away and avoids it.
Geisler swats away the attempt to clinch by Sousa.
Geisler looks to throw a body kick
and Sousa counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Geisler lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Sousa ducks under a wild hook from Geisler.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sousa takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Geisler moves out of range of the strikes.
Sousa tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Geisler was well out of range. Poor timing from Sousa.
Sousa misses with a straight left.
Sousa misses with a hook.
Geisler drops his hands momentarily and Sousa takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Geisler lands a body shot.
Geisler lands a nice leg kick that just misses Sousa's sensitive parts.
Geisler looks to land a combination but Sousa avoids it well.
Geisler tries a head kick but it misses.
Sousa tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Geisler takes a swing at Sousa's ribcage but misses.
Geisler jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Geisler misses with an uppercut.
Sousa slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Sousa misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sousa on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sousa is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Geisler.
It looked like Geisler wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Sousa jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Sousa fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Baron Geisler has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joao Sousa.

Sousa bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Sousa wants to lay and pray for a moment but Geisler keeps working.
Geisler dodges the ground and pound from Sousa.
Sousa 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.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Baron Geisler.
I think Sousa 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 Alec Ball scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 28:29
Judge William Peck scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joao Sousa!
An out of breath Joao Sousa thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.