PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Da Jiang (ranked 462 p4p, 781 weight class) and Miguel Azevedo Souza (ranked 69 p4p, 110 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Miguel Azevedo Souza enters the cage!

Jiang
vs
Azevedo Souza

168 cm
24
155
10 - 1 - 0

176 cm
36
150
30 - 17 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Conviction
Â© Trap House

NARCOS

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 10 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Da Jiang!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 30 - 17 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Miguel Azevedo Souza!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Percy O'Donnell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jiang tries to land a leg kick but Azevedo Souza saw it coming and moves away.
Azevedo Souza is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Azevedo Souza lands a jab to the head.
Jiang ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Azevedo Souza moves away.
Azevedo Souza with a hook.

Azevedo Souza clinches up against the cage.

Azevedo Souza pulls Jiang into guard.

Azevedo Souza throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Jiang got a little sloppy there for a moment and Azevedo Souza has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Jiang has managed to get both his arms back between Azevedo Souza's legs - danger averted.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Azevedo Souza looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jiang wanted to stand there but Azevedo Souza had control of the position.

Azevedo Souza escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Jiang gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Azevedo Souza has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Jiang is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Azevedo Souza.
Azevedo Souza manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Azevedo Souza is looking to advance position but Jiang won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Still in half guard, Azevedo Souza seems content to control.

Azevedo Souza is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Azevedo Souza is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Azevedo Souza prevents Jiang from standing back up.
Azevedo Souza wants to pass to mount but Jiang is defending the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Azevedo Souza is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Jiang knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Azevedo Souza on the ground.
Azevedo Souza controlling the action here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Azevedo Souza is working for a kimura from half guard. He's really concentrating on the hold and it's allowed Jiang to slip a leg under and get back to full guard.
Azevedo Souza showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Azevedo Souza wants to pass the guard but Jiang is keeping the position.

Jiang has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Azevedo Souza is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Jiang misses with a hook to the ribs.
Jiang misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Azevedo Souza.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Jiang obliges.
Azevedo Souza managing to block the knees to the body from Jiang.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Jiang breaks the clinch.
Jiang steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Azevedo Souza.
Jiang with the inside leg kick.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Miguel Azevedo Souza will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Jiang misses with a body kick.

Azevedo Souza looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Azevedo Souza trying to control but Jiang is working from the bottom.
Azevedo Souza controlling from the top 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.
Azevedo Souza stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Jiang swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Azevedo Souza passes into half guard.
My spies in Tappelukerho inform me that Azevedo Souza has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Azevedo Souza is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Azevedo Souza is just content to waste time from the top position. Jiang takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Jiang keeping moving, preventing Azevedo Souza from controlling successfully.
Jiang is looking to stand up but Azevedo Souza isn't so interested in that idea.
Azevedo Souza pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Jiang is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Azevedo Souza trying to control the position from guard on top but Jiang is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Azevedo Souza has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Azevedo Souza cracks Jiang with an open hand slap.
A slapping leg kick lands for Jiang.
Jiang punishes Azevedo Souza's body with a nice straight punch.
Azevedo Souza takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Azevedo Souza wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jiang uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Azevedo Souza.
Jiang looks to score with a jab to the body but Azevedo Souza is just out of range.
Jiang gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Jiang misses with a left hand

and Azevedo Souza counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Jiang makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Azevedo Souza will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Jiang was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Azevedo Souza ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Jiang moves away.
A big right from Azevedo Souza misses.
A swing and a miss from Jiang.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Jiang moves forwards but Azevedo Souza connects with a nice, crisp jab.
A big right from Azevedo Souza misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Azevedo Souza misses with a straight left.
Jab by Jiang.
Azevedo Souza throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Jiang thuds a left hand into Azevedo Souza's body.
Jiang throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Jiang throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Da Jiang is winning the standup battle so far.
Azevedo Souza steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Jiang.
Azevedo Souza misses with a few strikes there.
Azevedo Souza scores with a punch to the head.
Azevedo Souza uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Jiang.
Jiang looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Azevedo Souza staying out of range there.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Da Jiang will probably get the nod.
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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Jiang looks to score with a jab to the body but Azevedo Souza is just out of range.
Jiang throws a leg kick which misses Azevedo Souza's front leg but catches the back leg as Azevedo Souza tries to avoid it.
Jiang throws a leg kick but Azevedo Souza sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Jiang bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Azevedo Souza's head.
Da Jiang seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nice uppercut there from Azevedo Souza.
Jiang ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Azevedo Souza moves away.
And Azevedo Souza tries to counter it with a takedown but Jiang pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Some wild striking there from Azevedo Souza.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Azevedo Souza has taken the fight to the clinch.
Azevedo Souza tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Azevedo Souza jumps guard but Jiang stands there with Azevedo Souza around his waist. Azevedo Souza gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Azevedo Souza is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Jiang is keeping busy.
A short body shot lands from Jiang as the two fighters clinch.
Azevedo Souza lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

Jiang manages to break the clinch.
Azevedo Souza misses with a looping right.
Jiang just misses with a punch to the body.
Nice body punch from Azevedo Souza.
Jiang looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Jiang misses with a kick to the body.
Azevedo Souza throws a big shot that misses.
Jiang throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
And Azevedo Souza tries to counter it with a takedown but Jiang pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Jiang lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jiang fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Azevedo Souza.
Jiang misses with a body shot.
Azevedo Souza tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Jiang is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Azevedo Souza.
And Azevedo Souza tries to counter it with a takedown but Jiang pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Azevedo Souza misses with a hook to the body
and Jiang counters with a thumping low kick.
Azevedo Souza tries to clinch up but Jiang circles away and keeps his distance.
Azevedo Souza uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Jiang.
Azevedo Souza's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Jiang connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Azevedo Souza scrambles back to his feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A nice combination there by Azevedo Souza.
Jiang misses with a head kick.
Jiang fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Azevedo Souza looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Azevedo Souza takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Azevedo Souza walks into a straight right hand from Jiang.
Jiang connects with a looping right hand.
Azevedo Souza changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Jiang throws a nice inside leg kick.
Sloppy strikes from Jiang. Those never looked like landing.
Jiang throws a front kick aimed at Azevedo Souza's knee but Azevedo Souza avoids it well.
Azevedo Souza tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
A cross from Azevedo Souza lands.
Azevedo Souza avoids the body shot from Jiang.
Jiang lunges at Azevedo Souza with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Azevedo Souza's hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jiang misses with a body shot.
Azevedo Souza changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Azevedo Souza is looking to clinch but Jiang is avoiding it.

Azevedo Souza fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Jiang, pushing him back against the cage.
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!

Jiang pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Azevedo Souza connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Azevedo Souza lands a right hook to the body.
Azevedo Souza avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Azevedo Souza has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Azevedo Souza fails in his attempt to clinch.
A nice inside leg kick there by Jiang. That's going to slow Azevedo Souza down.
Jiang uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Azevedo Souza.
A solid leg kick lands there for Jiang.

And that's the end of the fight!
Da Jiang showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Jiang 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Da Jiang!