PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Brett Keane (ranked 1346 p4p, 1278 weight class) and Miguel Azevedo Souza (ranked 169 p4p, 158 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Keane
vs
Azevedo Souza

175 cm
30
155
17 - 20 - 0

176 cm
37
150
31 - 20 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Very quick

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Silverguard Outfitters ðŸ›¡
30th Century Beer Store

Furnace Performance ðŸ”¥
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 17 - 20 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Brett Keane!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 31 - 20 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Miguel Azevedo Souza!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, Francis DeMontford and Topper Green.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice defenses there by Keane.
Keane throws an overhand right that lands on Azevedo Souza's shoulder, as Azevedo Souza tries to avoid the shot.
Azevedo Souza tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.

Azevedo Souza fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Keane sprawls well initially but Azevedo Souza persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Azevedo Souza prevents Keane from improving his position.

Azevedo Souza is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Keane looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Keane's coaches at Crapollas Gym have been working on his defensive grappling in preparation for this fight so let's see if he can get out of this tricky position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Azevedo Souza is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Keane is just riding it out for now. Azevedo Souza eventually gives up the hold.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Azevedo Souza moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Keane.
Keane is trying to improve his position.
Keane manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

Keane looking for a kimura from the bottom but Azevedo Souza passes into side control!
Azevedo Souza wants to lay and pray for a moment but Keane keeps working.

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.
Keane tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Azevedo Souza wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Azevedo Souza wants to control but Keane is keeping him busy.

Azevedo Souza tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Keane sneaks back into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Azevedo Souza is trying to control the action in half guard but Keane is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Azevedo Souza content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Azevedo Souza is keen to just control but Keane is a slippery customer.

Azevedo Souza is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Azevedo Souza is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Keane is just riding it out for now. Azevedo Souza eventually gives up the hold.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Keane is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Azevedo Souza pulls his head out easily.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Azevedo Souza bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Miguel Azevedo Souza seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Azevedo Souza changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Keane looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Azevedo Souza happy to just control the position for now.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Keane manages to get back to half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Miguel Azevedo Souza dominated that round.
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.

Keane displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Azevedo Souza cracks Keane with an open hand slap.
Azevedo Souza doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
A big right from Azevedo Souza misses.
A looping hook to the body misses from Azevedo Souza. Keane does a little dance to reset his feet.
Azevedo Souza's corner calls for a 1-2. Azevedo Souza obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Azevedo Souza has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Keane throws a series of punches but Azevedo Souza avoids them all with ease.
And Azevedo Souza tries to counter it with a takedown but Keane pushes his down on his head and steps out.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Azevedo Souza.
Keane misses the jab.
Azevedo Souza drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Keane defends it well.
Azevedo Souza ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Keane moves away.
It looked like Keane wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Azevedo Souza digs a good hook to Keane's body.
Brett Keane is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Azevedo Souza rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
letting Keane counter with a right hand.
Azevedo Souza ducks under a wild hook from Keane.
Keane looks to throw the jab but Azevedo Souza is out of range.
Azevedo Souza fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Keane looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Azevedo Souza lands with an overhand left.
Keane throws a lazy right hand but Azevedo Souza sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Azevedo Souza tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Keane pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Azevedo Souza throws a shot from downtown. Keane moves away and avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Azevedo Souza throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Keane throws a lazy right hand but Azevedo Souza sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

Azevedo Souza clinches up with Keane and pushes him back against the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Azevedo Souza tries to pull guard but Keane holds him up against the cage and eventually Azevedo Souza drops back down to his feet.
Azevedo Souza blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Azevedo Souza fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Azevedo Souza tries to throw a body punch but Keane avoids it by throwing Azevedo Souza back against the cage.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Azevedo Souza.
Keane fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Keane fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Azevedo Souza is trying to break the clinch but Keane is controlling him.
Azevedo Souza blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Keane can't find room to land a body shot as Azevedo Souza controls the action.
Keane misses with a short punch on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keane throws a head punch that misses.
Azevedo Souza tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Azevedo Souza pulls guard effortlessly.

Azevedo Souza looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Keane passes into half guard.

Keane seems to be working for a kimura but Azevedo Souza defends the submission attempt.

Keane is trying to work for a kimura but Azevedo Souza is defending well.
Azevedo Souza trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Azevedo Souza defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Keane.
Keane wants to control the pace but Azevedo Souza is squirming around nicely.
Azevedo Souza tries to hold on but Keane postures up.

Keane is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Azevedo Souza is surviving well by controlling Keane's body position as best he can.
Azevedo Souza is working to get back to half guard.
Azevedo Souza tries to hold on but Keane pushes him away.
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 Brett Keane will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

A telegraphed right hand from Keane misses the target.
Azevedo Souza throws a hook to the side of Keane's head but Keane sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Azevedo Souza ducks under a wild hook from Keane.
Keane is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Azevedo Souza lands with a good body shot.
Azevedo Souza tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Keane manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Keane loads up on a big right hand but Azevedo Souza slips the punch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Azevedo Souza moves out of range of the strikes.
Keane throws a jab but it's blocked by Azevedo Souza.

Azevedo Souza shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Keane looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Azevedo Souza is keen to just control but Keane is a slippery customer.
The fighters are battling for position here. Keane manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Azevedo Souza looking to pass the guard.
Azevedo Souza slips nicely 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!

Keane looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Keane is staying active underneath Azevedo Souza, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Keane looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Azevedo Souza content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Azevedo Souza works his way into full mount!
Azevedo Souza moves to back control.

Azevedo Souza has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Keane has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!

Azevedo Souza working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.

Azevedo Souza working for the choke.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
I really don't envy Keane right now.

Keane is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Keane is trying to break free.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Keane fending off the submission attempt from Azevedo Souza.

Azevedo Souza patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?

And that's the end of the fight!
Miguel Azevedo Souza comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Azevedo Souza 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 Eliza Hachem scores the fight 28:29
Judge Francis DeMontford scores the fight 28:29
Judge Topper Green scores the fight 28:29

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