PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tristan West (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paolo Souza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). West comes to the cage accompanied by Bulls on Parade. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

West
vs
Souza

198 cm
24
235 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

193 cm
22
265 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

- The Red Eye -
- The Red Eye -

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Tristan West!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Paolo Souza!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Edson Gomes and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Souza throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. West was covering up waiting for the punch and Souza finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Souza postures up in West's guard and throws a big left but West blocks it.
West has a closed guard, preventing Souza from standing up.
Souza has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Souza chips away with some ground and pound.
Souza postures up.
Souza throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Souza postures up in West's guard and throws a big left but West blocks it.
West is trying to keep Souza in close.
West wants to stand up but Souza is controlling him.

Souza thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Souza clinches up against the cage.
West gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Souza.
A short right from Souza on the inside.
Souza tries for a takedown but West manages to get underhooks.
Souza working some nice short punches in the clinch.

It looks like Tristan West has been cut.
Souza lands with a short shot to the head.

Souza has clasped his hands together around West's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Souza looking to punish the body of his opponent here but West is avoiding damage well.
West struggling a bit here.
Souza working the ground and pound but West is defending the strikes.
You can see the frustration on West's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Souza cracks West with a big right hand but West just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

Souza decides to stand up, so the ref orders West to his feet.
Souza shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. West defends it nicely.
Tristan West has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paolo Souza.
Souza looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
West fails in his attempt to clinch.
West tries a head kick but it misses.
Some wild striking there from Souza.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Souza.

Souza drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
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!
West is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Souza has just dragged him back down to the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza working the ground and pound.
Souza is looking to take a break and control but West is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
West wants to control but Souza postures up.
West tries to buck Souza off but Souza is having none of it.
Souza cracks West with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Souza remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Souza in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Souza cracks West with an elbow. That is naaassty.

Souza decides to stand back up.

Souza drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Souza lands an elbow.
Souza working the ground and pound.
West being controlled for a moment.

Souza decides to stand back up. Souza steps back and let's West get back to his feet.
West defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Souza.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A left and a right from Souza both land. Nice combination.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A decent looking cross lands there for West.
Souza shoots in looking for a takedown. West tries to sprawl out of it but Souza keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. West manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Souza looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paolo Souza dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Tristan West's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

West closes the distance and clinches.
Souza prevents West from breaking the clinch.
Souza has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. West avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Souza looking for a takedown.
West prevents a takedown attempt there.
Tristan West has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paolo Souza.
Souza keeps the fight in the clinch, despite West's efforts to push away.
Souza lands a right hand that snaps the head of West backwards.
West tries to circle away but Souza has him pinned against the cage.
West tries to circle away but Souza has him pinned against the cage.
West wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Souza has him pressed against the cage.
Souza is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

Souza lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
West looks like he's trying to stand up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Souza stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows West to get to his feet.
Souza will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Tristan West is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
West lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by West.

Souza shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in West's guard.
Souza missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Souza keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of West's head.
West is trying to control the position but Souza postures up.
Souza lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Souza chips away with some ground and pound.
West controls Souza momentarily but Souza frees himself.
Souza is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
West has momentary wrist control but Souza slips an elbow through the middle.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
West circles away from the clinch attempt
and West finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as West sprawls well. West wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Souza gets slowly back to his feet.
Souza showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from West.

Souza scores with a takedown into West's guard.
West wants to stand up but Souza is controlling him.
Souza with a nice head shot there.
West is looking to stand up but Souza isn't so interested in that idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza trying to control but West is working from the bottom.
Souza working some strikes from top position.
West has momentary wrist control but Souza slips an elbow through the middle.
West has momentary wrist control but Souza slips an elbow through the middle.
Souza scoring with some ground and pound.
Souza postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

West has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Souza can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
West can't keep his opponent in guard - Souza advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Souza wants to take a breather but West is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Souza scoring with strikes to the body and head.
West trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Souza manages to pass to mount!
Souza is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. West can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
West in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Souza looking to finish West with some ground and pound. This is bad for West!
Souza cracks West with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Souza raining down shots from the mount!
Souza lands a nice shot to the head.
West taking shots to the head.
West is working to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paolo Souza showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Tristan West's cut.
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. And we move into the final round!

Souza with a poor takedown

and West counters by moving into the clinch.
Souza is trying to drag West to the mat but West just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Souza has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. West avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Tristan West has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paolo Souza.
Souza has West pressed against the cage, preventing West from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
West prevents a takedown attempt there.

West's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Souza fails with the takedown

and West counters by clinching up.

West breaks the clinch.
Souza gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and West counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Souza takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Souza misses with a takedown attempt
and West cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
West ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza fails with the takedown
and West counters with a series of strikes. Souza will be more careful next time no doubt.
Souza tries to clinch but West moves away

and West counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
West has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
West stopping the sweep attempt from Souza.
Souza is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
West tries to stand but Souza is controlling from the bottom.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Souza holds on and takes a little breather.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
West tries to hold on but Souza pushes him away.
West wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Souza postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. West looks a forlorn figure.
Souza has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of West's face.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
A nice elbow there by Souza.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Souza unloading with bombs!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of West's face.
Souza landing strikes from the mount.
A nice elbow there by Souza.
Souza looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
West takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

West is rocked!
Souza controlling his opponent.
Oh West is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Souza lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
West seems to have got his legs back now.
Souza has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of West's face.
West taking shots to the head.
West tries to lock up and control but Souza gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Souza lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Souza postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. West looks a forlorn figure.
West is looking to get to half guard.
Souza is landing with some decent strikes but West is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Souza trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Souza working West over with strikes here.
Souza lands a big elbow.
Tristan West has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
West tries to hold on but Souza postures up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Souza with a couple of short strikes.
Paolo Souza is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
BOOM! Souza connects with a massive shot to the dome!

And that's the end of the fight!
Paolo Souza comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Souza winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 27:30
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 27:30
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paolo Souza!