PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between JP Sopa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jose Aldo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). JP Sopa looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Sopa
vs
Aldo

169 cm
18
139 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

170 cm
18
148 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Skinshop (LOTS OF GIF`S!)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, JP Sopa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jose Aldo!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Tiny Johnson and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sopa looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Sopa passes Aldo's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Aldo is trying to stand up here but Sopa is controlling him well.
Sopa trying to control the action but Aldo is working from the bottom.
Sopa is breathing heavily.
Aldo is looking for a sweep. Sopa is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Aldo wants to control but Sopa is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Aldo is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Sopa is staying active.
Aldo misses with some strikes from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sopa throwing shots but Aldo is blocking nicely.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Aldo fails with the takedown

and Sopa decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Aldo's guard.
Aldo looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Sopa puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sopa is trying to control the action in half guard but Aldo is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sopa moves nicely into side control.
Sopa is looking to take a break and control but Aldo is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Aldo is looking to reverse the position.
Sopa working away.
Aldo is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Sopa working away.

That's two 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.
Aldo tries to buck Sopa off but Sopa is having none of it.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Aldo wants to clinch

and Sopa counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Aldo is trying to keep Sopa in close.
Aldo really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Sopa. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Sopa preventing the sweep.
Aldo has his hands on Sopa's head, controlling the position.

Aldo throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Sopa looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sopa wants to control from the top but Aldo keeps moving.
Aldo looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sopa is one step ahead there.
Sopa throwing strikes from guard but Aldo blocks nicely.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Aldo throws a series of punches but Sopa avoids them all with ease.
Aldo misses with a takedown

and Sopa counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Aldo!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aldo is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Sopa pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Sopa with a couple of short strikes.
Sopa scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Sopa trying to control but Aldo is having none of it.
Aldo tries to hold on but Sopa pushes him away.

Sopa is standing up, even though he is in mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

JP Sopa dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Aldo has his takedown stuffed

and Sopa counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Aldo's guard now.

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

Sopa stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Sopa avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Aldo gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Sopa counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
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!
Aldo is in trouble now - Sopa has advanced to mount!

Sopa stands up from mount. Strange move.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sopa decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Sopa not doing much here.
Sopa is nestled in close to Aldo, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Sopa thows a huge punch but Aldo dodges it nicely.
Sopa is trying to control the action in half guard but Aldo is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Sopa seems to be looking for submissions.
Sopa missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Sopa thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Aldo to regain full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sopa preventing the sweep.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Aldo tries to clinch

and Sopa counters with a shoot takedown. Aldo fights it but they end up in guard.

Sopa avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Aldo is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Sopa postures up in Aldo's guard and throws a big left but Aldo blocks it.
Aldo looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sopa is one step ahead there.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sopa trying to control but Aldo is working from the bottom.

Sopa stands and steps away. Aldo gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Sopa slips a jab and a cross from Aldo.
Aldo shoots and misses

and Sopa counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
JP Sopa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jose Aldo.
Aldo wants to get back to his feet.
Sopa stalling.

Sopa is looking for a kimura but Aldo is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Sopa to get the leverage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sopa winds up and cracks Aldo with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Sopa throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Sopa is keen to just control but Aldo is a slippery customer.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Aldo misses with a takedown attempt

and Sopa counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Aldo's guard now.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Aldo keeping moving, preventing Sopa from controlling successfully.
Aldo not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

JP Sopa dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Aldo with a poor takedown

and Sopa counters with a nice double leg into side control. Aldo won't be happy with that.
You can see the frustration on Aldo's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Sopa 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.
Sopa throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
You can see the frustration on Aldo's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Sopa has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Aldo with a lazy takedown attempt

and Sopa counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Aldo's guard now.
Sopa is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Aldo can do to turn this around?
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sopa is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sopa's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Sopa stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Aldo swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Aldo is trying to control the position but Sopa postures up.
Sopa pushing down on Aldo's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Sopa frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Aldo flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.

Sopa swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Aldo is now in Sopa's guard. A big mistake from Sopa there, giving up the dominant position!
Aldo throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Sopa is controlling Aldo's posture.
Sopa looking to hit a scissor sweep but Aldo is one step ahead there.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Sopa here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Aldo looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sopa looking for a sweep. Not yet Sopa, not yet.
Aldo is looking to stand up but Sopa won't let him.
Aldo advances to half guard.
Sopa holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Aldo throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Sopa is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

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.
Aldo wants to pass to mount but Sopa is defending the position.

Aldo is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Sopa defends it well.
Aldo looks to land a strike but Sopa avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Sopa looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Aldo tries for a takedown but Sopa circles away easily

and Sopa counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Sopa.
Jose Aldo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
JP Sopa is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
JP Sopa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jose Aldo.
Sopa stands and throws Aldo's legs to the side, diving into side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
JP Sopa showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Sopa has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 George Francis scores the fight 30:26
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 30:25
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... JP Sopa!