PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Paolo Souza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johnnie Walker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Souza
vs
Walker

193 cm
25
265 lbs
11 - 7 - 0

186 cm
23
240 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 11 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Paolo Souza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Johnnie Walker!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Daniel Cesar and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Walker tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Walker is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Walker fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Johnnie Walker seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Walker throws an overhand right that lands on Souza's shoulder, as Souza tries to avoid the shot.
Walker ducks under a wild hook from Souza.
Souza swats away the attempt to clinch by Walker.

Souza closes the distance and clinches.
Walker takes a shot to the head.
A short left from Souza.
Souza is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Souza keeps control of Walker as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Walker goes for a takedown attempt but Souza pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Souza throws a nice looking combination but Walker bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Walker tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Walker fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Paolo Souza has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Johnnie Walker.
Walker moves away from the strike by Souza.
Walker fails with a takedown attempt.
A slow jab from Souza misses its intended target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Walker.
Souza lands a body shot.
Souza slaps away a takedown attempt from Walker, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Walker looks gassed!

Souza gets a takedown into half guard.
Souza missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Walker is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Walker looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Souza missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Souza lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Walker has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Souza is working away from the top position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Walker taking some punishment here, with Souza in his half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Walker moves into full guard.
Walker wants to get back to his feet but Souza is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Souza trying to control but Walker is working from the bottom.
Walker is trying to control the position but Souza postures up.
Souza trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Souza throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Walker is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Walker tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Souza throws a jab but it's blocked by Walker.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Walker stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Walker with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Souza to score with a decent uppercut.

Souza has taken the fight to the clinch.
Walker fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Souza softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

Souza lands a takedown into guard.
Souza postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Souza wants to control from the top but Walker keeps moving.
Souza content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Souza stopping the sweep attempt from Walker.
Souza being controlled here momentarily.
Souza preventing the sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Souza throwing strikes but missing.
Souza throwing strikes but missing.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Walker swinging wildly here.
Walker ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Walker lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Souza has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Souza and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.

Souza shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Walker tries to roll over but Souza keeps him under control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Walker is staying active underneath Souza, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Walker wants to control but Souza is keeping busy and won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paolo Souza dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Souza ducks under a wild hook from Walker.
Walker falls off balance throwing a combination

so Souza counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Souza throws a big right hand that misses.
Walker looking for a sweep. Not yet Walker, not yet.
Walker is trying to keep Souza in close.
Souza pushes down on Walker's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Souza is trying to control. Walker wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Souza winds up and cracks Walker with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Nice strikes from Souza there.
Walker is not content to let Souza control the position.
Souza working Walker over with strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Walker trying to control from the bottom.

Walker looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Walker is breathing heavily.
Souza sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Walker defending well though.
Walker blocking the ground and pound attempt from Souza.
Walker wants to improve his position but Souza is controlling well.
Walker trying to control from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Souza waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Walker.
Souza takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Souza tries to clinch up but Walker circles away and keeps his distance.
Souza connects with a crisp jab.
Walker shoots and misses
and Souza counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Walker doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Souza connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Souza does it's job there.

Souza moves into range and clinches up with Walker.

Souza turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Souza manages to end up in side control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Souza landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Walker is not content to let Souza control the position.
Walker taking punishment in the form of punches.
Walker wants to control but Souza postures up.
Souza landing strikes.
Souza lands a nice forearm strike.
Walker is looking to regain half guard here but Souza keeps moving and retains side control.
Walker is not content to let Souza control the position.
Walker tries to improve position but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Walker sneaks back into half guard.
Walker regains full guard. Nicely done.
Walker wants to sweep but no luck.
Souza thows a big elbow that misses.
Souza looking to pass the guard.
Souza content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Walker is pulling down on Souza's head. It's preventing any offense from Souza, at least for the moment.
Souza is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Walker can do to turn this around?
Souza throwing strikes but missing.
Souza wanted to stand there but Walker had control of the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Walker working a defensive guard here.
Walker bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Souza's guard.
Paolo Souza overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Walker is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Souza is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Souza has escaped and now he's on top!
Souza stands up over Walker, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Souza throwing strikes but missing.
Souza trying to control the position from guard on top but Walker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Souza tries to free his leg and advance position but Walker is retaining full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paolo Souza dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Souza lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Walker tries for a takedown but Souza circles away easily
and Souza counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Paolo Souza is winning the standup battle so far.
Walker closes the distance looking to clinch
and Souza counters with a nice body shot.

Walker tries to keep at a distance but Souza has taken the fight into the clinch.
Walker wants to break the clinch but can't.

Souza works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Walker is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Walker is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Souza stands up from guard. Let's bang!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Souza connects with a jab.
Walker shoots and misses
and Souza cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Souza changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Walker looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza working the ground and pound from side control.
Souza cracks Walker with a big elbow.
Souza scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Walker to see if he's OK.
Souza wants to lay and pray for a moment but Walker keeps working.
Souza working the ground and pound but Walker is defending the strikes.
Walker is pushing Souza's head away, looking to escape. Souza manages to hold on to the position though.
Souza working the body and head with strikes.
Walker gets back to half guard.
Souza winds up and cracks Walker with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Walker is trying to stand.
Souza is thwarting Walker's attempts to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Walker is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Souza scores with a couple of nice shots.

Souza is trying to work for a kimura but Walker is defending well.
Walker is trying to control but can't.
Walker makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Walker.
Walker looking for a sweep. Not yet Walker, not yet.
Walker is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Souza gets to his feet - Walker follows without any prompting.
Walker is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Walker cracks Souza with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Souza is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Souza scores with a hook to the body. Walker takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.

Souza scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Souza misses with the ground and pound.
Walker is not content to let Souza control the position.
Walker struggling a bit here.
Walker tries to improve position but can't.
Walker can't do much from the bottom here.
Souza working the ground and pound.
Souza working the ground and pound.
Souza throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Walker works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.

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.
Walker pushes Souza off looking to stand but Souza dives back in and keeps control.
Souza scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Walker wants to improve his position but Souza is controlling well.
Johnnie Walker has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Walker trying to control here.
Walker is refusing to be controlled, as Souza sits in half guard.
Walker blocking the ground and pound attempt from Souza.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Walker is trying to get back to full guard.

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

Souza bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Paolo Souza is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Walker throws a couple of punches but he's in a bad position and they don't land.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paolo Souza showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Souza 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:26
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:26

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