PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between John Legal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Graeme Souness (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Legal
vs
Souness

187 cm
21
215 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

188 cm
19
213 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good knees
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, John Legal!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Graeme Souness!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Ren Mimura and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Legal gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Souness stalling against the cage.
Souness is looking to break free of the clinch but Legal has double underhooks.
Legal is trying to maintain a safe position but Souness gets an underhook and turns Legal into the cage.

Souness escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nice takedown defense from Legal. No joy for Souness on that attempt.
Legal stuffs the takedown.
Souness shoots in looking for a takedown. Legal tries to sprawl out of it but Souness keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Legal manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
John Legal has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Graeme Souness.
Souness takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Souness closes this distance looking for a takedown but Legal circles away.
Legal throws a right and a left that both miss.
Legal cracks Souness with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Legal moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Souness tries to close the distance and clinch up but Legal swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Legal has closed the distance and engaged Souness in a clinch.
Legal with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Souness breaks from the clinch.
A nice combination there by Souness.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Souness.
Souness falls off balance throwing a combination
and Legal counters with a nice uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souness shoots in for a double leg but Legal sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Souness looks gassed!
Some bone on bone action there as Souness checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
John Legal is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Legal closes the distance and clinches.
Souness takes a knee to the side of the body.
Legal lands a good knee to the midsection. Souness won't want to take too many of those.

Legal manages to break the clinch.
Souness throws a right and a left that Legal avoids nicely.

Legal moves into the clinch successfully.
Legal gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

Souness breaks from the clinch.
Souness stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Legal.
Souness takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Legal tries to close the distance and clinch but Souness swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Souness swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Legal counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Legal stuns Souness with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Souness thows a leg kick but Legal checks it
and Legal counters with a series of strikes. Souness will be more careful next time no doubt.
Souness misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Legal tries to clinch

and Souness counters by moving into the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Souness takes a knee right on the jaw!
Legal connects with a knee to the head.

Legal pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Souness throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Legal counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Legal lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Legal throws a quick inside leg kick.

Legal moves into the clinch.
Souness wants to stall.
Souness looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Legal digs a right hand into Souness's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Souness's gas tank.
Legal tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Legal is trying to break the clinch but Souness has him pressed against the cage.
Legal throws a knee to the head but misses.
Souness wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Legal looking to throw knees to the head but Souness is blocking nicely.
Legal has Souness pressed against the cage, preventing Souness from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Legal is trying to maintain a safe position but Souness gets an underhook and turns Legal into the cage.
Legal keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Souness's efforts to push away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Legal is looking to control Souness's arms but Souness gets an underhook and turns him. Now Legal has his back to the cage.

Souness pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A head kick misses from Souness.
Souness swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Legal counters with a good low kick that Souness was not able to check.
Souness fails to land the takedown.
Nice shot lands for Legal.
Legal fails in his attempt to clinch.
Souness moves in looking to clinch but Legal pushes him off.
Souness throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Legal makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Legal throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Souness's head.
Legal wants to clinch up but Souness keeps it at a distance.
Souness throws a jab but it's blocked by Legal.
Legal ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Souness moves away.
Legal misses with a double jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Legal falls off balance throwing a combination
and Souness counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Souness gets a takedown into half guard.
Souness missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Souness passes the guard and advances to mount!
Souness dominating with strikes here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Souness looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that John Legal will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Legal keeps the fight on the outside.
Legal cracks Souness with a right hand to the side of the head.
Souness scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

Souness has managed to clinch.
Legal has Souness pressed against the cage, preventing Souness from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Souness's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Souness lands an overhand right.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Souness shoots for a takedown but Legal saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Legal wants to clinch up but Souness keeps it at a distance.
Legal takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Souness is looking to slow Legal down with leg kicks.
Souness throws a combination that misses
and Legal counters with a two punch combo.
Legal is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Souness displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Souness looks to land a combination but Legal avoids it well.
Souness looks to land a combination but Legal avoids it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souness will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Souness throws a right and a left that both miss.
Legal goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Souness throws a series of punches but Legal moves out of range.
Souness throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Legal throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Souness tries a head kick but it misses.
A nice combination there by Legal.
Souness falls off balance throwing a combination
and Legal counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Legal doesn't manage to clinch there - Souness circles away.
Souness misses with a series of wild punches.
Legal moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

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.
Legal will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Souness clinches with his opponent.

Souness's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Souness falls off balance throwing a combination
and Legal counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Souness thinking.
Graeme Souness seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Legal swats away the attempt to clinch by Souness.
Legal moves out of range as Souness strikes.
Souness slips a jab and a cross from Legal.
Souness looks to land a right hand but Legal moved out of range.
Legal showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Souness.
Souness throws a half hearted mid kick.
Souness takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souness misses with a takedown attempt - Legal sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Souness lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Legal circles away quickly and effectively.
Legal tries to clinch up.
Legal is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Souness uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Legal cracks Souness with an open hand slap.
Legal fails with an attempt to clinch.
John Legal is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Souness throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Legal counters with a straight right hand.
Souness throws a combination that misses
and Legal counters with a straight right hand.
Legal tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Souness paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Legal is looking to clinch but Souness is avoiding it.
Legal tries to clinch but Souness moves out of range.
Some wild striking there from Souness.

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.
Legal circles away from the clinch attempt.
Legal blocks a head kick by Souness.
Souness misses with a looping left.
Legal fails to land with a series of punches.
Legal circles away from the clinch attempt.

Souness clinches up with Legal and pushes him back against the cage.

Souness's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Souness fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Legal sprawls well initially but Souness persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Souness wants to pass to mount but Legal is defending the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Souness is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Legal is just riding it out for now. Souness eventually gives up the hold.
Souness has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Souness seems to be working for a kimura but Legal defends the submission attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Graeme Souness showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

A punch lands to the side of Souness 's head but he takes it in his stride.
A decent looking cross lands there for Souness.
Souness avoids the head kick by Legal.
Legal has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Souness misses with a double jab

and Legal moves into the clinch.

Souness breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Souness lands a front kick.
Souness misses with a series of wild punches.
Souness misses with a jab, cross combination.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Legal walks into a stiff left hand from Souness.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Legal avoids a punch combination nicely.
A leg kick checked by Legal.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souness throws a lazy right hand but Legal sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Good shot there by Legal.
Legal throws out a loose jab but Souness uses good head movement to avoid it.
Souness lands with a hook. Legal tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Souness throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Souness misses with a few strikes there.
Souness takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Souness takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Graeme Souness seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A good leg kick by Souness.
Legal drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Souness falls off balance throwing a combination

and Legal moves into the clinch.
Legal stalling in the clinch.
Legal throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Souness blocks it with crossed arms.

Souness pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souness throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Souness moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Legal displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Souness.
Legal throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Souness counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Legal!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Legal is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Souness looking to control but Legal is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Souness landing shots from mount.

Souness with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Souness thowing shots but they're missing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souness raining down shots from the mount!
Souness is landing with some decent strikes but Legal is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Souness lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Legal hang on?
Souness working away from the top, dropping strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Souness is working for a guillotine from mount but Legal frees his head quite easily.
Souness working away from the top, dropping strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Souness wants to control the pace but Legal is squirming around nicely.
Souness unloading with bombs!
Souness working away from the top, dropping strikes.

Souness wants to finish this one by submission but Legal is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Souness.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Souness stands up from mount. Strange move.

And that's the end of the fight!
Graeme Souness comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Souness 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 Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Graeme Souness!