PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Genival Lacerda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chael Sonnen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Lacerda
vs
Sonnen

198 cm
25
255 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

170 cm
25
275 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Brawler
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 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Genival Lacerda!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Chael Sonnen!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Emerson Jorge and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lacerda throws a nice looking combination but Sonnen bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Lacerda shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Lacerda throwing strikes here but Sonnen is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Lacerda connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Lacerda controlling the pace for now.
Lacerda putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Sonnen working to try and regain half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sonnen is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Lacerda looking for a guillotine from mount but Sonnen is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lacerda gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
Lacerda throws a combination. Sonnen tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Lacerda tries to clinch up.
Sonnen shoots and misses

and Lacerda counters with a shoot takedown. Sonnen fights it but they end up in guard.
Lacerda looking to sit in guard and control but Sonnen gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Sonnen sitting in guard here, content to control.
Sonnen is looking to work some ground and pound but Lacerda has wrist control.
Sonnen throws a strike but Lacerda rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lacerda wants to control from the top but Sonnen keeps moving.
Lacerda passes Sonnen's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Lacerda lands with a punch from half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Lacerda is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Sonnen sees it coming and defends easily.
Lacerda tries to pass the half guard into mount. Sonnen knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lacerda thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Sonnen to regain full guard.
Lacerda not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Lacerda sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Sonnen's guard.
Sonnen is staying active underneath Lacerda, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Sonnen tries to get to full guard but Lacerda has control of the leg.

Lacerda is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Sonnen sees it coming and defends easily.
Sonnen wants to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Lacerda is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Sonnen has managed to free his arm - good work.
Sonnen is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Lacerda thows a huge punch but Sonnen dodges it nicely.
Sonnen is looking for a sweep. Lacerda is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lacerda wants to stand up but Sonnen has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Lacerda prevents Sonnen from improving his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Genival Lacerda dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Lacerda decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Sonnen can do anything to dispel that myth.
Lacerda tries to stand but can't do so whilst Sonnen controls his leg.
Sonnen keeping hold of Lacerda's head, controlling as best he can.

Lacerda is looking for a kimura but Sonnen is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Lacerda to get the leverage.
Sonnen gets back to full guard.
Lacerda will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Sonnen working a defensive guard here.
Lacerda trying to control but Sonnen is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lacerda forces his way into half guard.
Lacerda missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Lacerda not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Lacerda looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Lacerda trying to control from half guard but Sonnen is working away.
Sonnen controlling the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Lacerda is looking for a kimura here.
Sonnen tries to roll over but Lacerda keeps him under control.
Sonnen won't allow Lacerda to pass to mount.
Lacerda not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Sonnen won't allow Lacerda to pass to mount.
Lacerda moves into full mount! Sonnen won't be happy about that!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lacerda looking to secure an arm triangle but Sonnen defends it well.
Lacerda with the ground and pound from mount.
Sonnen tries to reverse the position but Lacerda maintains control.
Lacerda throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.

Sonnen defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Lacerda.
Lacerda wants to control the pace but Sonnen is squirming around nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen is bucking up trying to escape but Lacerda cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Lacerda lands a big elbow.

Lacerda stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Lacerda shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Sonnen counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lacerda looking to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Genival Lacerda dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Sonnen has Lacerda up against the cage in a clinch.
Sonnen is trying to drag Lacerda to the mat but Lacerda just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Sonnen goes for a takedown in the clinch but Lacerda prevents it.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Lacerda here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Lacerda landing knees to the head.

Lacerda gets control of Sonnen's arms and successfully pulls guard. Lacerda will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Sonnen lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Sonnen really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Lacerda. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Lacerda throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Sonnen postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Lacerda preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Lacerda keeping moving, preventing Sonnen from controlling successfully.
Lacerda looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sonnen slips nicely into half guard.
Sonnen throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Lacerda gets back to full guard.

Lacerda is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Sonnen defends well.

Lacerda looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lacerda bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Sonnen's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen has Lacerda pulled in close to control his posture.
Lacerda throws a big right hand that misses.
Chael Sonnen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lacerda slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Lacerda advances to full mount.
Sonnen taking shots to the head.
Sonnen sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Genival Lacerda overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Lacerda takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Lacerda is looking to advance position but Sonnen won't allow it.

Lacerda is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Sonnen defends it well.
Lacerda throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Lacerda wants to pass to mount but Sonnen is defending the position.
Lacerda trying to control the action but Sonnen is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Lacerda working Sonnen over with strikes.
Lacerda wants to take a breather but Sonnen is having none of it.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Lacerda passes to full mount!
Genival Lacerda is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Sonnen is trying to escape the mount.
Lacerda controlling the position easily from mount.
Sonnen is wriggling around trying to escape.

And that's the end of the fight!
Genival Lacerda showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Lacerda 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 30:27
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:27
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Genival Lacerda!