PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Grant Soper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sammy Dydra (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Grant Soper has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Soper
vs
Dydra

175 cm
19
150 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

175 cm
18
160 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Grant Soper!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sammy Dydra!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Aleksandr Martynov and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A slapping leg kick lands for Soper.

Soper clinches.
The referee calls for Dydra to work.
Soper manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Soper is looking to control Dydra's arms but Dydra gets an underhook and turns him. Now Soper has his back to the cage.
Dydra looking to slow down the pace here.
Soper looking to slow down the pace here.
Knees in the clinch landing for Soper.
Dydra has Soper pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Soper manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Dydra jumps guard but Soper stands there with Dydra around his waist. Dydra gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Dydra tries for a takedown. No joy.
Grant Soper has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sammy Dydra.
Dydra tries to pull guard but Soper holds him up against the cage and eventually Dydra drops back down to his feet.
Soper throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Soper looking to slow down the pace here.
Nice body punch from Soper.
Soper throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Dydras head.
Soper prevents Dydra from breaking the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Soper tries to land knees in the clinch but Dydra avoids the damage to the body.
Dydra is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Soper pulls him back up using the underhooks.
A short right from Soper on the inside.
Soper gets through Dydra's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Soper misses with an elbow strike.
Dydra looking for a takedown.
Dydra looks gassed!
Dydra tries to stall but Soper uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Soper leaning against his opponent.
Soper lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Dydra tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Soper smiles and moves away.
Soper tries to clinch there but Dydra circles away.
Grant Soper seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A chopping leg kick lands by Soper.
Soper is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Soper connects with a solid leg kick.

Soper rushes Dydra and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Dydra jumps guard but Soper stands there with Dydra around his waist. Dydra gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Soper lands a right hand that snaps the head of Dydra backwards.
Soper lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Soper lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Soper takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Dydra is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Soper gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Dydra jumps guard but Soper stands there with Dydra around his waist. Dydra gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Soper with a knee to the head.
Soper throws an elbow but it misses.
Dydra takes an elbow to the forehead.
A right hand to the body from Soper.
Soper controlling the action here for a moment.
Dydra avoiding damage as Soper throws knees to the body.
Soper blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Dydra tries to work over Soper's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Dydra has clasped his hands together around Soper's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Soper is looking to reverse the position.
Dydra creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Soper sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Soper is trying to improve his position.
Soper is trying to escape the position but Dydra is controlling the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
I looks like Dydra might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Soper tries to buck Dydra off but Dydra is having none of it.

Dydra goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Soper rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Dydra's guard! Nice work there by Soper!
Dydra wants to control the position but Soper says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Dydra throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

Soper is trying to work for a kimura but Dydra is defending well.
Soper works his way into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Dydra is trying to control Soper's posture but Soper avoids it.
Dydra is looking to get back to his feet here but Soper is keeping cool and he's managed to take Dydra's back.
Dydra trying to control the action but Soper just sinks the hooks in.

Soper is looking for the choke from the back position but Dydra is controlling his hands well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Grant Soper dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Dydra tries a head kick but it misses.
Soper scores with a jab. Dydra acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Dydra takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

Dydra scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Dydra trying to pass the guard but Soper defending well.
Soper tries to get to full guard but Dydra has control of the leg.
Dydra missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Dydra is looking to take a break and control but Soper is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Dydra is breathing heavily.
Soper is pressing down on Dydra's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Dydra trying to control the position from guard on top but Soper is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Soper is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Dydra in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Soper looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Dydra puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Dydra passes to full mount!
Soper is trying desperately to improve position.
Dydra wants to control but Soper has made it back to half guard. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Soper blocking the ground and pound attempt from Dydra.
Soper is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Dydra's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Dydra's back!
Soper avoiding Dydra 's attempts to control his hands.
Dydra rolls, trying to escape but Soper keeps control of the position.
Dydra looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Soper really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Dydra.
Dydra trying to control but not successfully.
Soper keeps control of the position easily here as Dydra tries to buck him off.
Dydra rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.

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.
Dydra tries to roll over but Soper keeps him under control.
Dydra wants to control but Soper is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Soper is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Dydra reverses the position - he's now on top in Soper's guard.
Dydra wants to control from the top but Soper keeps moving.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Sammy Dydra will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Soper tries to clinch but Dydra moves out of range.
Dydra fails in his attempt to clinch.
Soper tries to clinch up

and Dydra moves into the clinch.
Dydra on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Dydra pulls Soper into guard.
Soper postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Dydra will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Dydra has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Soper trying to control the position from guard on top but Dydra is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Dydra looking for a guillotine here but Soper defends easily.
Dydra takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dydra tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Dydra throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Soper escapes and throws Dydra's legs to the side, diving into side control!

Soper thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Dydra is looking to reverse the position.

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

Dydra throws Soper to one side and escapes!
Soper keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Soper fails with an attempt to clinch.
Soper wants to clinch but Dydra slips to the side

and Dydra counters with a nice double leg into side control. Soper won't be happy with that.
Soper is trying to control Dydra's posture but Dydra avoids it.
Soper regains half guard, as Dydra was trying to land strikes.
Dydra missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Soper tries to roll over but Dydra keeps him under control.
Dydra sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Dydra is keen to just control but Soper is a slippery customer.
Dydra thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Soper's head.

Dydra is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Soper defends it well.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Soper has closed the distance and engaged Dydra in a clinch.

That's four 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.
Soper creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Dydra goes for a takedown attempt but Soper pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Soper closes the distance and clinches.
Dydra wants to break free but Soper has control.

Dydra breaks from the clinch.
Dydra misses with a wild body shot.
A jab from Dydra does it's job there.
Dydra shoots in and drives through. Soper sprawls well.
Grant Soper has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sammy Dydra.
Dydra throws a series of punches but Soper avoids them all with ease.
Soper darts in trying to clinch

and Dydra holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Soper with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Dydra has picked Soper up - he's going for a ride! Dydra dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.

Dydra is working for a kimura but Soper is defending it quite comfortably.
Dydra trying to pass the guard but Soper defending well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sammy Dydra comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Dydra 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 29:29
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a draw!