PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Richard Alipio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bob Soza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Soza is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Sponge Bob Theme Song. 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.

Alipio
vs
Soza

170 cm
22
153 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

173 cm
26
155 lbs
9 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid Muay Thai
Insanely flexible

Decent wrestler
Good kicks
Knockout power

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 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Richard Alipio!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Bob Soza!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Hogan, Skip Squint and Summer Carpenter.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Soza throws a leg kick but Alipio sees it coming and checks it nicely.
A solid body kick from Soza.
Alipio with a lazy takedown attempt
and Soza counters with a slapping leg kick.
Alipio shoots in looking for a takedown. Soza tries to sprawl out of it but Alipio keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Soza manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Alipio takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Alipio shoots and misses
and Soza counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Richard Alipio. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Alipio shoots and misses
and Soza counters with a nice body kick.

Alipio takes the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Soza prevents a takedown attempt there.
Soza is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Alipio is defending well for now.
Soza is pushing Alipio up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Soza tries to land a knee to the head but Alipio blocks with his arms.
Alipio takes an elbow to the temple.

It looks like Richard Alipio has been cut.
Soza is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Alipio is defending well for now.
Alipio's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
The referee is keeping an eye on Soza - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Alipio tries to pull guard but Soza holds him up against the cage and eventually Alipio drops back down to his feet.
Alipio tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Soza smiles and moves away.
A solid body kick from Soza.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Alipio gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Soza counters with a head kick. That will keep Alipio thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Soza scores with a head kick. Alipio tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Alipio avoids the head kick by Soza.
Alipio gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Soza counters with a big head kick but Alipio shrugs it off.
Alipio doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Soza counters with a left to the body.
Richard Alipio seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Soza with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Alipio has his takedown stuffed
and Soza counters with a nice low kick that buckles Alipio's knee momentarily.
Alipio with a lazy takedown attempt
and Soza counters with a good low kick that Alipio was not able to check.
Soza throws a push kick but Alipio slaps the foot to one side.

Soza instigates a clinch.
Alipio drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Soza gets the underhooks and prevents it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alipio has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Soza is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Soza trying to land knees to the body.
Soza tries a knee to the head but Alipio blocks it.
Alipio is working for takedown but Soza is calmly controlling the position for now.
Alipio avoids a wild elbow strike from Soza.
Soza stops a takedown attempt from Alipio.
Soza slowing the pace effectively.
Soza lands a knee to the head.
Soza missing with knees to the body.
Alipio wants a takedown but no success here.
Soza putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Alipio in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Alipio on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Alipio wants a takedown.
Alipio is breathing heavily.
Alipio tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Alipio drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Soza throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Alipio blocks it with crossed arms.
Soza effectively controlling the action here.
Alipio on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Alipio blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Soza tries to land a knee to the head but Alipio blocks with his arms.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bob Soza dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Richard Alipio's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Alipio doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Soza counters with a two punch combo.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Alipio.
Sloppy strikes there by Alipio.
Alipio creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Soza sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Alipio scoring with punches from side control.
Alipio scores with a couple of short elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alipio throwing strikes but Soza manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Soza wants to stand but Alipio is controlling his arm.
Alipio is trying to buck Soza off.
Alipio wants to control but Soza postures up.
Alipio manages to work his way to half guard, despite Soza's best efforts.

Alipio makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alipio misses with a takedown
and Soza counters with a body kick.
Soza throws a nice head kick!
Alipio has his takedown stuffed
and Soza counters with an inside leg kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Richard Alipio. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Alipio blocks the body kick.
Alipio takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alipio with a poor takedown
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.

Soza gets caught flat footed, as Alipio shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Alipio advances position into side control!
Alipio working the head and body with strikes.

Alipio tries for a kimura but Soza is defending well.
Alipio scores with punches from side control.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Soza can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Soza regains half guard, as Alipio was trying to land strikes.
Alipio slips a nice elbow through Soza's hands, connecting with Soza's forehead.

Alipio wants to work for an arm triangle but Soza is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Alipio thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Soza's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Richard Alipio dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Richard Alipio's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Alipio shoots in but Soza avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Soza misses with a head kick.
Alipio tries for a takedown but Soza circles away easily
and Soza counters with a head kick.
Richard Alipio is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Soza throws a leg kick that misses.
Alipio with a poor takedown
and Soza finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Richard Alipio. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Soza scores with a jab to the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Soza scores with a leg kick.
Alipio shoots in but Soza avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Soza fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Alipio manages to avoid it.

Soza darts in and clinches Alipio up against the cage.
Soza lands a good knee to the midsection. Alipio won't want to take too many of those.
Soza creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Alipio's defenses.
Alipio tries for a takedown but Soza manages to get underhooks.
Soza unloads a knee to the mid-section. Alipio lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Soza creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Alipio's defenses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alipio is working for takedown but Soza is calmly controlling the position for now.
Alipio on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Alipio will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Soza tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Soza lands a knee to the body.
Soza is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Alipio changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Soza fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Soza throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Soza dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Alipio misses with a takedown attempt
and Soza counters with a flying knee. Nice.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alipio shoots and misses
and Soza connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Soza jabs at Alipio's body.
Alipio looks to clinch
and Soza cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Alipio moves to clinch but Soza breaks away
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Alipio shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Soza counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alipio misses with a takedown attempt
and Soza counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Alipio shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Soza connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Nice body kick from Soza.
Soza throws a head kick that misses.
Alipio doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Soza holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bob Soza comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Soza 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 Bruno Hogan scores the fight 28:29
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 28:29
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bob Soza!