PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ben Woodman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Maori Souljah (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Woodman
vs
Souljah

175 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

225 cm
25
145 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Brawler
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ben Woodman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Maori Souljah!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Arvi Lind and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Souljah shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Woodman but Woodman pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Souljah shoots for a takedown but Woodman saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Woodman tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Souljah paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Souljah shoots and misses

and Woodman counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Souljah!
Ben Woodman has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Maori Souljah.
Woodman looking to control but Souljah is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Woodman looking to finish with strikes here!
Souljah tries to hold on but Woodman pushes him away.
Souljah is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Woodman is staying active.
Souljah is in all sorts of trouble here.
Woodman throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Souljah because Woodman loaded up on that one.
Souljah tries to hold on but Woodman postures up.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Souljah is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souljah tries to lock up and control but Woodman gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Woodman can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Souljah is looking to escape.
Souljah is looking to improve his position but Woodman isn't that keen on the idea.
Souljah avoids a series of strikes thrown by Woodman.
Souljah is looking to improve his position but Woodman isn't that keen on the idea.
Woodman trying to control but Souljah is having none of it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Souljah tries to lock up and control but Woodman gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Souljah is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souljah holds on, trying desperately to control.
Souljah tries to hold on but Woodman postures up.
Souljah regains half guard.
Souljah manages to get to full guard.
Souljah pulls Woodman in close to prevent any damage.
Souljah looking to hit a scissor sweep but Woodman is one step ahead there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Souljah is on top in guard.
Souljah slips nicely into half guard, despite the strikes coming from Woodman.
Souljah is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Souljah controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Woodman looking to control.
Woodman being controlled here, momentarily.
Souljah stopping the sweep attempt from Woodman.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Souljah lands a couple of decent looking shots.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Maori Souljah will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Woodman shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Souljah as he avoids it easily.
Souljah fails to land the takedown.
Souljah looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Woodman is fending him off so far but Souljah persists. Nope, Woodman circles away and we're back to standing.
Woodman looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Woodman tries to sprawl but Souljah drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Souljah lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Souljah working Woodman over with strikes.
Woodman wants to get back to full guard.
Woodman taking some punishment here, with Souljah in his half guard.
Ground and pound from Souljah.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Well, if Souljah is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Souljah's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souljah landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Woodman trying to hold on to Souljah's head to control him but Souljah postures up.
Souljah is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Souljah pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Woodman tries to reverse the position but Souljah maintains control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souljah cracks Woodman with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Souljah breaks from Woodman's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Souljah takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Souljah in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Souljah scoring with strikes but Woodman is staying in there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Woodman takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Souljah has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Souljah landing strikes from the mount.
Souljah scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Woodman?
Souljah postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Woodman looks a forlorn figure.
Souljah lands a heavy elbow.
Woodman is desperately trying to improve his position but Souljah has a good base and remains in mount.
Souljah with the ground and pound from mount.
Souljah landing strikes from the mount and Woodman is in trouble!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Souljah lands a nice shot to the head.
Souljah landing strikes from the mount and Woodman is in trouble!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Souljah lands a big elbow.
Souljah scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Souljah content just to control the position here.
Souljah connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Souljah controlling the position easily from mount.
Maori Souljah has got the better of the ground game so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maori Souljah 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!

Souljah gets the takedown into side control.
Woodman might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Souljah is working Woodman over with some ground and pound from side control.
Souljah connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Woodman some visible discomfort.
Woodman trying to remain calm as Souljah controls from the top position.
Woodman tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Souljah scores with punches from side control.
Souljah wants to lay and pray for a moment but Woodman keeps working.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souljah working the ground and pound.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Woodman taking a bit of punishment here - Souljah scoring with strikes.
Souljah landing strikes.
Souljah controlling from side mount.
Woodman knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Souljah on the ground.
Woodman is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Woodman is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Souljah working the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souljah is working Woodman over with some ground and pound from side control.
Souljah scores with a couple of short elbows.
Souljah taking a breather here.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Souljah cracks Woodman with a big elbow.
Souljah lands an elbow.
Souljah slows the pace down.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Woodman takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Woodman tries to control but Souljah manages to take his back.
Souljah is riding his opponent, not letting Woodman buck him off.
Souljah cracks Woodman with a big shot to body and one to the head - really punishing Woodman from the back mount here, looking to soften him up.
Woodman is covering up but some of the strikes from Souljah are getting through and doing damage.
Souljah is landing with strikes. Woodman can't take much more of this.
Souljah lands with a big left hand that may well have hurt his opponent. Can Woodman hold on?!
Souljah lands with a hammerfist to the side of Woodman's head.
Souljah looking to soften up his opponent with punches.
Souljah has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Oooh a big shot gets through from Souljah. Many more shots like that and the referee will have to think about stepping in!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Souljah trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Woodman doesn't escape.
Souljah connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Woodman to escape the position.
Souljah biding his time, looking for the opening.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Souljah is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Woodman up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Maori Souljah comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Souljah has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 26:30
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 26:30
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Maori Souljah!