PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Chael Sonnen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Irio Arts (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chael Sonnen has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Sonnen
vs
Arts

185 cm
25
185 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

175 cm
23
175 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Untouchable Fight Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Chael Sonnen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Irio Arts!
The judges for this bout are Wagner Zegers, Radbod Blank and Paulsen Ambrosius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Arts scores with a kick to the midsection.
Arts fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Arts connects with an inside leg kick.
Sonnen misses with a combination
and Arts counters with a body kick that stops Sonnen in his tracks momentarily.
Sonnen walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Sonnen throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Sonnen misses with a combination
and Arts counters with a thumping low kick.
Arts connects with an inside leg kick.
Sonnen slips a jab and a cross from Arts.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sonnen throws a combination that misses
and Arts counters with a nice uppercut.
Arts lands with a thumping leg kick.
Sonnen swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Arts finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Sonnen is breathing heavily.
Arts connects with an inside leg kick.
Arts throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Sonnen takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Arts buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Arts - that will leave a mark!
Arts lands with a nice body punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arts cracks a nice hook into Sonnen's ribs.
Arts lands with a thumping leg kick.
Arts throws a good cross that connects.
Sonnen takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
A slapping leg kick lands for Arts.
Arts lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
That kick from Arts tenderised Sonnen's leg. Sonnen is trying to keep his angry face on.
Arts fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Arts scoring well with a low kick there.
Arts connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Arts fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Sonnen takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Arts connects with the punch.
Chael Sonnen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
An inside leg kick lands from Arts.
A chopping leg kick lands by Arts.
Arts buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Arts getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Sonnen takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arts thuds his right hand into Sonnen's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
An inside leg kick lands from Arts.
Arts with a jab.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Arts.
Sonnen is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Arts moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Arts fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Sonnen has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Arts scores with a jab to the head.
Chael Sonnen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Sonnen tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
A good leg kick by Arts.
Sonnen takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Sonnen takes one to the chin there.
Arts fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Sonnen has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Arts.
Arts wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Arts throws a quick inside leg kick.
Arts moves into range and connects with a jab.
A good leg kick by Arts.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arts connects with an inside leg kick.
Arts scoring well with a low kick there.
Arts connects with an inside leg kick.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Sonnen crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Arts - the referee stops the clock and Sonnen gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Arts. Sonnen manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Arts scores with a head kick.
Arts scores with a nice body kick.
Arts scores with a hook to the body. Sonnen takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Arts looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Arts connects with a solid leg kick.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Sonnen on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Sonnen on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Arts lands a really nice looking cross but Sonnen seems unphased.
Arts takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
A solid body kick from Arts.
Arts dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Sonnen. That did some damage!
Arts thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Sonnen if he has to take too many more of those.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arts scores with a punch to the head.
Arts chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Arts lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Arts.
Arts with a nice cross.
Sonnen chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Arts can pounce on him.
Arts scores with a hook to the body. Sonnen takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Both fighters circling a little - Arts finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Sonnen takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Arts with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
A thudding body kick lands there by Arts!
Arts dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Sonnen takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Arts throws a leg kick which misses Sonnen's front leg but catches the back leg as Sonnen tries to avoid it.
Arts connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Sonnen momentarily.
Arts thumps Sonnen with a low kick.
Arts lands a jab to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Arts scores with a head kick.
Sonnen throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Arts counters with an outside leg kick.
Arts is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Sonnen looks to land a combination but Arts avoids it well.
Sonnen throws a left and a right that both miss
and Arts counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Sonnen is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Sonnen takes one on the button.
Arts connects with a single shot there.
Irio Arts seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Arts lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
A combination from Arts does no damage.
Arts scores with a shot to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Arts connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Arts lands a leg kick that knocks Sonnen off balance momentarily.
Arts connects with a leg kick. Sonnen looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Good standup being displayed there by Arts as he connects with a hook.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Arts chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Sonnen takes one to the chin there.
Sonnen walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arts moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Sonnen on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Sonnen looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
A jab lands there for Arts.
Sonnen looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Arts cracks the inside of Sonnen's front leg.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Arts.
A shot to the liver by Arts. Beautiful body shot.
Arts lands with a nice body punch.
Arts lands with a shot to the body.
Sonnen takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Sonnen will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Arts cracks a nice hook into Sonnen's ribs.
Sonnen throws a left and a right that both miss
and Arts counters with a slapping leg kick.
Sonnen takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Arts dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Sonnen. That did some damage!
Arts connects with an inside leg kick.
Arts smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arts fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Sonnen has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Arts throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Arts lands with an uppercut that bounces Sonnen off the cage and back into range.
Sonnen throws a combination that misses
and Arts counters with a nice low kick that buckles Sonnen's knee momentarily.
Arts turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Arts clobbers Sonnen with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Arts closes this distance looking for a takedown but Sonnen circles away.
The fighters circle momentarily. Arts darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Sonnen has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Arts.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Arts turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Arts throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Arts fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Sonnen avoids it really well and circles away.
Sonnen takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Sonnen sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arts lands with a thumping leg kick.
Sonnen takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Arts scores with a kick to the body.
Arts throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Arts keeps Sonnen at a distance using the push kick.
Arts dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Sonnen. That did some damage!
Arts scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Sonnen chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Arts can pounce on him.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Sonnen crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Arts - the referee stops the clock and Sonnen gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Arts. Sonnen manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Arts buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Arts connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Arts lands a front kick.
Arts lands a really nice looking cross but Sonnen seems unphased.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Arts feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Sonnen's calf.
Sonnen on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Arts. Arts obviously looking to wear him down.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arts throws a head kick that Sonnen semi-blocks.

Arts shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Arts fails to advance to Sonnen's back.

Arts looking for a guillotine from mount but Sonnen is having none of it.
Sonnen is squirming around, avoiding Arts's attempts to control the action.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Arts is working for a guillotine from mount but Sonnen frees his head quite easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Irio Arts showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Arts scores with a push kick.
Arts with a jab.
Sonnen has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Arts.
Arts with a jab.

Arts darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Arts not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Sonnen wants to get back to his feet.
Sonnen knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Arts on the ground.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Arts is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Sonnen is just riding it out for now. Arts eventually gives up the hold.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arts throwing shots but Sonnen is blocking nicely.
Sonnen is refusing to be controlled, as Arts sits in half guard.

Arts is looking for a kimura here.

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.

Arts seems to be working for a kimura but Sonnen defends the submission attempt.
Arts is looking to take a break and control but Sonnen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arts is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Sonnen is trying to stand.
Sonnen avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Arts.
Arts missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Arts is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Sonnen defends it well.
Arts is keen to just control but Sonnen is a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arts has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Arts is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Sonnen doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Arts.
Arts throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Sonnen is refusing to be controlled, as Arts sits in half guard.
Chael Sonnen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Irio Arts is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Arts frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Irio Arts comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Arts 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 Wagner Zegers scores the fight 25:30
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 25:30
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Irio Arts!