PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Fabio Souza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Roberto Rodriguez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rodriguez is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Angel Of Death. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Roberto Rodriguez was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Souza
vs
Rodriguez

167 cm
22
152 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

176 cm
24
150 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
Very strong

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Determined

CEC Nutrition Q160

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 Rio de Janeiro, Fabio Souza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Roberto Rodriguez!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Edson Gomes and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Souza lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Souza lands with a straight right. Rodriguez didn't see that one coming.
Rodriguez with a lazy takedown attempt

and Souza counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Rodriguez working for submissions but it's allowed Souza to get to half guard.
Souza missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Rodriguez looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Well, if Souza 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.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Rodriguez looking for submissions off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Rodriguez looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Souza throwing shots but Rodriguez is blocking nicely.

Rodriguez looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Souza looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Rodriguez wants to get back to full guard.
Rodriguez keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Rodriguez avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Souza.

Rodriguez looking for subs from the bottom but Souza mounts him!
Souza looking to control and managing it successfully.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Rodriguez is trying to escape the mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Rodriguez gets back to half guard.
Souza looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Souza thows a huge punch but Rodriguez dodges it nicely.

Rodriguez looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Souza trying to control the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rodriguez is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Souza pulls his head out easily.
Souza performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Rodriguez blocking the ground and pound attempt from Souza.

Rodriguez is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Souza pulls his head out easily.
Souza slows the pace down in half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rodriguez blocking the ground and pound attempt from Souza.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Souza misses with a body shot

and Rodriguez decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Souza's guard.
Souza is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Rodriguez has gone for a leg lock! Souza slips out almost immediately though and dives into Rodriguez's guard.
Souza is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Souza missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Souza looking to pass the guard.
Souza is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza postures up in Rodriguez's guard and throws a big left but Rodriguez blocks it.
Souza controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Fabio Souza.
Rodriguez tries for a takedown but Souza circles away easily

and Souza counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Souza got a little sloppy there for a moment and Rodriguez has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Souza has managed to get both his arms back between Rodriguez's legs - danger averted.
Souza is stalling in the full guard.
Rodriguez keeping moving, preventing Souza from controlling successfully.
Souza engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza trying to control the position from guard on top but Rodriguez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Fabio Souza has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Souza misses with a hook

and Rodriguez counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
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!

Rodriguez is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Souza is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Souza has escaped and now he's on top!
Souza slips nicely into half guard.
Souza takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Rodriguez looking for submissions off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Rodriguez looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Souza slows the pace down in half guard.
Souza seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Rodriguez for as long as he can get away with.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Fabio Souza wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Rodriguez with a lazy takedown attempt
and Souza counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Souza throws a body punch but Rodriguez moves out of range.
Rodriguez uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Souza.
Souza misses with a straight left.
Fabio Souza seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rodriguez misses with a takedown attempt
enabling Souza to counter with a crisp jab.
Fabio Souza has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Roberto Rodriguez.
Souza lands a nice looking body shot.
Rodriguez tries for a takedown but Souza circles away easily

and Souza counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rodriguez won't be happy with that.
Fabio Souza overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rodriguez is breathing heavily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rodriguez is trying to improve his position.
Rodriguez is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Souza off and has taken his back!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fabio Souza dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Souza looking to score a takedown here. Rodriguez is defending well but Souza drives through and ends up in Rodriguez's guard.

Rodriguez has his foot on Souza's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Souza works his way back into a safe position though.

Rodriguez working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Souza has passed into half guard!
Souza frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Souza content just to control the position here.
Rodriguez holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Souza tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Souza sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Souza throws some wild stikes that Rodriguez manages to avoid easily.
Souza looking to control but Rodriguez is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez is looking to improve his position but Souza isn't that keen on the idea.
Souza looking to ground and pound but Rodriguez is blocking nicely.
Souza looking to ground and pound but Rodriguez is blocking nicely.
Souza throwing strikes here but Rodriguez is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Souza sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Rodriguez 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.

Rodriguez looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Souza is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rodriguez looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Rodriguez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Rodriguez is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Souza pulls his head out easily.
Fabio Souza is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Souza works his foot free and advances to mount.
Souza sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Rodriguez is desperately trying to improve his position but Souza has a good base and remains in mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez 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.
Souza controlling the action here.
Souza has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

Rodriguez actively working from the bottom here.
Souza passes to side control.
Souza is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Rodriguez will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Roberto Rodriguez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

And that's the end of the fight!
Fabio Souza showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Souza 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 30:27
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Fabio Souza!
Our winner, Fabio Souza, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.