PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Sullivan Dammers Jr (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Denver Souza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Dammers Jr
vs
Souza

192 cm
23
176 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Counter fighter
Solid chin

KAISER

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Sullivan Dammers Jr!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Denver Souza!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dammers Jr looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Dammers Jr has a takedown stuffed.
Dammers Jr tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Souza looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Dammers Jr shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Souza as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sullivan Dammers Jr. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Souza just misses with a punch to the body.
A head kick by Souza misses
and Dammers Jr counters with a good, hard body kick but Souza shrugs it off.
Souza fails with a takedown attempt.
Dammers Jr shoots in for a double leg but Souza sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Souza should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

Souza closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dammers Jr misses with an elbow from the bottom.
Dammers Jr has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Souza tries for a kimura but Dammers Jr is defending well.

Souza thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Dammers Jr manages to get back to half guard.
Dammers Jr tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Souza has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Dammers Jr is trying desperately to improve position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza with a couple of short strikes.
Dammers Jr sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Souza wants to stand up but Dammers Jr manages to regain full guard.
Souza looking to pass the guard.
Souza must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Souza looking to sit in guard and control but Dammers Jr gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Dammers Jr really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Dammers Jr slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Souza is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dammers Jr is standing up over Souza. Souza looks to escape but Dammers Jr dives into side control.
Dammers Jr controlling the position from side mount.
Souza is looking to regain half guard here but Dammers Jr keeps moving and retains side control.
Dammers Jr will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Souza is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Dammers Jr is controlling him well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dammers Jr tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Dammers Jr trying to control the action but Souza is working from the bottom.
Dammers Jr advances to full mount.
Souza is squirming around, avoiding Dammers Jr's attempts to control the action.
Souza is desperately trying to improve his position but Dammers Jr has a good base and remains in mount.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Dammers Jr looking to control and managing it successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Sullivan Dammers Jr will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Dammers Jr clinches.
Dammers Jr gets underhooks to prevent Souza's takedown attempt.
Dammers Jr has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Souza after a bit of a struggle.

Souza escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Souza throws a sloppy head kick

and Dammers Jr holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Dammers Jr creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Souza's defenses.

Souza gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Souza really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Dammers Jr. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Dammers Jr is staying active underneath Souza, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Dammers Jr tries to roll over but Souza keeps him under control.
The fighters are battling for position here. Dammers Jr manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dammers Jr keeping moving, preventing Souza from controlling successfully.
Souza throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Dammers Jr works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Souza passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Souza working away.

Souza tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Dammers Jr is trying to buck Souza off.
Dammers Jr is trying to control Souza's posture but Souza avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dammers Jr tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Souza wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Souza lands a nice forearm strike.

Souza decides to stand back up. Souza steps back and let's Dammers Jr get back to his feet.
Souza wants to clinch up but Dammers Jr keeps it at a distance.
Dammers Jr throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Souza looks for a takedown but Dammers Jr sprawls well.
Souza is breathing heavily.
Dammers Jr tries to score a power double leg takedown but Souza sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Dammers Jr somewhat.
Dammers Jr cracks the inside of Souza's front leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dammers Jr doesn't manage to clinch there - Souza circles away.
Dammers Jr fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Souza avoids it really well and circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sullivan Dammers Jr. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Souza scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Souza wants to stand but Dammers Jr has his arm trapped.
Dammers Jr tries to improve position but can't.
Denver Souza has got the better of the ground game so far.
Dammers Jr prevents Souza from improving position.
Souza with the ground and pound but Dammers Jr regains half guard under the barage of strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dammers Jr trying to control from the bottom.

Dammers Jr looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Dammers Jr is looking to control Souza's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Dammers Jr avoid being mounted?
Souza is trying to control the action in half guard but Dammers Jr is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Souza throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Dammers Jr is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Souza is trying to control. Dammers Jr wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Denver Souza will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Dammers Jr lands a high kick!
Dammers Jr is looking to clinch but Souza is avoiding it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Dammers Jr looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Souza shoots in for a takedown but Dammers Jr shows good takedown defense.

Souza closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Souza is trying to control. Dammers Jr wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Souza missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Dammers Jr gets back to full guard.
Dammers Jr tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Dammers Jr throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza tries to stand but Dammers Jr is controlling from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Dammers Jr throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Dammers Jr is on top in guard.
Dammers Jr throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Souza keeping moving, preventing Dammers Jr from controlling successfully.
Souza manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Dammers Jr manages to get himself to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Souza postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza trying to control but Dammers Jr is working from the bottom.
Souza wants to stand but Dammers Jr has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Dammers Jr seems keen to control Souza's posture.
Souza wants to control from the top but Dammers Jr keeps moving.

Dammers Jr looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Souza passes into half guard.
Souza blocks the strikes from Dammers Jr.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Dammers Jr is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Souza's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Souza's back!
Souza wants to escape the position.
Souza trying to control but not successfully.
Will Dammers Jr go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Dammers Jr is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
Souza tries to escape but Dammers Jr has the hooks in and won't let him break free.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Dammers Jr is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Dammers Jr is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Dammers Jr gets his hands free as Souza looks to control.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Dammers Jr's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Souza is trying to break free.

Souza defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Dammers Jr's arms.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Sullivan Dammers Jr.
I think Dammers Jr has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Denver Souza!
A relieved looking Denver Souza thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.