PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Luiz Soto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steinar Sting (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Soto comes into the arena with Busta Rhymes Feat Eminem - I'll Hurt You blaring out of the sound system. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Soto
vs
Sting

173 cm
32
145 lbs
27 - 13 - 0

168 cm
35
148 lbs
34 - 19 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

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 27 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Luiz Soto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 34 - 19 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Steinar Sting!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Chris Edwards and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Soto avoids a punch combination nicely.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Sting, as that shot connected.

Sting gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Soto is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Sting stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

Sting jumps guard and drags Soto to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Soto looking to pass the guard.
Soto throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sting works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Sting is trying to control the position but Soto postures up.
Soto throws a big elbow that misses.
Soto throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sting works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Soto throwing strikes but missing.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Soto postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Soto postures up and lands a big shot to Sting's brow.
Soto slips nicely into half guard.
Sting wants to control but Soto is keeping busy.
Sting might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Soto haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Sting is trying to get back to full guard.

Sting looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Soto is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Soto 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.

Sting has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Soto escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Soto!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Sting sneaks back into half guard.
Sting taking some punishment here, with Soto in his half guard.
Sting regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Soto.

Sting looking for a guillotine here but Soto defends easily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Soto content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sting preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Sting is adopting a defensive guard.
Soto scoring with punches to the head and body.
Soto is pushing down on Sting's leg trying to pass to half guard. Sting is fighting to maintain full guard but Soto has managed to sneak the leg through.
Soto sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Sting defending well though.
Soto misses with a head shot. Sting uses the momentum to regain guard.
Soto lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Sting escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Soto gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Sting trying to keep a closed guard but Soto is proving a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sting had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Soto defends it easily.
Soto is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Sting working for a triangle but Soto defends it easily.
Soto working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Sting's head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Sting looking for a guillotine here but Soto defends easily.
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 Luiz Soto will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Soto closes this distance looking for a takedown but Sting circles away.
Sting dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Soto. That did some damage!
Soto shoots in looking for a takedown. Sting tries to sprawl out of it but Soto keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Sting manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Luiz Soto seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Soto takes a kick to the side of the head.
Soto throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Sting's waist but Sting gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Soto off to one side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Luiz Soto. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sting stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Sting wants it to stay on the feet.

Soto closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Sting did well to prevent Soto getting side control.
Sting is looking for a sweep. Soto is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Soto missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Sting is looking for a sweep. Soto is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Sting makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Sting.
Soto postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sting keeping full guard, as Soto tries to pass.
Soto with a nice head shot there.
Soto slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Soto is looking to take a break and control but Sting is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
An elbow from Soto crashes against the mat.
Luiz Soto overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Sting is looking to regain half guard here but Soto keeps moving and retains side control.
Sting can't do much from the bottom here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Soto is putting a hurting on Sting here, landing some big shots from side control.
Soto trying to control the action but Sting is working from the bottom.
Sting managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Soto.
Soto lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Soto working the head and body with strikes.
Sting dodges the ground and pound from Soto.
Soto has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Sting!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Soto lands a nice shot to the head.
Sting tries to reverse the position but Soto maintains control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sting bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Sting trying to control but Soto is working from the bottom.
Sting is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Sting preventing the sweep.
Soto has control of Sting's left arm, preventing Sting from doing any damage.
Sting chips away with some ground and pound.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Soto is on top in guard.
Soto stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sting swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Sting working for a triangle but Soto defends it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Soto is working Sting over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Soto postures up and lands a big shot to Sting's brow.
Sting keeping full guard, as Soto tries to pass.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Soto working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Soto trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Sting manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Soto trying to control the position.
Sting with a nice head shot there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luiz Soto dominated that second round.
That's time! Soto's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Soto tries to score a power double leg takedown but Sting sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Soto somewhat.
Sting buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Soto darts in looking for a takedown but Sting gets double underhooks and turns Soto into the cage.

Sting gets control of Soto's arms and successfully pulls guard. Sting will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

Soto got a little sloppy there for a moment and Sting has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Soto has managed to get both his arms back between Sting's legs - danger averted.
Soto working some strikes from top position.
Soto throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sting trying to control the position.
Soto lands a couple of elbows.
Soto makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Sting is trying to control the position but Soto postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Soto tries to free his leg and advance position but Sting is retaining full guard.
Soto trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Sting manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Sting is stalling in the full guard.
Sting wants to control from the top but Soto keeps moving.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sting accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Soto is on top in guard.
Soto trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Soto postures up in Sting's guard and throws a big left but Sting blocks it.
Sting keeping moving, preventing Soto from controlling successfully.
Steinar Sting has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sting looking to control.
Soto passes into half guard.
Sting is refusing to be controlled, as Soto sits in half guard.
Soto tries to pass to full mount but Sting defends it.
Soto is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Sting reverses the position - he's now on top in Soto's guard.
Sting slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Soto is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Soto lands a couple of decent looking body shots there.
Sting throwing strikes but missing.
Sting forces his way into half guard.
Soto throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Luiz Soto is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Soto moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Sting loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Sting lands a couple of elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sting controlling from the top position.
Sting postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Sting preventing the sweep.
My spies in GTi 888 inform me that Sting has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Sting content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

Soto working for a triangle but Sting defends it easily.
Soto has his hands on Sting's head, controlling the position.
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!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Soto utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

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 Luiz Soto.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Soto, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 30:27
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 30:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Luiz Soto!
Luiz Soto thanked the fans post fight for their support.