PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rufus Soderberg (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Flavio Sandoval (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Flavio Sandoval is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Soderberg
vs
Sandoval

179 cm
32
186 lbs
20 - 10 - 0

182 cm
35
178 lbs
34 - 19 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Granite chin

Milwaukee's Best 160

Hellbent

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 20 - 10 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Rufus Soderberg!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 34 - 19 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Flavio Sandoval!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, Donald Grub and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Soderberg wants to land a leg kick but Sandoval is out of range.
Soderberg is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Sandoval misses with a hook to the body
and Soderberg counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Sandoval thuds his right hand into Soderberg's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Soderberg avoids the body shot from Sandoval.
Soderberg throws a low kick but it's checked well by Sandoval.
Soderberg digs a good hook to Sandoval's body.
Soderberg takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Sandoval misses with a looping right.
Soderberg dips to his left and cracks Sandoval with an uppercut!
Sandoval lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sandoval misses with a hook. Soderberg ducked under it nicely.
Sandoval lands a nice looking kick to the body. Soderberg takes a step back to recover.
Sandoval thows a leg kick but Soderberg checks it

and Soderberg counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Sandoval!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Soderberg wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sandoval keeps working.
Sandoval is trying to get back to half guard.
Sandoval struggling a bit here.
Soderberg sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Sandoval is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Sandoval can't do much from the bottom here.
Sandoval tries to buck Soderberg off but Soderberg is having none of it.
We've been hearing good reports from Soderberg's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Soderberg content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Soderberg trying to control the position but Sandoval is working away.
Soderberg tries to advance to mount but Sandoval denies him.
Soderberg controls the position.
Sandoval tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Soderberg presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Soderberg trying to control but Sandoval is having none of it.
Sandoval keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sandoval tries to hold on but Soderberg pushes him away.
Soderberg working Sandoval over with strikes here.
Soderberg landing shots from mount.
Sandoval keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Sandoval wants to control but Soderberg is having none of it.
Soderberg controlling the pace for now.
Soderberg raining down hammerfists from mount.
Soderberg landing strikes from the mount and Sandoval is in trouble!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Soderberg lands a nice shot to the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Soderberg controlling his opponent.
Sandoval is bucking up trying to escape but Soderberg cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Soderberg lands a nice shot to the head.
Sandoval keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Sandoval 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.
Sandoval is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Sandoval is refusing to be controlled, as Soderberg sits in half guard.
Sandoval tries to get to full guard but Soderberg has control of the leg.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rufus Soderberg dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Sandoval fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Soderberg.
A leg kick checked by Soderberg.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Sandoval checks a leg kick.
Sandoval motions for Soderberg to come forward. Sandoval throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Soderberg scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Sandoval bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Soderberg throws the left hand but Sandoval avoids the punch easily.
Soderberg shoots in looking for a takedown. Sandoval tries to sprawl out of it but Soderberg keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Sandoval manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Soderberg misses with a takedown attempt - Sandoval sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Sandoval paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A jab from Sandoval misses.
Nice body punch from Sandoval.
Sandoval walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

Soderberg closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Sandoval did well to prevent Soderberg getting side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Soderberg looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Sandoval is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sandoval looking for submissions off his back.
Sandoval gets back to full guard.
Rufus Soderberg overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Soderberg is pushing down on Sandoval's leg trying to pass to half guard. Sandoval is fighting to maintain full guard but Soderberg has managed to sneak the leg through.
Soderberg is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Soderberg is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Soderberg content to control rather than advance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Soderberg wants to work for an arm triangle but Sandoval is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Soderberg works his foot free and advances to mount.
Sandoval tries to hold on but Soderberg pushes him away.
Soderberg with shots to the head and body - Sandoval looks very uncomfortable down there.
Sandoval wants to hold on but Soderberg pushes him away.
Soderberg can't control as he wanted to and Sandoval manages to get the fight back to his half guard.
Sandoval wants to control but Soderberg is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sandoval punching from the bottom.
Soderberg wants to pass to mount but Sandoval is defending the position.
Sandoval trying to control from the bottom.
Soderberg wants to control but Sandoval is keeping him busy.
Soderberg missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Soderberg 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.
Sandoval wants to control but Soderberg is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Sandoval gets back to full guard.
Soderberg wants to control from the top but Sandoval keeps moving.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Sandoval looking for a guillotine here but Soderberg defends easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rufus Soderberg dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Soderberg throws out a loose jab but Sandoval uses good head movement to avoid it.
Soderberg punishes Sandoval's body with a nice straight punch.

Soderberg shoots in and bounces Sandoval off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Soderberg trying to control the position from guard on top but Sandoval is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Soderberg is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Sandoval is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Soderberg pushes down on Sandoval's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Sandoval is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Soderberg jumps into side control!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Soderberg is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Sandoval has escaped the position, nice work there.
Soderberg controlling from side mount.
Sandoval tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Soderberg presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Flavio Sandoval has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rufus Soderberg is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Soderberg trying to control but Sandoval is having none of it.
Soderberg controlling from mount.
Sandoval 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.
Sandoval is looking for a sweep. Soderberg is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Soderberg stalling.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Soderberg is looking to take a break and control but Sandoval is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Sandoval is looking for a sweep. Soderberg is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Soderberg trying to control the pace.

We're going to have a standup here because Rufus Soderberg wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Soderberg avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Soderberg throws a solid leg kick but Sandoval takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Soderberg.
Soderberg slips a jab and a cross from Sandoval.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sandoval swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Soderberg counters with a left to the body.
A slow jab from Sandoval misses its intended target.
Soderberg keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
No luck for Soderberg with that takedown attempt.
Sandoval throws a body kick despite being completely out of range

and Soderberg counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Soderberg.
Soderberg forces his way into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sandoval trying to control here.
Soderberg keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Soderberg wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sandoval keeps working.
Soderberg seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rufus Soderberg showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Soderberg, 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 Steven Brown scores the fight 30:27
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 30:27
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rufus Soderberg!
Rufus Soderberg looked relieved post fight as he said the following; '...'.