PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ritchie Souza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Adam Gallagher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Souza comes to the cage accompanied by Luxurious. Gallagher has chosen Rock N Roll Star as his entrance music. Ritchie Souza could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Adam Gallagher's chin.

Souza
vs
Gallagher

170 cm
20
155 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

180 cm
23
160 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ritchie Souza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Adam Gallagher!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Columbo Gatti and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gallagher closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Gallagher lands in his opponent's guard.
Souza wants to sweep but no luck.
Gallagher throwing strikes from guard but Souza blocks nicely.

Souza has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Gallagher has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.
Souza throws a punch but it's blocked by Gallagher.
Good body shot from Gallagher.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Gallagher escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Gallagher closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Souza wants to take the fight to the mat but Gallagher manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Souza missing with knees to the body.
Souza drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Souza manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Souza looking for a guillotine here but Gallagher defends easily.
Gallagher wants to control from the top but Souza keeps moving.

Souza is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Gallagher defends well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gallagher is in close to Souza's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Gallagher gets to his feet. Souza looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Adam Gallagher seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Gallagher closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Gallagher lands in his opponent's guard.
Gallagher wants to control from the top but Souza keeps moving.
Souza pulls Gallagher in close to his closed guard and prevents Gallagher from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gallagher is looking to stand up but Souza won't let him.
Gallagher looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Souza has control of Gallagher's left arm, preventing Gallagher from doing any damage.
Gallagher tries to free his leg and advance position but Souza is retaining full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Gallagher wants to control from the top but Souza keeps moving.
Gallagher must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Gallagher looking to sit in guard and control but Souza gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Gallagher working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Souza.
Souza postures up.
Souza trying to control but Gallagher is working from the bottom.
Gallagher can't keep his opponent in guard - Souza advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Souza tries to pass the half guard into mount. Gallagher knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Gallagher keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
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 Ritchie Souza will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Souza moves into the clinch.
Gallagher is defending well against a takedown attempt.

Gallagher breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Souza seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Gallagher connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Souza is looking to clinch but Gallagher is avoiding it.
Gallagher lands with a hook. Souza tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.

Souza gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Souza tries to pull guard but Gallagher won't allow it.

Gallagher breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Gallagher keeps the fight on the outside.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gallagher looks to land a combination. Souza sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Gallagher throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A punch combination from Souza misses.
Souza tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Gallagher manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza throws a left and a right that both miss
and Gallagher counters with a one-two to the body.
Souza lands with a nice combination. Gallagher backs away looking to recover.
Souza circles away from the clinch attempt.
Gallagher scores with a one two! Souza had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

Souza shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Souza showed some decent athleticism there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gallagher is trying to stand up here but Souza is controlling him well.

Gallagher looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Gallagher is trying to control but can't.
Souza looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Gallagher really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Souza. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Souza is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Gallagher tries to reverse the position but Souza maintains control.
Souza landing punches.
Gallagher taking shots to the head.
Souza with the ground and pound from mount.

Gallagher is rocked!
Souza looking to control but Gallagher is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gallagher in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Gallagher is still in real trouble! Can Souza finish him?
Souza controlling from mount.
Souza trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Gallagher seems to have recovered his senses.
Souza lands a heavy elbow.
Gallagher is in a horrible position here. Souza smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Souza wants to control the action but instead Gallagher gets a body lock and reverses into Souza's guard! Nice work!
Souza 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gallagher trying to control but Souza is working from the bottom.

Souza throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Gallagher looking to pass the guard.
Souza not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Ritchie Souza will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Souza is looking to clinch but Gallagher is avoiding it.
Gallagher throws a series of punches but Souza avoids them all with ease.
Gallagher throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Souza.
Nice sprawl there from Gallagher as Souza shoots in.
Gallagher throws a nice head kick!
Souza tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Gallagher lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Souza wants to clinch up but Gallagher keeps it at a distance.
Despite the aggression on Gallagher's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Gallagher scores with a crisp jab that stopped Souza in his tracks.
Souza lands a lovely overhand right.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Gallagher closes the distance and pushes Souza back into the cage.

Gallagher breaks from the clinch.
Gallagher avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Gallagher breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Gallagher paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Gallagher lands with a good body shot.
Souza tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Gallagher counters with a series of strikes. Souza will be more careful next time no doubt.

Gallagher gets a clinch.

Gallagher breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Souza.
Gallagher misses with a jab, cross combination.

Souza has closed the distance and engaged Gallagher in a clinch.
Souza is trying to pull guard but Gallagher turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ritchie Souza. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gallagher is trying to pull guard but Souza has him pressed against the cage.

Gallagher breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Gallagher fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Souza manages to avoid it.

Souza drives through and clinches with Gallagher against the cage.

Gallagher has Souza pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Gallagher pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Souza tumbling to the mat - Gallagher dives into Souza's guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gallagher wants to stand and escape but instead Souza has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Souza postures up.
Souza trying to control but Gallagher is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gallagher looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Gallagher takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Souza pushes down on Gallagher's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Souza is working for a submission of some sort.
Souza is figuring out what he wants to do next.

Souza is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Souza is pressing down on Gallagher's thigh, looking to free his foot. Gallagher is holding on for now.
Souza is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Souza lands a big shot there that rocks Gallagher but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Gallagher is wriggling around trying to escape.
Ritchie Souza is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Souza dominating with strikes here.
Gallagher tries to reverse the position but Souza maintains control.

Souza stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.
Adam Gallagher has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gallagher goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

And that's the end of the fight!
Adam Gallagher comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Souza 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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight 29:28
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Ritchie Souza!
Ritchie Souza took some time post fight to say the following; 'i'm not surprised mother fuckers, Tap, snap or Nap bitches...'.