PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Pablo Moro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Soul Rebel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Pablo Moro had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Moro
vs
Rebel

175 cm
22
200 lbs
2 - 1 - 1

179 cm
18
207 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Pablo Moro!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Soul Rebel!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Anni Minnemäki and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rebel shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Moro but Moro pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Moro looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Moro circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rebel 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.
Rebel shoots for a takedown but Moro saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Rebel wants to clinch.
Rebel fails with a takedown attempt.
Pablo Moro has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Soul Rebel.
Rebel misses with a few strikes there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rebel misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Moro has his takedown stuffed

and Rebel counters with a shoot takedown. Moro fights it but they end up in guard.
Rebel tries to free his leg and advance position but Moro is retaining full guard.
Moro will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Moro has a closed guard, preventing Rebel from standing up.

Moro has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Rebel can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Rebel controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Rebel would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Rebel is pushing down on Moro's leg trying to pass to half guard. Moro is fighting to maintain full guard but Rebel has managed to sneak the leg through.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Rebel is looking for a kimura but Moro is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Rebel to get the leverage.

Moro actively working from the bottom here.
Rebel is looking to advance position but Moro won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Rebel thows a huge punch but Moro dodges it nicely.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Moro is striking from the bottom but he's now found himself mounted! Oh dear - not enough focus on defense there.
Rebel trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Moro swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Rebel controlling the pace for now.
Moro takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Moro is squirming around, avoiding Rebel's attempts to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Moro on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Moro tries to get out of the position.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Rebel cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Rebel trying to control but Moro is having none of it.
Moro is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Rebel can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Moro is looking to escape.
Rebel controlling the pace for now.
Moro tries to hold on but Rebel postures up.

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.
Rebel tries to control but Moro wriggling away.

Despite being in the dominant position, Soul Rebel just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rebel misses with a takedown attempt

and Moro counters with a shoot takedown. Rebel fights it but they end up in guard.
Moro working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Moro throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Rebel works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Rebel is pulling down on Moro's head to control his posture.
Moro thows a big elbow that misses.
Moro keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Rebel's head.
Rebel avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Rebel 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 round but I would say that Pablo Moro will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Rebel drives through with a takedown into guard.
Rebel seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Rebel wants to stand but Moro has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Rebel postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Moro is looking for a triangle but Rebel pushes his legs off easily.
Rebel wants to control from the top but Moro keeps moving.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Moro looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rebel wants to get up but he can't break Moro's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Horrible takedown by Rebel or perhaps it was just good defense by Moro which made him look bad.
Rebel fails in his attempt to clinch.
Moro has his takedown stuffed

and Rebel counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Rebel.
Moro lands with a heel strike from the guard.

Moro is looking for a triangle but Rebel pushes his legs off easily.
Rebel must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Moro trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Soul Rebel has got the better of the ground game so far.

Moro had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Rebel is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Moro Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Rebel's back instead.
Rebel trying to control but not successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Moro has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Moro landing with strikes.
Moro trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Rebel wriggles onto his back under a barage of strikes.
Moro throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rebel tries to hold on but Moro postures up.
Rebel is looking to improve his position but Moro isn't that keen on the idea.
Moro throws some wild stikes that Rebel manages to avoid easily.
Rebel working to try and regain half guard.

Moro jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Rebel is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Rebel and Moro has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Rebel is looking to regain half guard here but Moro keeps moving and retains side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Moro is trying to ground and pound but Rebel uses the momentary lack of control by Moro to regain half guard.
Moro wants to pass the guard but Rebel is defending well.
Moro 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.
Rebel slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Moro trying to control the position from guard on top but Rebel is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rebel is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Moro wants to control from the top but Rebel keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Soul Rebel showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Rebel wants to clinch.
Rebel doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Moro counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Rebel tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Rebel trying to control but Moro postures up.
Rebel is trying to stand.
Moro looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

Moro wants to work for an arm triangle but Rebel is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Moro trying to control from Rebel's half guard. Rebel has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Moro stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rebel swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rebel working a defensive guard here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rebel shoots in and drives through. Moro sprawls well.
Moro has his takedown stuffed

so Rebel counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Moro is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Moro looking for a guillotine here but Rebel defends easily.
Rebel slips nicely into half guard, despite the strikes coming from Moro.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Moro with the active half guard here but Rebel passes nicely into side control.
Moro tries to strike from the bottom but misses.
Rebel trying to control the action but Moro is working from the bottom.
Rebel is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Moro manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rebel is controlling the pace.
Ground and pound from Rebel.

Moro actively working from the bottom here.
Moro flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Rebel wants to free his trapped foot but Moro is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Moro wants to improve his position but Rebel is controlling well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Rebel passes to full mount!
Rebel raining down shots from the mount!
Moro tries to hold on but Rebel postures up.
Rebel manages to capitalize on a mistake by Moro to take his back!
Moro looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.

Rebel is working for a rear naked choke. Moro is not defending it well and Rebel has tightened it up quickly! This could be all over! Moro refuses to tap and goes to sleep, forcing the referee to intervene. A little trickle of blood came out of Moro's nose as his head slumped to the floor. That is naaaasty!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Soul Rebel!