PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gatis Krutainis (ranked 4609 p4p, 25059 weight class) and Julian Soza (ranked 158 p4p, 121 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Krutainis
vs
Soza

168 cm
24
290
3 - 2 - 0

186 cm
21
230
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Gatis Krutainis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Julian Soza!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Hirohito Nitta and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Krutainis has managed to clinch.

Krutainis tightens his grip and picks Soza up, before dumping him to the ground. Soza manages to land in guard.
Krutainis trying to control but Soza is working from the bottom.
Krutainis 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.
Krutainis stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Soza swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Soza throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Soza is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Soza wants to stand but Krutainis is controlling the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Krutainis preventing the sweep.
Krutainis stops Soza from standing up.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Soza pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

Soza tries to sprawl but Krutainis drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Krutainis is looking to stall here but Soza recovers full guard.
Soza is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Krutainis connects with a couple of short punches.
Krutainis controls from within his opponent's guard.
Krutainis stands up over Soza, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Krutainis postures up.
Krutainis trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Krutainis is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Krutainis is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Krutainis is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Krutainis would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Soza is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Krutainis presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
Soza wants to get back to striking at distance but Krutainis won't allow it.
Krutainis prevents the takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Krutainis has Soza pressed against the cage.

Krutainis has picked Soza up - he's going for a ride! Krutainis dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.

Krutainis is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Soza doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Krutainis.
Krutainis wants to take a breather but Soza is having none of it.
Soza pushes Krutainis off looking to stand but Krutainis dives back in and keeps control.
Soza moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Krutainis trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Krutainis is in close to Soza's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Krutainis trying to control but Soza is working from the bottom.
Soza thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Soza controls Krutainis momentarily but Krutainis frees himself.
Soza manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Krutainis manages to get himself to full guard.

Krutainis looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Gatis Krutainis dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Soza misses with a few strikes there.

Krutainis has closed the distance and engaged Soza in a clinch.
Soza is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Krutainis gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Soza tries to circle away but Krutainis has him pinned against the cage.
Krutainis goes for a takedown in the clinch but Soza prevents it.

Krutainis decides to pull guard.
Krutainis bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Soza's guard.

Krutainis drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Soza manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Krutainis has Soza in his guard.

Krutainis is trying to control the position from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Soza postures up in Krutainis's guard and throws a big left but Krutainis blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Krutainis working a defensive guard here.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Krutainis holds on and takes a little breather.
Soza is looking to stand up but Krutainis won't let him.
Soza looking to sit in guard and control but Krutainis gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Soza keeping full guard, as Krutainis tries to pass.

Krutainis is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Soza is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Soza has escaped and now he's on top!

A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Soza accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Soza engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Krutainis has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Soza won't allow Krutainis to sweep him here.

Krutainis had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Soza defends it easily.
Soza must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Krutainis looking to hit a scissor sweep but Soza is one step ahead there.
Soza has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Krutainis is proving hard to escape from.
Gatis Krutainis overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Krutainis throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Soza escapes and throws Krutainis's legs to the side, diving into side control!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Krutainis can't do much from the bottom here.
Krutainis gets back to half guard.
Krutainis has his hands clasped together around Soza's back. He's all about the action.

Krutainis actively working from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Soza stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Krutainis to get to his feet.
Julian Soza seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Soza buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

Krutainis fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Soza to the ground. Krutainis is now in Soza's guard.
Soza is looking to stand up but Krutainis isn't so interested in that idea.
Krutainis scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Krutainis throws an elbow that misses. Soza uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Krutainis's guard. Nice move by Soza!

The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Soza tries to stand but Krutainis is controlling from the bottom.

Krutainis is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Gatis Krutainis will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Soza jabs Krutainis to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Soza shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Krutainis as he jumps to the side.
Krutainis seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.

Krutainis throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Soza was covering up waiting for the punch and Krutainis finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Soza not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Soza tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Krutainis slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Krutainis tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Krutainis tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Krutainis has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Krutainis decides to stand back up.
Soza throws a sloppy head kick and Krutainis moves out of range easily.

Krutainis clinches with his opponent.

Soza manages to break the clinch.

Krutainis scores with a takedown into Soza's guard.
Soza is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Krutainis trying to control the position from guard on top but Soza is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Krutainis is in close to Soza's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Krutainis decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Soza, up you get!
Soza throws a right hand that Krutainis ducks under and follows up with a left that Krutainis also avoids with ease.
Krutainis circles away from the clinch attempt.
Krutainis moves out of range of the body kick from Soza.
Soza takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Krutainis darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Krutainis decides to stand and escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Soza throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

Krutainis bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
The referee asks Krutainis politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Krutainis prefers to stall for the moment though.
You can see the frustration on Soza's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Krutainis moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Krutainis working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Soza dodges the ground and pound from Krutainis.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Krutainis tries for a kimura but Soza is defending well.
Krutainis works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gatis Krutainis showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Krutainis, 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 Yuuki Gou scores the fight 30:27
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 30:28
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gatis Krutainis!