PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Miguel Azevedo Souza (ranked 895 p4p, 246 weight class) and Ricky Luciano (ranked 108 p4p, 38 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.

Azevedo Souza
vs
Luciano

176 cm
30
150
18 - 9 - 0

178 cm
30
155
22 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

PWNAGE Elite - $25 Tees
Conviction

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 18 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Miguel Azevedo Souza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Ricky Luciano!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, Phil Schofield and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Luciano throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Azevedo Souza stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Luciano's coach down at Shut Up & Train! {$1000} was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Luciano's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Azevedo Souza on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Luciano. Luciano obviously looking to wear him down.
Azevedo Souza connects with a good right hand that stumbles Luciano. Luciano circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Luciano ducks under a wild hook from Azevedo Souza.
Nice defenses there by Azevedo Souza.
Good exchange - Azevedo Souza coming out on top.
Luciano leaves Azevedo Souza with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Luciano feints a counter leg kick.
Luciano fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Azevedo Souza manages to avoid it.
Luciano tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Azevedo Souza was well out of range. Poor timing from Luciano.
Azevedo Souza slips under a jab from Luciano.
Luciano misses with a double jab.
Azevedo Souza half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Left hook, right uppercut from Luciano.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Luciano lands a nice hook to Azevedo Souza's body. Azevedo Souza takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Luciano walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Azevedo Souza moves out of range of the strikes.
Luciano throws a half hearted mid kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Azevedo Souza slips a jab from Luciano.
Azevedo Souza changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Azevedo Souza connects with a single shot there.
A jab from Luciano misses.
Luciano throws a nice inside leg kick.
Luciano lands a jab.
A looping hook to the body misses from Luciano. Azevedo Souza does a little dance to reset his feet.
A little feinted left hand from Azevedo Souza on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Luciano throws an overhand right that lands on Azevedo Souza's shoulder, as Azevedo Souza tries to avoid the shot.
Azevedo Souza was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Ricky Luciano is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Luciano motions for Azevedo Souza to come forward. Luciano throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Azevedo Souza misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Azevedo Souza has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Luciano digs a good hook to Azevedo Souza's body.
Luciano misses with a lunging right hand

and Azevedo Souza counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Luciano manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Azevedo Souza keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Luciano breaks from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Luciano scores with a nice right hand.
Luciano lands with a cross.
Azevedo Souza throws a looping overhand right but Luciano ducks down to avoid it.
Azevedo Souza avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Luciano misses with an uppercut. Azevedo Souza saw that one coming.
Luciano looks to throw the jab but Azevedo Souza is out of range.
A left lands for Luciano.
Luciano misses with the combination.
Azevedo Souza was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Azevedo Souza swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A slow jab from Luciano misses its intended target.
Luciano misses with an uppercut.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Luciano - that will leave a mark!
Luciano lands a nice leg kick that just misses Azevedo Souza's sensitive parts.
Azevedo Souza pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice uppercut lands for Luciano. That snapped Azevedo Souza's head back.
Luciano takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Azevedo Souza throws a hook but Luciano avoids it easily.
Azevedo Souza takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Ricky Luciano seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Luciano lands a nice looking kick to the body. Azevedo Souza takes a step back to recover.
Luciano dips to his left and cracks Azevedo Souza with an uppercut!
Luciano connects with a high kick.
Luciano fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Azevedo Souza has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Luciano scores with a body shot.
Left hook, right uppercut from Luciano.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Luciano keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Luciano! But no joy.
Luciano uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Azevedo Souza.
Azevedo Souza on the wrong end of a nice jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Luciano chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Luciano is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Azevedo Souza had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into mush.
Luciano's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Azevedo Souza connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Luciano scrambles back to his feet.
Luciano misses the body punch
and Azevedo Souza counters with a nice uppercut.
Luciano swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Azevedo Souza throws a body punch but Luciano moves out of range.
Luciano lands with a right hand.
Azevedo Souza steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Luciano.
It looked like Azevedo Souza was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Luciano.
A jab from Luciano misses.
Luciano keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Azevedo Souza.
Azevedo Souza takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Azevedo Souza takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Azevedo Souza is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Luciano.
Azevedo Souza connects with a right hand. Luciano shakes it off.
Luciano throws a head kick that half lands.
A chopping leg kick lands by Luciano.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Azevedo Souza lands a nice hook to Luciano's body. Luciano takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Luciano throws out a loose jab but Azevedo Souza uses good head movement to avoid it.
Luciano fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Luciano fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Azevedo Souza.
Luciano jabs at Azevedo Souza's body.
Luciano scores with a nice head shot.
Ricky Luciano seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Azevedo Souza walks into a jab.
Luciano ducks under a wild hook from Azevedo Souza.
A looping hook to the body misses from Azevedo Souza. Luciano does a little dance to reset his feet.
Luciano throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Azevedo Souza was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Luciano uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Azevedo Souza.
Luciano lands with a thumping leg kick.
Azevedo Souza takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Azevedo Souza misses the jab.
Luciano lands with a thumping leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Luciano misses with a series of wild punches.
Luciano connects with a solid leg kick.
Luciano lands a really nice looking cross but Azevedo Souza seems unphased.
Azevedo Souza walks into a jab.
Luciano throws a poor cross that misses
and Azevedo Souza counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Luciano throws a low kick but it's checked well by Azevedo Souza.
Azevedo Souza takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Azevedo Souza takes a jab right on the kisser.
Luciano looks to land a left hand but Azevedo Souza moved out of range nicely.
Azevedo Souza is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Azevedo Souza moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Azevedo Souza throws a body punch but Luciano moves out of range.
Azevedo Souza showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Luciano.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Luciano throws a low kick, looking for Azevedo Souza's leg but Azevedo Souza calmly moves out of range.
Azevedo Souza scores with a jab.
Azevedo Souza throws a shot from downtown. Luciano moves away and avoids it.
Azevedo Souza misses with a body shot.
Nice straight punches there by Luciano. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Luciano.
Azevedo Souza looks to land a left hand but Luciano moved out of range nicely.
Luciano lands with a hook. Azevedo Souza tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Luciano thumps Azevedo Souza with a low kick.
Luciano throws a hook to the side of Azevedo Souza's head but Azevedo Souza sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Azevedo Souza drops down looking for a counter takedown but Luciano sprawls and moves away.
Azevedo Souza blocks a leg kick.
Luciano lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Azevedo Souza backs up against the cage.
Luciano misses with a left hand
and Azevedo Souza counters with a nice uppercut.
Azevedo Souza looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Azevedo Souza throws a lazy right hand but Luciano sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Azevedo Souza loads up on a big right hand but Luciano slips the punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Azevedo Souza scores with a shot to the body.
Luciano scores with a jab. Azevedo Souza acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Luciano takes one on the button.
A chopping leg kick lands by Luciano.
Luciano misses with a leg kick

and Azevedo Souza counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Luciano!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Azevedo Souza is working for what looks like an arm triangle here. Luciano is trying to escape and Azevedo Souza transitions quickly into an armbar! He's slapped it on tight and Luciano is forced to tap! Nice work there by Azevedo Souza! Very nice indeed!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:44 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Miguel Azevedo Souza!
An out of breath Miguel Azevedo Souza thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.