PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Alex Karagounis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Carlos Souza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Carlos Souza is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Karagounis
vs
Souza

190 cm
19
171 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
180 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Alex Karagounis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Carlos Souza!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Felipe Paraventi and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Karagounis moves in looking to clinch but Souza pushes him off.
Souza fails with a takedown attempt.
Karagounis throws a nice inside leg kick.
Karagounis tries to clinch but Souza is having none of it.
Souza shoots for a takedown but Karagounis saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Karagounis takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
A bone on bone clash there as Souza blocks the leg kick.
Karagounis tries to close the distance and clinch up but Souza swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Karagounis takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Karagounis tries to clinch up.
Souza will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Alex Karagounis has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Carlos Souza.
Karagounis fails in his attempt to clinch.
Karagounis tries to clinch but Souza is having none of it.
Souza throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Karagounis's waist but Karagounis gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Souza off to one side.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Souza is looking to clinch but Karagounis is avoiding it.

Karagounis clinches.
Karagounis using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Souza has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Souza has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Karagounis is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Karagounis looking to throw knees to the head but Souza is blocking nicely.
Karagounis with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Karagounis misses with a knee strike.
Karagounis looking to throw knees to the head but Souza is blocking nicely.
Karagounis lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

It looks like Carlos Souza has been cut.
Karagounis misses with a knee to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karagounis throws a knee to the head but misses.
Karagounis using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Souza has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Karagounis misses with a knee to the head.
Karagounis is breathing heavily.
Souza changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Karagounis fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Karagounis takes one to the chin there.

Souza darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Souza stops Karagounis from getting back to his feet.
Souza keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Karagounis avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Souza.
Souza tries to stand and escape but Karagounis actually recovers to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza is looking to advance position but Karagounis has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Souza can't escape the position.
Souza wants to hold on but Karagounis pushes him away.
Karagounis trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Souza working to try and regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Souza slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Karagounis controlling the action here.
Souza is looking to improve his position.
Karagounis controlling the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Souza desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Souza tries to kick Karagounis off but Karagounis keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Souza has one foot on Karagounis's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.

Souza closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Karagounis to the mat! Karagounis manages to get full guard.
Souza trying to control but Karagounis is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Carlos Souza will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Carlos Souza's cut.
That's time! Karagounis's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

The fighters circling - Souza throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Souza lands with a cross.
Karagounis wants to clinch up but Souza keeps it at a distance.
Souza shoots in and drives through. Karagounis sprawls well.
Souza circles away from the clinch attempt.

Souza shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Karagounis is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Karagounis really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Souza wants to get up but he can't break Karagounis's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Souza trying to control but Karagounis is working from the bottom.
Souza preventing the sweep.
Souza is breathing heavily.
Souza stops Karagounis from standing up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza stays in close to Karagounis's body and controls the position.
Souza trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Souza tries to stand but Karagounis is controlling from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Souza changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Karagounis tries to avoid it but Souza manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Karagounis to the ground. Karagounis escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Souza connects with the punch.
Karagounis wants to clinch.
Karagounis wants to clinch

and Souza decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Karagounis's guard.
Souza wants to get up but he can't break Karagounis's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Souza is stalling in the full guard.
Karagounis is adopting a defensive guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza stays in close to Karagounis's body and controls the position.
Souza postures up in Karagounis's guard and throws a big left but Karagounis blocks it.
Souza would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Souza sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Karagounis is keeping the position for now.
Souza postures up in Karagounis's guard and throws a big left but Karagounis blocks it.
Karagounis can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Souza controls the pace.

That's four 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.
Souza has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Karagounis is proving hard to escape from.
Souza wants to control from the top but Karagounis keeps moving.
Souza sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Souza wants to stand but Karagounis has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Carlos Souza showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Carlos Souza's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Karagounis doesn't manage to clinch there - Souza circles away.
Karagounis tries to close the distance and clinch up but Souza swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Karagounis doesn't manage to clinch there - Souza circles away.
Karagounis wants to clinch
and Karagounis takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Karagounis is looking to clinch but Souza is avoiding it.
Karagounis lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Karagounis keeps the fight on the outside.
Souza tries to clinch up but Karagounis circles away and keeps his distance.
Some bone on bone action there as Souza checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Karagounis fails in his attempt to clinch.
Souza has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Souza keeps the fight on the outside.
Karagounis tries to clinch up.
Souza keeps the fight on the outside.
Karagounis wants to clinch up but Souza keeps it at a distance.
Souza darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Souza's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Souza duly obliges.
Souza checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.

Karagounis clinches up with Souza and pushes him back against the cage.
Souza goes for a takedown attempt but Karagounis pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Souza takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Karagounis gets caught flat footed, as Souza shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karagounis trying to keep a closed guard but Souza is proving a slippery customer.
Souza looking to sit in guard and control but Karagounis gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Souza looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Karagounis decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
The fighters circle momentarily. Souza darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Karagounis moves in looking to clinch but Souza pushes him off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Souza scores with the left hand. Karagounis knows he should have avoided that one.

Karagounis forces Souza back against the cage and clinches.
Karagounis looking to throw knees to the head but Souza is blocking nicely.
Karagounis tries a knee to the head but Souza blocks it.
Souza wants to break the clinch but can't.
Souza wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Karagounis with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Karagounis with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Souza wants to break free but Karagounis has control.
Karagounis tries to land a knee to the head but Souza blocks with his arms.
Souza makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Souza has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Karagounis avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Karagounis misses with a knee strike.
Karagounis prevents the takedown attempt.
Alex Karagounis has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Carlos Souza.
Souza has Karagounis pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Karagounis manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Karagounis prevents the takedown attempt.
Karagounis throws a knee to the head but misses.
Karagounis misses with a knee strike.

Souza pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Souza smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Karagounis.
Souza looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Karagounis is fending him off so far but Souza persists. Nope, Karagounis circles away and we're back to standing.

Karagounis instigates a clinch.
A short left from Souza.
Souza looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Karagounis with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Souza tries for a takedown. No joy.
Karagounis with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Karagounis looking to throw knees to the head but Souza is blocking nicely.
Karagounis gets underhooks to prevent Souza's takedown attempt.
Karagounis with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Karagounis misses with a knee to the head.
Karagounis prevents a takedown attempt there.
Karagounis with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Karagounis using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Souza has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Karagounis misses with a knee strike.
Karagounis tries to land a knee to the head but Souza blocks with his arms.
Carlos Souza is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Souza wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Karagounis has him pressed against the cage.
Karagounis throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Souza blocks it with crossed arms.
Karagounis looking to throw knees to the head but Souza is blocking nicely.
Karagounis with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Karagounis misses with a knee strike.
Karagounis tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Souza wants a takedown but no success here.
Karagounis misses with a knee to the head.
Souza drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Karagounis gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Karagounis using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Souza has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Karagounis tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Karagounis tries a knee to the head but Souza blocks it.
Karagounis keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Souza's efforts to push away.
Alex Karagounis has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Karagounis with an attempt at a knee that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Alex Karagounis.
I think Souza has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 28:30
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Carlos Souza!