PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Saint Patrick (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ronaldo Souza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Patrick comes to the cage accompanied by Eminem - Not Afraid. Saint Patrick has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Patrick
vs
Souza

182 cm
22
187 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

184 cm
21
185 lbs
0 - 7 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Saint Patrick!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ronaldo Souza!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Cecil Peabody and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Patrick walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Souza checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Souza takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.

Patrick moves into the clinch.
Souza takes an elbow to the forehead.

It looks like Ronaldo Souza has been cut.
Souza stalling in the clinch but Patrick improves position.

Patrick jumps into guard, dragging Souza to the mat.
Souza trying to control but Patrick is working from the bottom.
Souza stopping the sweep attempt from Patrick.
Souza won't allow Patrick to get back to his feet.
Souza trying to control the position from guard on top but Patrick is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Patrick throws a head kick that misses.
Souza tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Patrick counters with a shoot takedown. Souza fights it but they end up in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza wants to sweep but no luck.
Patrick wants to pass the guard but Souza is keeping the position.
Souza trying to keep a closed guard but Patrick is proving a slippery customer.
Patrick sitting in guard, not really doing much.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Souza looking to control.
Souza wants to sweep here but Patrick controlling him for the moment.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Patrick shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Souza is trying to defend but Patrick finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Patrick is working away from the top position though.
Souza slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Souza tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Patrick is stalling in the full guard.
Souza is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Patrick trying to control the position from guard on top but Souza is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Patrick is breathing heavily.
Souza pulls Patrick in close to his closed guard and prevents Patrick from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Souza looking to control.
Patrick tries to free his leg and advance position but Souza is retaining full guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Souza tries to clinch

and Patrick holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Souza is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Souza seems frustrated at his inability to get double underhooks.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Ronaldo Souza.
Patrick lands a jab-cross combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Souza darts in trying to clinch

and Patrick counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Souza is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Souza can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Patrick controls the pace.
Souza is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Patrick has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Patrick won't allow Souza to sweep him here.
Souza is trying to control the position from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Saint Patrick dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ronaldo Souza's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Souza tries to clinch

and Patrick counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Souza controls Patrick momentarily but Patrick frees himself.
Patrick wants to get up but he can't break Souza's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Souza is adopting a defensive guard.
Souza trying to control the position.
Souza is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Patrick throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Souza works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Souza is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Souza controlling the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Despite being in the dominant position, Ronaldo Souza just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Patrick changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Patrick pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Patrick forces Souza back against the cage and clinches.
Souza tries to stall but Patrick uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

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

Patrick moves into range and clinches up with Souza.
Patrick fails to pull guard.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Patrick tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Souza just stands there and leans against the cage.
Souza stalling in the clinch but Patrick improves position.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Ronaldo Souza.

Patrick clinches with his opponent.
Souza is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Patrick is keeping busy.
Patrick tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Souza just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Saint Patrick. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza taking a breather.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Ronaldo Souza.
Patrick fails with the takedown.
Patrick fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Souza closes the distance looking to clinch

and Patrick counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Patrick.
Souza is trying to maintain a safe position but Patrick gets an underhook and turns Souza into the cage.
The referee calls for Patrick to work.

Patrick pulls guard.
Souza wants to control from the top but Patrick keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Patrick pulls Souza in to control the position.

Patrick is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Souza defends well.
Souza wants to control from the top but Patrick keeps moving.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Patrick holds on and takes a little breather.
Souza preventing the sweep.

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.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Souza tries to clinch up

and Patrick holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Souza taking a breather.
Patrick leaning his opponent against the cage.
Souza is looking to control Patrick's arms but Patrick gets an underhook and turns him. Now Souza has his back to the cage.

Patrick pulls guard.
Souza trying to control the position from guard on top but Patrick is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Souza pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Patrick is keeping the position for now.
Patrick is trying to control the position but Souza postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Saint Patrick dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Ronaldo Souza's cut.
That's time! Patrick's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Souza wants to clinch.
Souza showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Patrick.
Souza tries to clinch but Patrick moves away
and Patrick counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Patrick dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Souza wants to clinch

and Patrick counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Souza is trying to control the position but Patrick postures up.
Souza looking to hit a scissor sweep but Patrick is one step ahead there.
Patrick is stalling in the full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Souza controlling Patrick's posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Patrick wants to stand but Souza is controlling his posture from full guard.
Souza trying to control the position.
Souza might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Patrick kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Souza tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Patrick counters with a three punch combo that has Souza backing up. Souza nods at Patrick to acknowledge the strikes.

That's two 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 tries to clinch but Patrick moves away

and Patrick counters by moving into the clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Patrick as Souza tries to tie him up.
Souza is persisting with his attempts to control the action in the clinch, rather than do any real damage.

Patrick is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Souza can't fight it off and eventually Patrick manages to take the fight to the floor. Souza looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Patrick is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Souza not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Patrick trying to control but Souza is working from the bottom.
Souza controls Patrick momentarily but Patrick frees himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza wants to sweep here but Patrick controlling him for the moment.
Souza not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Saint Patrick overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Souza looks to clinch

and Patrick counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Patrick is trying to trip Souza. He has hold of a leg but Souza is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Patrick persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Souza 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.
Souza looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Patrick is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Patrick looking to pass the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Souza preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Souza is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Patrick stopping the sweep attempt from Souza.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Souza tries to clinch but Patrick moves away

and Patrick counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Patrick turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Patrick manages to end up in side control.
Souza trying his best to control but Patrick has mounted him.
Ronaldo Souza has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Saint Patrick is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Patrick controlling the pace for now.
Patrick wants to control the pace but Souza is squirming around nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
Saint Patrick showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Patrick has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:27
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Saint Patrick!