PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Bruno Sotomayor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Emmanuel Vargas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sotomayor comes to the cage accompanied by Enter Sandman - Metallica. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Sotomayor
vs
Vargas

191 cm
20
201 lbs
9 - 3 - 0

182 cm
24
185 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

††-Bloody Sunday-††

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 9 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Bruno Sotomayor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Emmanuel Vargas!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Alexandre Firmino and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Vargas has managed to clinch.
Vargas crunches a lovely knee into Sotomayor's ribcage.
Vargas throws an elbow that misses.
Sotomayor is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Vargas is defending well for now.
Sotomayor has a couple of punches blocked by Vargas.
Sotomayor looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Knees to the body from Vargas.
Sotomayor is breathing heavily.
Vargas creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Sotomayor's defenses.

It looks like Bruno Sotomayor has been cut.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Vargas.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Vargas creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Sotomayor's defenses.
Sotomayor blocks an elbow strike.
Vargas comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Vargas slows down the pace here.
Sotomayor tries to work over Vargas's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Vargas misses with an elbow over the top.
Vargas is trying to maintain a safe position but Sotomayor gets an underhook and turns Vargas into the cage.
Vargas throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Vargas throws an elbow but it misses.
A nice right hand lands inside from Sotomayor.
Sotomayor blocks the elbow strike.
Sotomayor digs a right hand into Vargas's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Vargas's gas tank.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A hook to the body from Sotomayor.
Sotomayor avoids the elbow strike from Vargas, against the cage.
Vargas throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Vargas trying to stall but Sotomayor improves his position.
Vargas looking to throw knees to the head but Sotomayor is blocking nicely.
Sotomayor trying to land knees to the body.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Vargas obliges.
Vargas misses with an elbow strike.
Vargas blocks an uppercut.
Sotomayor avoids a wild elbow strike from Vargas.
Sotomayor lands an uppercut.
Vargas using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Sotomayor avoids the elbow strike from Vargas, against the cage.
Vargas is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Vargas lands an elbow inside.
Vargas tries to stall but Sotomayor uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Vargas pushes off an throws an elbow but Sotomayor leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Vargas looks to throw an elbow but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vargas landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Vargas manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Vargas is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Sotomayor is defending well for now.
Vargas misses with a knee strike.
Vargas throws a knee to the head but misses.
Sotomayor blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Sotomayor works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Sotomayor throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Sotomayor lands a body punch.
Vargas with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Vargas using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Sotomayor has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Sotomayor throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Vargas missing with knees to the body.
Vargas throws an elbow but it misses.
Sotomayor scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Sotomayor lands a nice shot to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vargas unloads a knee to the mid-section. Sotomayor lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Sotomayor blocks an elbow strike from Vargas.
Sotomayor lands an elbow inside that Vargas shrugs off.

Sotomayor pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Sotomayor lands with a good body shot.

Sotomayor gets the takedown into side control.
Sotomayor taking a breather here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sotomayor working the ground and pound.
A lull in the action here as Sotomayor stalls from top position.
Sotomayor scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Vargas to see if he's OK.
Vargas tries to buck Sotomayor off but Sotomayor is having none of it.
Vargas being controlled for a moment.
Sotomayor's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sotomayor misses with the ground and pound.
Vargas struggling a bit here.
Sotomayor working the ground and pound from side control.
Sotomayor throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Sotomayor lands a decent elbow from side control.
Sotomayor trying to control the action but Vargas is working from the bottom.

Sotomayor tries for a kimura but Vargas is defending well.
Vargas tries to improve position but can't.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Sotomayor in side control, throwing shots but Vargas defends.
Sotomayor working the ground and pound but Vargas is defending the strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Emmanuel Vargas dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Bruno Sotomayor's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Vargas lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Vargas is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Sotomayor shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Vargas is trying to defend but Sotomayor finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Sotomayor controlling the pace.
Vargas wants to get back to his feet.
Sotomayor scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Vargas has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Sotomayor is working away from the top position though.
Sotomayor throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Vargas is refusing to be controlled, as Sotomayor sits in half guard.
Sotomayor lands strikes from half guard.
Vargas is trying to maintain the position but Sotomayor is very close to passing his half guard.
Sotomayor prevents Vargas from improving his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vargas desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Vargas is trying to maintain the position but Sotomayor is very close to passing his half guard.
Vargas wants to get back to his feet.
Sotomayor working Vargas over with strikes.
Vargas wants to get back to his feet.
Sotomayor scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Sotomayor is defended easily by Vargas.
Emmanuel Vargas is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Sotomayor drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Sotomayor is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Vargas has escaped the position, nice work there.
Sotomayor 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.
Sotomayor landing strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vargas is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Vargas is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Sotomayor is controlling him well.
Sotomayor wants to control but Vargas is keeping him busy.
Vargas is trying to improve his position.
Sotomayor lands a nice forearm strike.
Vargas is not content to let Sotomayor control the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Vargas tries to clinch but Sotomayor moves out of range.
Vargas is looking to clinch.
Vargas is looking to clinch.
Sotomayor swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sotomayor dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Sotomayor darts in and clinches Vargas up against the cage.
Vargas landing knees to the body.
Sotomayor blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Sotomayor lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Knees to the body from Vargas.
Vargas misses with an elbow strike.
Vargas lands a knee to the head.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Vargas just misses with a elbow thrown towards Sotomayor's brow.
Vargas missing with knees to the body.
Vargas looking to throw knees to the head but Sotomayor is blocking nicely.
Sotomayor letting Vargas take a breather here.
Sotomayor working aggressively here.
Vargas prevents a body shot from Sotomayor.
Vargas lands a damaging elbow.
Sotomayor misses with a body punch.
Sotomayor lands with a short head shot on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice elbow from Vargas.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Vargas just misses with a elbow thrown towards Sotomayor's brow.
Emmanuel Vargas seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Sotomayor works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Vargas lands an elbow inside that Sotomayor shrugs off.
Vargas looking to stall.
Vargas is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Sotomayor is defending well for now.
Sotomayor misses with a punch on the inside.
Vargas lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Vargas.
Vargas looking to throw knees to the head but Sotomayor is blocking nicely.
Vargas trying to land knees to the body.
Sotomayor dodges an elbow strike from Vargas.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Sotomayor lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Vargas backwards.
Vargas misses with an elbow strike.
Vargas looks to throw an elbow but misses.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Sotomayor fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Emmanuel Vargas will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Bruno Sotomayor's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Sotomayor gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Sotomayor managing to block the knees to the body from Vargas.
Sotomayor lands a knee to the head.
Sotomayor tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Sotomayor blocks the elbow strike.
Vargas comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Vargas looking to throw knees to the head but Sotomayor is blocking nicely.
A short right from Sotomayor on the inside.
Vargas misses with an elbow strike.
A right hook to the body lands for Sotomayor.
Vargas using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Sotomayor has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Sotomayor makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Sotomayor lands a left hand that snaps the head of Vargas backwards.
Vargas takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Sotomayor blocks an elbow strike.
Sotomayor makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Vargas tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Vargas misses with an elbow strike.
Sotomayor letting Vargas take a breather here.
Vargas throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sotomayor blocks an elbow strike.
Vargas misses with an elbow over the top.
Vargas pushes off an throws an elbow but Sotomayor leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Sotomayor blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Sotomayor working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Vargas's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Sotomayor blocks an elbow strike from Vargas.
Sotomayor dodges an elbow strike from Vargas.
Come on Vargas - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Vargas is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Sotomayor is keeping busy.
Vargas looks to throw an elbow but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Sotomayor missing with knees to the body.
Sotomayor throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Vargas looking to throw knees to the head but Sotomayor is blocking nicely.
Sotomayor lands an elbow just above Vargas 's eye.

It looks like Emmanuel Vargas has been cut.
Vargas is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Sotomayor is defending well for now.
Vargas throws a knee to the head but misses.
Vargas misses with a knee to the head.

Sotomayor breaks from the clinch.

Sotomayor closes the distance and clinches.
Sotomayor connects with a knee to the head.
Sotomayor tries to land a knee to the head but Vargas blocks with his arms.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Sotomayor as Vargas tries to tie him up.
Sotomayor lands a right hand.
Sotomayor lands a right hand that snaps the head of Vargas backwards.
Vargas looking to throw knees to the head but Sotomayor is blocking nicely.
Vargas misses with an elbow over the top.
Sotomayor creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vargas connects with a knee to the head.
Vargas with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Sotomayor scores with a shoulder strike.

Sotomayor's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Sotomayor jabs Vargas right on the nose. Vargas blinks but takes it well.
Vargas on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

Sotomayor shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Vargas is trying to defend but Sotomayor finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Sotomayor works his way into side control.
Sotomayor controls the position.
Vargas is looking to reverse the position.
Sotomayor remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Sotomayor has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Vargas is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vargas gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Vargas looks like he's trying to stand up.
Well, if Sotomayor is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Sotomayor working over Vargas with some ground and pound. Vargas looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Vargas keeping control of the position.
Sotomayor wants to free his trapped foot but Vargas is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Bruno Sotomayor has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Emmanuel Vargas is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Vargas avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Sotomayor.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bruno Sotomayor showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Vargas 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 29:29
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Emmanuel Vargas!