PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ryan Souza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Usher Pressley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Souza
vs
Pressley

182 cm
22
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

187 cm
22
203 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ryan Souza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Usher Pressley!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pressley shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Souza as he jumps to the side.

Souza clinches.
Souza tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Pressley just stands there and leans against the cage.
Souza has Pressley pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Pressley manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Souza breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Pressley doesn't manage to clinch there - Souza circles away.
Souza shoots in for a takedown but Pressley shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ryan Souza. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pressley misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Pressley stuns Souza with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Souza fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Pressley avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Souza tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Pressley paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Souza shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Souza shoots in for a double leg but Pressley sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Souza looks to clinch

and Pressley counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Pressley really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Souza. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Souza is breathing heavily.
Pressley is looking to stand up but Souza won't let him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pressley throwing strikes from guard but Souza blocks nicely.
Pressley stands and throws Souza's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Pressley tries to move into full mount but can't pass Souza's legs.
Pressley throws an elbow but Souza slips to the side and avoids it well.
Pressley misses with the ground and pound.
Pressley creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Souza sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

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

and Pressley counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Pressley looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Pressley is thwarting Souza's attempts to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pressley seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Pressley tries to stand and escape but Souza is controlling the position.
Still in half guard, Pressley seems content to control.

Pressley is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Souza defends it well.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Pressley's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

Pressley is working for a submission of some sort.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pressley is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Pressley keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Pressley trying to control from half guard but Souza is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Pressley is working for a kimura but Souza is defending it quite comfortably.
Souza keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Pressley throwing shots but Souza is blocking nicely.
Pressley tries to pass the half guard into mount. Souza knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Souza is looking to escape.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Souza checks a low kick from Pressley.

Souza darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Pressley tries for a takedown but Souza circles away easily

and Souza counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Souza is tying to control. Pressley wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Souza wants to free his trapped foot but Pressley is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Pressley looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Souza escapes and gets back to his feet.
Ryan Souza seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pressley doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Souza counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Souza is looking for a kimura but Pressley is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Souza to get the leverage.
Souza sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Pressley defending well though.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Pressley is trying to stand up here but Souza is controlling him well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pressley wants to control but Souza is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Pressley is positioning himself well to prevent Souza advancing to mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Souza is tying to control. Pressley wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Souza is working for a kimura but Pressley is defending it quite comfortably.
Souza works his way into side control.

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

Souza stands up and beckons Pressley to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza shoots in looking for a takedown. Pressley tries to sprawl out of it but Souza keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Pressley manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Pressley throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Souza's waist but Souza gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Pressley off to one side.
Ryan Souza has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Usher Pressley.
Souza throws a combination that misses

and Pressley counters by clinching up.
Pressley tries to break the clinch but Souza is controlling the position.
Souza has Pressley pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Pressley manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

Souza breaks the clinch.

Souza looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Pressley!

Souza is standing up, even though he is in mount.

Pressley instigates a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza avoiding damage as Pressley throws knees to the body.
Souza trying to land knees to the body.
Souza drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Pressley gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Souza.
Souza is working for takedown but Pressley is calmly controlling the position for now.
With the fighters up against the cage, Pressley throws an elbow but misses.

Souza breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Horrible takedown by Pressley or perhaps it was just good defense by Souza which made him look bad.
Souza shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Pressley but Pressley pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Pressley has a takedown stuffed.
Souza looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Pressley circles away from the clinch attempt
and Souza takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Souza misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Pressley looks to land a combination. Souza sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

Pressley fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Souza, pushing him back against the cage.

Souza breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Souza drives through and clinches with Pressley against the cage.

Souza breaks the clinch.
Ryan Souza is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Souza misses with a hook. Pressley ducked under it nicely.

Souza fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Pressley, pushing him back against the cage.

Souza breaks the clinch.
Souza swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Pressley shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Souza pinned against the cage. Souza gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Souza shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Pressley tries to get back to half guard but can't.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Souza avoids the attempt from Pressley to control.
Pressley is in all sorts of trouble here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan Souza dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Souza stuffs the takedown.
Pressley scores with a hook.
Pressley looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Horrible takedown by Souza or perhaps it was just good defense by Pressley which made him look bad.

Pressley darts in and clinches Souza up against the cage.
Pressley missing with knees to the body.
Pressley wants to break free but Souza has control.
Pressley is trying to break the clinch but Souza has him pressed against the cage.

Pressley pulls Souza into guard.

Souza avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Pressley has his foot on Souza's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Souza works his way back into a safe position though.
Souza wants to control from the top but Pressley keeps moving.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Pressley is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza passes into half guard.
Souza working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Pressley is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Souza jumps into side control!
Pressley tries to bench press Souza off him but Souza keeps the position.
Souza moves into full mount!
Pressley wants to hold on but Souza pushes him away.

Souza is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Souza shoots in looking for a takedown. Pressley tries to sprawl out of it but Souza keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Pressley manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Pressley shoots for a double leg takedown but Souza sprawls well. He's pushed Pressley's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Ryan Souza has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Usher Pressley.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pressley looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Souza tries to close the distance and clinch but Pressley swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Pressley looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Souza is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Souza misses with a combination

and Pressley counters by moving into the clinch.
Pressley has Souza pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Souza manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Pressley tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Souza smiles and moves away.
Souza keeps the fight on the outside.

Pressley has closed the distance and engaged Souza in a clinch.
With the fighters up against the cage, Pressley throws an elbow but misses.

Souza pulls guard effortlessly.
Pressley trying to control but Souza is working from the bottom.
Ryan Souza overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Souza is working an open guard so Pressley takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pressley doesn't manage to clinch there - Souza circles away.
Souza tries to close the distance and clinch up but Pressley swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Pressley wants to clinch

and Souza counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Pressley tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Souza just stands there and leans against the cage.
Souza is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Pressley pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Souza tries for a takedown. No joy.

Pressley successfully pulls guard.
Souza trying to control the position from guard on top but Pressley is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Pressley had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Souza is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Pressley Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Souza's back instead.
Souza trying to control the hands but Pressley breaks the grip.
Pressley misses with a punch to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pressley is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Pressley struggling to land strikes to the head as Souza covers up.
Will Pressley go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?

Pressley has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.

Pressley is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Souza is really stuck here.

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 Ryan Souza.
I think Souza has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Usher Pressley!