PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Bader Jones (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and George Sotiropoulos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). George Sotiropoulos is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Jones
vs
Sotiropoulos

165 cm
25
150 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

178 cm
25
156 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Bader Jones!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, George Sotiropoulos!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, Summer Carpenter and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jones shoots in but Sotiropoulos avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Sotiropoulos gets the takedown into side control.
Jones taking a bit of punishment here - Sotiropoulos scoring with strikes.
Jones is looking for a sweep.
Sotiropoulos scores with a couple of short elbows.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Jones is trying to escape the position but Sotiropoulos is controlling the position.
Sotiropoulos throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Sotiropoulos throws an elbow but Jones slips to the side and avoids it well.
Jones is not content to let Sotiropoulos control the position.
Sotiropoulos gets to mount! Jones was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Sotiropoulos landing strikes from the mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sotiropoulos throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Jones tries to hold on but Sotiropoulos pushes him away.
Sotiropoulos thowing shots but they're missing.
Sotiropoulos scoring with strikes but Jones is staying in there.
Jones avoids a series of strikes thrown by Sotiropoulos.
Jones wants to control but Sotiropoulos is having none of it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sotiropoulos throwing strikes here but Jones is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Sotiropoulos working the ground and pound effectively.
Sotiropoulos with the ground and pound from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sotiropoulos lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Jones is wriggling around trying to escape.
Poor strikes thrown by Sotiropoulos there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Sotiropoulos landing strikes from the mount and Jones is in trouble!
Sotiropoulos scoring with strikes but Jones is staying in there.
Jones bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Jones stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sotiropoulos swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Jones is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Sotiropoulos is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Sotiropoulos has escaped and now he's on top!
Sotiropoulos is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sotiropoulos gets to his feet. Jones looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Jones scores a takedown into full mount!
Jones wants to control the pace but Sotiropoulos is squirming around nicely.
Sotiropoulos gets back to half guard.
Jones trying to control from Sotiropoulos's half guard. Sotiropoulos has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Jones wants to control from the top but Sotiropoulos keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jones stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sotiropoulos swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Sotiropoulos trying to control the position.
Jones pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sotiropoulos is keeping the position for now.
Jones trying to control but Sotiropoulos is working from the bottom.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Jones with a poor takedown

so Sotiropoulos counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Jones tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Sotiropoulos in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Sotiropoulos trying to control but Jones is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

George Sotiropoulos dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Sotiropoulos shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Sotiropoulos showed some decent athleticism there.
Sotiropoulos wants to free his trapped foot but Jones is holding on for dear life with his legs.
George Sotiropoulos has got the better of the ground game so far.
Jones wants to control but Sotiropoulos is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Sotiropoulos has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Jones blocking the ground and pound attempt from Sotiropoulos.
Jones is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Sotiropoulos thows a huge punch but Jones dodges it nicely.

Sotiropoulos is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Jones defends it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones is looking for a sweep. Sotiropoulos is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Jones has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Sotiropoulos is working away from the top position though.
Jones wants to get back to full guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Sotiropoulos trying to control the action but Jones is working from the bottom.
Jones is trying to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sotiropoulos wants to take a breather but Jones is having none of it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Jones tries for a takedown but Sotiropoulos sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Sotiropoulos tries to close the distance and clinch up but Jones swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Jones has a takedown stuffed.

Sotiropoulos closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Sloppy strikes there by Sotiropoulos.
Sotiropoulos in side control, throwing shots but Jones defends.
Sotiropoulos wants to lay and pray for a moment but Jones keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones wants to control but Sotiropoulos postures up.
Jones is trying to get back to half guard.
Jones is not content to let Sotiropoulos control the position.
Sotiropoulos fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Jones wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Sotiropoulos wants to lay and pray for a moment but Jones keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jones tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Sotiropoulos wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Sotiropoulos sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Jones is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Sotiropoulos fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Jones manages to get back to half guard.
Sotiropoulos trying to control from half guard but Jones is working away.

Sotiropoulos decides to stand up.
Sotiropoulos is breathing heavily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Jones shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Sotiropoulos sprawls well. Sotiropoulos wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Jones gets slowly back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

George Sotiropoulos showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Sotiropoulos shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Sotiropoulos showed some decent athleticism there.
Jones is trying to get back to full guard.
Sotiropoulos is thwarting Jones's attempts to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sotiropoulos is trying to control the action in half guard but Jones is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Jones is trying to maintain the position but Sotiropoulos is very close to passing his half guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Sotiropoulos throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Sotiropoulos shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Sotiropoulos decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Sotiropoulos closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Sotiropoulos takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sotiropoulos in side control, throwing shots but Jones defends.
Jones tries to bench press Sotiropoulos off him but Sotiropoulos keeps the position.
Sotiropoulos throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Sloppy strikes there by Sotiropoulos.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Sotiropoulos is chipping away with strikes.
You can see the frustration on Jones's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Sotiropoulos tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Jones might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Jones is trying to control Sotiropoulos's posture but Sotiropoulos avoids it.
Sotiropoulos misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sotiropoulos working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Jones tries to buck Sotiropoulos off but Sotiropoulos is having none of it.
Sotiropoulos has knee on belly momentarily but Jones bucks him off and regains half guard.
Jones is holding on to half guard well.
Bader Jones has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Jones is looking to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sotiropoulos trying to control from half guard but Jones is working away.
Sotiropoulos is pressing down on Jones's thigh, looking to free his foot. Jones is holding on for now.
Sotiropoulos is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Sotiropoulos prevents Jones from improving his position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Jones wants to control but Sotiropoulos is keeping busy.
George Sotiropoulos is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Still in half guard, Sotiropoulos seems content to control.

And that's the end of the fight!
George Sotiropoulos comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Sotiropoulos has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Damien Edna scores the fight 27:30
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 27:30
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... George Sotiropoulos!