PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Cid Strife (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and George Sotiropoulos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Strife comes to the cage accompanied by Tool - Ticks and Leeches. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Strife
vs
Sotiropoulos

183 cm
26
167 lbs
11 - 3 - 1

178 cm
26
156 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Cid Strife!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, George Sotiropoulos!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, Winston Howard and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sotiropoulos circles away from the clinch attempt.
Strife tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sotiropoulos paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Strife buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Sotiropoulos shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Strife sprawls well. Strife wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Sotiropoulos gets slowly back to his feet.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Strife lands an elbow that stopped Sotiropoulos in his tracks for a moment.
Sotiropoulos changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Strife fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Strife drives through and clinches with Sotiropoulos against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strife lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Strife lands an elbow inside.
Strife lands an elbow inside.
Sotiropoulos takes an elbow to the temple.
Strife lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

It looks like George Sotiropoulos has been cut.
Sotiropoulos blocks the elbow strike.
Strife comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Strife creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Strife lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Strife lands a knee to the body.
Sotiropoulos is looking for a takedown.
Cid Strife has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of George Sotiropoulos.
Strife lands an elbow just above Sotiropoulos 's eye.
Strife gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Sotiropoulos.
Strife holding his opponent close, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sotiropoulos changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Strife fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Strife clinches up against the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Strife obliges.
Strife lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Strife gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Sotiropoulos.
Sotiropoulos takes an elbow to the temple.
Strife with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Strife lands an elbow that stopped Sotiropoulos in his tracks for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sotiropoulos is looking to take this one to the mat.
Strife connects with a nasty looking knee right to Sotiropoulos's face.
Knees to the body from Strife.
Sotiropoulos looks gassed!
Strife lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Strife has Sotiropoulos pushed against the cage.
Strife crunches a lovely knee into Sotiropoulos's ribcage.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Strife lands an elbow inside.
Strife lands an elbow just above Sotiropoulos 's eye.
Strife putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Sotiropoulos in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Strife putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Sotiropoulos in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Strife lands an elbow just above Sotiropoulos 's eye.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strife lands a damaging elbow.
Sotiropoulos wants to take the fight to the mat but Strife manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Strife connects with a knee to the head.
Strife unloads a knee to the mid-section. Sotiropoulos lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Sotiropoulos takes an elbow to the forehead.
Strife lands an elbow that stopped Sotiropoulos in his tracks for a moment.
Strife lands an elbow inside that Sotiropoulos shrugs off.

Sotiropoulos is rocked!
A nice glancing elbow lands by Strife.
Sotiropoulos is still on wobbly legs! Can Strife finish him?
Strife lands an elbow that stopped Sotiropoulos in his tracks for a moment.
Sotiropoulos seems to have recovered his senses.
Strife lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Strife connects with a nasty looking knee right to Sotiropoulos's face.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nice elbow from Strife.
Strife gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Strife is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Strife dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cid Strife dominated that round.
The cut man is working on George Sotiropoulos's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Strife throws a front kick that sends Sotiropoulos stumbling back into the cage.
Sotiropoulos shoots in for a double leg but Strife sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Sotiropoulos avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Strife tries to clinch but Sotiropoulos moves out of range.
Strife displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Sotiropoulos.
Strife moves out of range of the body kick from Sotiropoulos.
Strife defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Sotiropoulos.
Cid Strife has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of George Sotiropoulos.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sotiropoulos shoots in but Strife avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Sotiropoulos closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Strife did well to prevent Sotiropoulos getting side control.
Sotiropoulos is breathing heavily.
Sotiropoulos thows a huge punch but Strife dodges it nicely.
Sotiropoulos thows a huge punch but Strife dodges it nicely.
Strife keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Sotiropoulos scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strife keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Sotiropoulos missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Sotiropoulos thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Sotiropoulos is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Sotiropoulos is keen to just control but Strife is a slippery customer.
Sotiropoulos 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.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sotiropoulos throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Sotiropoulos looks to land a strike but Strife avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Sotiropoulos throws an elbow that misses. Strife uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Sotiropoulos's guard. Nice move by Strife!
Strife knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Sotiropoulos on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sotiropoulos is looking for a triangle but Strife pushes his legs off easily.

Sotiropoulos working for a triangle but Strife defends it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sotiropoulos has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Strife can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Sotiropoulos wants to get back to his feet but Strife is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Strife stopping the sweep attempt from Sotiropoulos.
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.
The cut man is working on George Sotiropoulos's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Strife tries to clinch there but Sotiropoulos circles away.
Sotiropoulos fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Sotiropoulos shoots in looking for a takedown but Strife manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Sotiropoulos's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sotiropoulos takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Sotiropoulos fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Strife avoids it really well and circles away.
Cid Strife has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of George Sotiropoulos.

Strife gets a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sotiropoulos has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Strife avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Strife lands an elbow inside.
Strife with a knee to the head.
Sotiropoulos takes an elbow to the forehead.
Strife lands a damaging elbow.
Strife lands a nice elbow.
Cid Strife has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Sotiropoulos drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Strife gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Sotiropoulos takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Sotiropoulos wants to get back to striking at distance but Strife won't allow it.
Strife lands a damaging elbow.
Strife lands an elbow inside that Sotiropoulos shrugs off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strife creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Sotiropoulos's defenses.
Strife gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Sotiropoulos takes a knee right on the jaw!
Strife prevents a takedown attempt there.
Sotiropoulos is looking for a takedown.
Sotiropoulos takes an elbow to the temple.
Strife scores with a knee to the head.
Strife creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Sotiropoulos's defenses.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Strife has Sotiropoulos pressed up against the cage in a tight Thai clinch. Sotiropoulos is arching his back, trying to avoid the knees but a big one sneaks through from Strife - that's hurt Sotiropoulos badly! Oh, another knee lands and Sotiropoulos is covering up! The referee steps in to save him - possibly a bit early but Sotiropoulos doesn't seem to be complaining.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:47 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Knees). Cid Strife!
A very excited looking Cid Strife made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.