PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Maori Souljah (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and George Spur (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Maori Souljah has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Souljah
vs
Spur

225 cm
25
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

158 cm
19
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 Helsinki, Maori Souljah!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, George Spur!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Arvi Lind and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Souljah shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Spur is trying to stand back up but Souljah is controlling him
Souljah thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Spur has hold of Souljah's hands but Souljah slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Spur is trying to get back to full guard.
Souljah working over Spur with some ground and pound. Spur looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Souljah controlling the action here.
Spur on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Souljah prevents Spur from standing back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souljah looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Spur with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Spur moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Souljah trying to control but Spur is working from the bottom.
Souljah prevents Spur from getting back to his feet.
Souljah trying to control the position from guard on top but Spur is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Souljah will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Souljah not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Souljah postures up in Spur's guard and throws a big left but Spur blocks it.
Souljah passes Spur's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souljah lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Souljah takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Souljah wants to take a breather but Spur is having none of it.
Spur moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Spur is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Souljah is controlling him.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Souljah works over Spur with some ground and pound from guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souljah wants to pass the guard but Spur is keeping the position.
Souljah connects with a couple of short punches.
Souljah's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Souljah advances to half guard.
Still in half guard, Souljah seems content to control.
Spur is refusing to be controlled, as Souljah sits in half guard.
Souljah controlling the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

We're going to have a standup here because Maori Souljah wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Souljah scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Souljah working the body and head with strikes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Souljah scoring with punches and elbows.
Spur tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Souljah wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Spur looks gassed!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Spur is trying to control Souljah's posture but Souljah avoids it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maori Souljah dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Spur gets caught flat footed, as Souljah shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Spur should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Souljah is looking to work some ground and pound but Spur has wrist control.
Maori Souljah overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Spur keeping moving, preventing Souljah from controlling successfully.
Spur throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Spur wants to stand but Souljah is controlling the position.
Souljah cracks Spur with a solid left hand.
Souljah scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Souljah working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Souljah working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Spur's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souljah postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Souljah wants to pass the guard but Spur is keeping the position.
Souljah scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Souljah's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Souljah is working Spur over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Souljah lands a couple of digs.
Spur trying to control the position.
Spur is breathing heavily.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Souljah's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Souljah looking to sit in guard and control but Spur gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Spur is fighting to break Souljah's control of his arms but Souljah is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Souljah has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Spur trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Souljah manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Souljah content to stall in guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souljah postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Souljah makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Souljah postures up and lands a big shot to Spur's brow.
Spur throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Souljah sitting in guard here, content to control.
Spur keeping full guard, as Souljah tries to pass.
Spur is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Souljah lands a couple of elbows.
Spur wants to hit a switch here but Souljah passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Spur there!
Souljah takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Souljah putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Souljah with a couple of short strikes.
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!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Souljah cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maori Souljah dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Souljah shoots in looking for a takedown but Spur manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Souljah's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Spur displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Souljah.
Souljah looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Spur is fending him off so far but Souljah persists. Nope, Spur circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Maori Souljah. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Souljah fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Souljah is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Spur can do to turn this around?
Souljah fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Souljah shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Spur wants to control but Souljah is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Spur is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souljah wants to control but Spur is keeping him busy.
Spur wants to get back to his feet.
Spur trying to control here.

George Spur has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Spur tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Souljah swivels and escapes.
Souljah misses with a takedown

and Spur counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Spur misses with a head shot. Souljah uses the momentum to regain guard.
Spur stopping the sweep attempt from Souljah.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souljah pulls Spur in close to prevent any damage.
Souljah looking for a sweep. Not yet Souljah, not yet.
Souljah is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Souljah looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Souljah pulls Spur in to control the position.

We're going to have a standup here because Maori Souljah wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Spur gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Spur wants to stand up but Souljah is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spur is trying to keep Souljah in close.
Souljah landing some decent shots from guard.
Spur is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Souljah is controlling him.
Souljah controlling from the top position.
Spur can't keep his opponent in guard - Souljah advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Spur tries to get to full guard but Souljah has control of the leg.
Souljah is nestled in close to Spur, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Souljah winds up and cracks Spur with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nice strikes from Souljah there.
Souljah passes to full mount!
George Spur has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A nice elbow there by Souljah.

And that's the end of the fight!
Maori Souljah showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Souljah 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Maori Souljah!