PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ben Kenobi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jose Souza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ben Kenobi had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Kenobi
vs
Souza

183 cm
21
190 lbs
1 - 6 - 0

182 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

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 1 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ben Kenobi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jose Souza!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kenobi drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Souza is trying to get back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kenobi controls the position from side control.
Souza is trying to improve his position.
Kenobi working away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kenobi 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.
Souza is looking for a sweep.
Souza trying to remain calm as Kenobi controls from the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Kenobi has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Kenobi cracks Souza with an elbow. That is naaassty.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.

Kenobi is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Souza has escaped the position, nice work there.
Kenobi throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Kenobi working away.
Souza is pushing Kenobi's head away, looking to escape. Kenobi manages to hold on to the position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Kenobi trying to control the action but Souza is working from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Souza misses with a takedown attempt
and Kenobi counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Souza thinking.
Souza looks gassed!
Kenobi moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Kenobi misses with a few strikes there.

Kenobi changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Souza looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Kenobi controls the position.
Souza is trying to control Kenobi's posture but Kenobi avoids it.
Kenobi working the body and head with strikes.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Kenobi is working Souza over with some ground and pound from side control.
Souza is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kenobi takes a little break here. Souza wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Kenobi wants to control but Souza is keeping him busy.
Kenobi landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Kenobi working the ground and pound.
Kenobi with the ground and pound but Souza regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Souza tries to get to full guard but Kenobi has control of the leg.
Souza is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Kenobi trying to mount his opponent but Souza defends it.
Souza is not content to let Kenobi control the position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Souza shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Kenobi as he jumps to the side.
Souza avoids a punch combination nicely.
Kenobi shoots for a double leg takedown but Souza sprawls well. He's pushed Kenobi's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Souza checks the leg kick nicely there.
Kenobi moves in looking to clinch but Souza pushes him off.
Souza misses with a series of wild punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Kenobi dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Kenobi misses with a two punch combination.
Kenobi throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Souza counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Souza.
Kenobi throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Souza trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Souza wants to control from the top but Kenobi keeps moving.
Souza postures up.

Kenobi has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Souza can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Souza trying to control but Kenobi is working from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kenobi looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza postures up.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Souza is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Souza slips a jab and a cross from Kenobi.
Souza connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Souza tries to clinch up.
Souza shoots and misses

and Kenobi counters with a shoot takedown. Souza fights it but they end up in guard.
Souza looking for a sweep. Not yet Souza, not yet.
Souza working a defensive guard here.
Kenobi landing some decent shots from guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kenobi trying to control but Souza is working from the bottom.
Kenobi passes Souza's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Souza wants to get back to his feet.

Kenobi decides to stand and escape the position.
Souza fails to land the takedown.

Kenobi drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Souza prevents Kenobi from moving into mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza on the wrong end of some ground and pound.

Kenobi is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Souza is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Souza is trying to get back to his feet.
Souza is trying to get back to half guard.
Kenobi advances nicely into full mount.
Souza can't escape the position.
Souza is squirming around, avoiding Kenobi's attempts to control the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Kenobi breaks from Souza's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Kenobi controlling the position easily from mount.
Souza can't escape the position.

Kenobi looking for a guillotine from mount but Souza is having none of it.
Kenobi landing strikes from the mount and Souza is in trouble!
Kenobi controlling the position easily from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Kenobi dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Souza shoots in but no luck this time.
A shot to the body from Kenobi misses

and Souza counters with a single leg into guard. Kenobi didn't expect that.
Kenobi will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Kenobi wants to sweep but no luck.
Souza has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Kenobi is proving hard to escape from.
Souza trying to control but Kenobi is working from the bottom.
Kenobi is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Kenobi lands a nice short elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kenobi works his way into full mount!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Kenobi cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Souza is bucking up trying to escape but Kenobi cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Kenobi throwing strikes here but Souza is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Souza controls the position.
Kenobi controlling the pace for now.
Kenobi with good strikes from the mount here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Souza slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Kenobi is controlling the pace.
Kenobi seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Souza for as long as he can get away with.
Souza trying to control but Kenobi postures up.

Kenobi looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kenobi throwing shots but Souza is blocking nicely.
Kenobi working over Souza with some ground and pound. Souza looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Kenobi is keen to just control but Souza is a slippery customer.
Souza is looking for a sweep. Kenobi is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Souza trying to control from the bottom.
Ben Kenobi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

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

Kenobi tries to keep at a distance but Souza has taken the fight into the clinch.
Souza tries to pull guard but Kenobi holds him up against the cage and eventually Souza drops back down to his feet.
Kenobi lands an uppercut.

Kenobi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
No joy there for Souza, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
An inside leg kick lands from Kenobi.
A nice combination there by Kenobi.
Kenobi throws a right and a left that Souza avoids nicely.
Souza closes the distance and clinches up with Kenobi, looking for a takedown. Souza pushes Kenobi against the cage but Kenobi circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Ben Kenobi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jose Souza.
Souza closes this distance looking for a takedown but Kenobi circles away.
Jose Souza has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kenobi tries to clinch but Souza moves out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Jose Souza.
I think Kenobi 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:27
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ben Kenobi!