PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Scott Sopoaga (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Burdon Ambler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Sopoaga
vs
Ambler

180 cm
18
178 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

203 cm
20
200 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Scott Sopoaga!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Burdon Ambler!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ambler feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Sopoaga might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Ambler throwing strikes from guard but Sopoaga blocks nicely.
Ambler not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Sopoaga is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Ambler slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Ambler looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Sopoaga has picked Ambler up and slammed him! Ambler can't keep hold of the triangle and Sopoaga manages to pass to side control!
Sopoaga tries to stand but Ambler is controlling his head.

Sopoaga stands up and beckons Ambler to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ambler moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Ambler bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Sopoaga's head.
A nice combination there by Ambler.
Ambler misses with a takedown attempt - Sopoaga sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Ambler fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Sopoaga looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Sopoaga fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ambler misses with a wild combination.
Ambler throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Sopoaga's waist but Sopoaga gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Ambler off to one side.
Ambler goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Ambler ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Sopoaga is breathing heavily.
Ambler scores with a three punch combo!
Ambler works Sopoaga's body with a nice hook.
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!
No luck for Ambler with that takedown attempt.
Scott Sopoaga has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Burdon Ambler.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ambler circles away from the clinch attempt.
Ambler lands a two punch combo.
Sopoaga looks to throw the jab but Ambler is out of range.
Ambler throws a combination. Sopoaga tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Sopoaga has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Ambler finds it's way round the side to connect with Sopoaga's head.
The fight stays on the outside here - Sopoaga looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Burdon Ambler seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ambler closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Ambler lands in his opponent's guard.
Ambler tries to free his leg and advance position but Sopoaga is retaining full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sopoaga working a defensive guard here.
Sopoaga can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Ambler controls the pace.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ambler throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sopoaga works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Burdon Ambler dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Ambler fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Ambler connects with a body shot.
Ambler closes this distance looking for a takedown but Sopoaga circles away.
Ambler is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Sopoaga keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Scott Sopoaga has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Burdon Ambler.
Ambler shoots for a takedown but Sopoaga saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ambler avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sopoaga throws a hook but Ambler avoids it easily.
Sopoaga takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Sopoaga slips a jab and a cross from Ambler.
Ambler will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Ambler scores with a nice right hand.
A decent looking cross lands there for Ambler.
Ambler misses with a wild combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Nice takedown defense from Ambler. No joy for Sopoaga on that attempt.
Sopoaga misses with a shot to the body
and Ambler counters with a one-two to the body.
Ambler fails with a takedown attempt.
Good standup being displayed there by Ambler as he connects with a hook.
Ambler tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Sopoaga swivels and escapes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sopoaga takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Ambler shoots for a takedown but Sopoaga saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
A left lands for Ambler.
Ambler is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Sopoaga tries to clinch but Ambler moves out of range.
Ambler lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Ambler throws a shot to the body.
Ambler looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ambler throws a one two combo.
Ambler will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Ambler shoots for a takedown but Sopoaga saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Ambler is working the combinations to good effect here.
Ambler wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Ambler lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Ambler looks to land a combination but Sopoaga avoids it well.
Ambler blocks a jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Burdon Ambler showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Sopoaga walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

Ambler shoots in and bounces Sopoaga off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Ambler trying to control but Sopoaga is working from the bottom.

Ambler drops back looking for a leg! Sopoaga is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Sopoaga manages to kick Ambler off! Ambler jumps back into Sopoaga's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sopoaga is adopting a defensive guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ambler pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sopoaga is keeping the position for now.

Ambler drops back, looking for a kneebar! Sopoaga looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Sopoaga looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Sopoaga!
Ambler is trying to improve his position.

That's two 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.
Sopoaga in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sopoaga is looking to take a break and control but Ambler is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Ambler can't do much from the bottom here.
Ambler keeps Sopoaga under control for a moment.
Ambler is looking to reverse the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ambler gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Ambler makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Ambler.

Ambler is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Sopoaga stopping the sweep attempt from Ambler.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ambler not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Scott Sopoaga has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Ambler throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Ambler throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Ambler throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

And that's the end of the fight!
Burdon Ambler comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Ambler 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 Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Burdon Ambler!