PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Robert Gallagher (ranked 4737 p4p, 0 weight class) and Giannis Souvlakias (ranked 5915 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Gallagher
vs
Souvlakias

198 cm
24
300 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
25
300 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Robert Gallagher!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Giannis Souvlakias!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Colin Fotheringham and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Souvlakias lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Gallagher circles away quickly and effectively.
Souvlakias lands with a kick to the temple. Gallagher shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

It looks like Robert Gallagher has been cut.
Gallagher fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Souvlakias avoids it really well and circles away.
Souvlakias shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Gallagher as he avoids it easily.

Gallagher closes the distance and clinches.
Souvlakias jumps guard but Gallagher stands there with Souvlakias around his waist. Souvlakias gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Souvlakias breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Souvlakias throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

Gallagher closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Souvlakias pulls guard.
Gallagher engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souvlakias throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Gallagher is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

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.
Gallagher working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Souvlakias is trying to control the position from the bottom.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Gallagher throws a head kick that misses.
Gallagher shoots in for a double leg but Souvlakias sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Souvlakias wants to clinch but Gallagher slips to the side
and Gallagher counters with a series of strikes. Souvlakias will be more careful next time no doubt.
Some wild striking there from Gallagher.
Gallagher thuds his right hand into Souvlakias's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.

It looks like Giannis Souvlakias has been cut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gallagher shoots in looking for a takedown but Souvlakias manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Gallagher's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Robert Gallagher. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Souvlakias connects with a high kick.
Some wild striking there from Gallagher.
Souvlakias moves in looking to clinch but Gallagher pushes him off.
Gallagher does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Gallagher is looking to clinch.

Gallagher fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Souvlakias, pushing him back against the cage.
Gallagher wants a takedown but no success here.
Gallagher jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Souvlakias walks away with a smile on his face. Gallagher gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Souvlakias is trying hard to land a takedown here. Gallagher sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Gallagher is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Souvlakias.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Souvlakias misses with a few strikes there.
We've been informed that Souvlakias has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Souvlakias looks winded!
Gallagher fails with an attempt to clinch.
Souvlakias fails in his attempt to clinch.
Gallagher throws a head kick that misses.
Gallagher fails with a takedown attempt.
Souvlakias avoids the head kick by Gallagher.
Gallagher avoids the body shot from Souvlakias.
Gallagher looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Souvlakias lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Souvlakias is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Gallagher.
Gallagher misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Robert Gallagher will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Souvlakias avoids the head kick by Gallagher.
Robert Gallagher is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Gallagher clinches up against the cage.
Souvlakias is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Gallagher to keep the fight standing.
Souvlakias is trying to pull guard but Gallagher turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Souvlakias tries to score a body lock takedown but Gallagher shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Robert Gallagher has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Giannis Souvlakias.

Souvlakias breaks from the clinch.
Gallagher fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Souvlakias fails with the takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gallagher throws a head kick but Souvlakias moves out of range.
Gallagher avoids the body shot from Souvlakias.
Souvlakias tries to clinch up.
Gallagher wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Souvlakias is breathing heavily.
Souvlakias dives in for a single leg takedown but Gallagher sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gallagher closes the distance and clinches.
A frustrated look appears on Souvlakias's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Souvlakias keeps control of Gallagher as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Gallagher is trying to pull guard but Souvlakias turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Souvlakias pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Souvlakias leaves Gallagher with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Gallagher circles away from the clinch attempt.
Gallagher shoots in but Souvlakias avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Gallagher has managed to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Souvlakias pulls guard.
Gallagher controlling from the top position.
Souvlakias not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Souvlakias can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Gallagher controls the pace.
Souvlakias looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Gallagher working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gallagher stands up and waves to Souvlakias to follow him.
Souvlakias wants to clinch.
Gallagher shoots in looking for a takedown but Souvlakias manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Gallagher's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Souvlakias keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Souvlakias tries a head kick but it misses.
Gallagher looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Souvlakias is fending him off so far but Gallagher persists. Nope, Souvlakias circles away and we're back to standing.

Souvlakias gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Souvlakias breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Souvlakias throws a leg kick which misses Gallagher's front leg but catches the back leg as Gallagher tries to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Souvlakias throws a sloppy head kick and Gallagher moves out of range easily.
Gallagher shoots in but Souvlakias avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Souvlakias thinks about the counter body kick.
Gallagher closes the distance and clinches up with Souvlakias, looking for a takedown. Gallagher pushes Souvlakias against the cage but Souvlakias circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Gallagher tries to keep at a distance but Souvlakias has taken the fight into the clinch.

Souvlakias manages to pull guard.
Souvlakias tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Souvlakias manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Gallagher manages to get himself to full guard.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Giannis Souvlakias showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Souvlakias throws a sloppy head kick and Gallagher moves out of range easily.
Gallagher shoots in but no luck this time.
And Souvlakias tries to counter it with a takedown but Gallagher pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Souvlakias keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Souvlakias tries to clinch but Gallagher moves away
and Gallagher counters with a three punch combo that has Souvlakias backing up. Souvlakias nods at Gallagher to acknowledge the strikes.
Gallagher dives in and grabs Souvlakias's left leg, looking for a takedown. Souvlakias pushes down on Gallagher's head and hops out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Robert Gallagher. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gallagher fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gallagher throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gallagher darts in looking for a takedown but Souvlakias gets double underhooks and turns Gallagher into the cage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Souvlakias lands a nice shot that snaps Gallagher's head back.

Souvlakias closes the distance and pushes Gallagher back into the cage.
Gallagher tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Souvlakias escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Souvlakias doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Gallagher counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Souvlakias thinking.
Gallagher shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Gallagher works Souvlakias's body with a nice hook.
Souvlakias throws a head kick but Gallagher moves out of range.
Souvlakias looks to score with a jab to the body but Gallagher is just out of range.
Gallagher feinted with a counter takedown.
Souvlakias slips a jab and a cross from Gallagher.
Souvlakias tries to clinch but Gallagher is having none of it.
Gallagher wants to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souvlakias displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Gallagher.
Gallagher avoids the head kick by Souvlakias.
Gallagher with a poor takedown

and Souvlakias counters with a takedown into side control.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gallagher manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Gallagher is trying to control the action in half guard but Souvlakias is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Gallagher stalling away here and it's allowed Souvlakias to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Gallagher trying to control the position from guard on top but Souvlakias is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gallagher throws an elbow that misses. Souvlakias uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Gallagher's guard. Nice move by Souvlakias!

Gallagher pulls Souvlakias in to control the position.
Gallagher trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Souvlakias throws an elbow that misses. Gallagher uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Souvlakias's guard. Nice move by Gallagher!

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Souvlakias is looking to clinch but Gallagher is avoiding it.
Gallagher dives in for a single leg takedown but Souvlakias sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Gallagher avoids the head kick by Souvlakias.

Souvlakias moves into the clinch.
Gallagher is looking to break free of the clinch but Souvlakias has double underhooks.

Souvlakias manages to break the clinch.
Souvlakias tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Gallagher manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Souvlakias stuffs the takedown attempt from Gallagher. Gallagher gets slowly back to his feet.
As Gallagher backs off Souvlakias throws a huge counter combo but Gallagher manages to avoid it all.
Gallagher tries a head kick but it misses.
Souvlakias goes for a double leg but Gallagher avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Gallagher continues to drive forward.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Giannis Souvlakias.
I think Souvlakias has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Donald Grub scores the fight 28:29
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 28:29
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Giannis Souvlakias!