PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Abe Ward (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ricardo Filho (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Ward
vs
Filho

190 cm
18
210 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

182 cm
18
205 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Abe Ward!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ricardo Filho!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Paulo Santos and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ward shoots in but Filho avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Filho closes the distance and clinches.
Ward on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Filho.

Filho breaks the clinch.
Filho fails with an attempt to clinch.

Filho moves into the clinch.
Filho stops a takedown attempt from Ward.

Filho breaks from the clinch.
Some bone on bone action there as Ward checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.

Ward scores with a takedown into Filho's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ward tries to free his leg and advance position but Filho is retaining full guard.
Filho is pulling down on Ward's head to control his posture.
Let's hope that Filho has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

Filho kicks Ward off and gets to his feet.
Filho fails with an attempt to clinch.
Filho wants to clinch up but Ward keeps it at a distance.
Ward shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Filho but Filho pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Abe Ward. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Filho looks to land a combination but Ward avoids it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Filho misses with a two punch combination.
Ward blocks a head kick by Filho.
Filho looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Ward looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Filho is fending him off so far but Ward persists. Nope, Filho circles away and we're back to standing.
Filho tries to clinch up but Ward circles away and keeps his distance.

Filho gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Ward drops back looking for a leg! Filho is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Filho manages to kick Ward off! Ward jumps back into Filho's guard.
Filho controlling Ward's posture.
Filho keeping full guard, as Ward tries to pass.

Ward drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Filho dives on top into guard.
Filho is looking to stand up but Ward won't let him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ward looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Filho passes into half guard.
Ward is trying to get back to full guard.
Ward has a hand on Filho's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Filho takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!

Filho stands up from mount. Strange move.
Filho looks to land a body kick but Ward moved away.
Filho looks gassed!
Ward misses with a takedown attempt - Filho sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Filho misses with a body kick.
Filho 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.
Ward closes this distance looking for a takedown but Filho circles away.
Filho throws a head kick but Ward moves out of range.

Ward scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Ward tries to advance to mount but Filho denies him.

Ward is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Filho has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ward is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Filho knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Filho really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Ward. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Ward tries for a kimura but Filho is defending well.

Ward tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Ward thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Ward tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Ward has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Ward tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ward tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Filho gets back to half guard.

Ward is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Filho is in trouble now - Ward has advanced to mount!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Ward has isolated one of Filho's arms. Filho looking to fight him off but Ward twists into an armbar. It's tight... Will he tap?? YES, he's tapped! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Abe Ward!