PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mike Oxard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thiago Tavares (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tavares has chosen Immortal Technique - Point of No Return as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Oxard
vs
Tavares

190 cm
20
182 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

182 cm
18
177 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mike Oxard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thiago Tavares!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Paulo Santos and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Oxard throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Tavares moves in looking to clinch but Oxard pushes him off.
Oxard tries to clinch but Tavares is having none of it.
Oxard moves out of range as Tavares throws a body kick.
Tavares looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Tavares fails with the takedown.
Oxard lands a left and a right that sends Tavares crashing to the canvas! Oxard dives into mount looking to finish!

Tavares is rocked!

It looks like Thiago Tavares has been cut.
Tavares working to try and regain half guard.
Tavares blocking the ground and pound.
Tavares is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Tavares keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Oxard takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tavares tries to lock up and control but Oxard gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Oxard throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Oxard looking to ground and pound but Tavares is blocking nicely.
Oxard wants to control the pace but Tavares is squirming around nicely.

That's two 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.
Tavares tries to hold on but Oxard pushes him away.
Tavares sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Tavares blocking the ground and pound attempt from Oxard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Tavares manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Oxard wants to stand but Tavares has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Tavares working a defensive guard but Oxard passes into half guard.
Oxard stops Tavares from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Oxard throwing shots but Tavares is blocking nicely.
Oxard perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Tavares tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Tavares is trying to control but can't.
Tavares looks gassed!
Oxard tries to stand and escape but Tavares is controlling the position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Oxard misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Oxard clinches with his opponent.
Oxard gets underhooks to prevent Tavares's takedown attempt.
Mike Oxard has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thiago Tavares.

Tavares has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Oxard uses from the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Tavares wants to sweep here but Oxard controlling him for the moment.
Oxard wants to pass the guard but Tavares is keeping the position.
Oxard tries to stand but Tavares is controlling from the bottom.
Oxard controls from within his opponent's guard.
Tavares looking to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Oxard dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Thiago Tavares's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

The fight stays on the outside here - Tavares looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Oxard keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Oxard lands a nice shot to the body.
Oxard tries to clinch but Tavares moves out of range.
Tavares shoots in for a takedown but Oxard shows good takedown defense.

Oxard instigates a clinch.
Oxard tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Tavares tries a body shot but Oxard blocks it.

Oxard breaks the clinch.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Tavares.
Mike Oxard has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thiago Tavares.
Tavares circles away from the clinch attempt.
Mike Oxard is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tavares is breathing heavily.
Oxard tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Oxard moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Tavares shoots in but Oxard avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Oxard pushes Tavares up against the cage in a clinch.
Oxard wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Oxard tries to break the clinch but Tavares is controlling the position.
Oxard prevents a takedown attempt there.
Oxard tries for a takedown. No joy.
Oxard tries to stall but Tavares uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Oxard manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Oxard wants to get back to his feet but Tavares is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Tavares stopping the sweep attempt from Oxard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tavares trying to control but Oxard is working from the bottom.
Tavares won't allow Oxard to get back to his feet.
Oxard wants to sweep here but Tavares controlling him for the moment.
Oxard wants to get back to his feet but Tavares is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Oxard on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Oxard tries to get out of the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tavares trying to control but Oxard is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Oxard throws a body kick that misses.
Oxard shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Tavares as he avoids it easily.
Tavares wants to clinch.
Oxard misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Oxard shoots in looking for a takedown. Tavares tries to sprawl out of it but Oxard keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Tavares manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Oxard instigates a clinch.
Oxard is trying to stall.
Oxard is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Tavares is trying to break the clinch but Oxard has him pressed against the cage.
Oxard is working for takedown but Tavares is calmly controlling the position for now.
Tavares tries for a takedown but Oxard manages to get underhooks.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Oxard throws an elbow but it's blocked.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Tavares tries for a takedown. No joy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Oxard dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Thiago Tavares's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Tavares shoots in for a takedown but Oxard shows good takedown defense.
Oxard lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Tavares at a distance.
Oxard wants to clinch

and Tavares holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Oxard tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Tavares just stands there and leans against the cage.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Tavares prevents the takedown attempt.
Oxard misses with the head strike.
Oxard is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

Tavares pulls guard successfully.
Tavares trying to keep a closed guard but Oxard is proving a slippery customer.

Oxard decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Tavares, up you get!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tavares wants to clinch.
Tavares shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Oxard pinned against the cage. Oxard gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Oxard forces Tavares back against the cage and clinches.
Oxard will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Tavares up against the cage.

Tavares pulls guard effortlessly.
Oxard trying to stand up but can't free himself from Tavares's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Tavares is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Tavares doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Oxard stops Tavares from standing up.
Tavares working a defensive guard here.
Tavares is looking to stand up but Oxard isn't so interested in that idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tavares is trying to control the position but Oxard postures up.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Oxard throws a leg kick

and Tavares counters with a nice double leg into side control. Oxard won't be happy with that.
Oxard knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Tavares on the ground.
Oxard prevents Tavares from improving position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Oxard is looking for a sweep.
Oxard is trying to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Oxard misses with an elbow from the bottom.
Oxard tries to bench press Tavares off him but Tavares keeps the position.
Tavares advances nicely into full mount.
Oxard holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Tavares tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Thiago Tavares has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mike Oxard is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Oxard tries to hold on but Tavares postures up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thiago Tavares comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Oxard 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 Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 29:28
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mike Oxard!