PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Calvin Love (ranked 4066 p4p, 2855 weight class) and Alex Jota (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jota has a niggling injury. He would have liked to come in 100% fit but that's not always possible. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Love
vs
Jota

198 cm
18
265
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
25
265
4 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Good kicks
Big heart

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Calvin Love!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alex Jota!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Eddie Farnsworth and David Schapiro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jota stuffs the takedown attempt from Love. Love gets slowly back to his feet.
Love shoots in but no luck this time.
Love shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Jota as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Calvin Love. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Love takes the fight into the clinch.

Love breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Love shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Jota pinned against the cage. Jota gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Love pulls out of a head kick attempt.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Love has Jota pressed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Love is pushing Jota up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Love tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Jota jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Love walks away with a smile on his face. Jota gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Love forces Jota back against the cage and clinches.
Jota tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Love smiles and moves away.
Jota looks winded!
Love throws a right and a left that Jota avoids nicely.
Love misses with a few strikes there.
Alex Jota seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Jota tries to close the distance and clinch but Love swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Love is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Jota's half guard.
Love not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Love wants to free his trapped foot but Jota is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Jota is staying active underneath Love, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The fighters are battling for position here. Jota manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Jota keeping full guard, as Love tries to pass.

Jota is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Love defends well.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Love slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Love wants to control from the top but Jota keeps moving.
Love trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Jota keeping moving, preventing Love from controlling successfully.

Jota is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Jota keeping moving, preventing Love from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Jota has his foot on Love's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Love works his way back into a safe position though.

Jota looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Jota working for a triangle but Love defends it easily.
Love wants to control from the top but Jota keeps moving.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Love working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Calvin Love will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Love clinches up with Jota and pushes him back against the cage.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Jota fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Love slows down the pace here.
Jota jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Love walks away with a smile on his face. Jota gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Love shoots for a double leg takedown but Jota sprawls well. He's pushed Love's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Love circles away from the clinch attempt.
Love seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.

Love shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Love is looking for a kimura but Jota is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Love to get the leverage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Love is trying to control the action in half guard but Jota is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Jota is breathing heavily.
Jota won't allow Love to pass to mount.
Jota avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Love.
Love is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Jota can do to turn this around?
Love is trying to control the action in half guard but Jota is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Love is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Jota has managed to free his arm - good work.

Love is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Jota sees it coming and defends easily.
Love is thwarting Jota's attempts to control the position.

Jota looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Love throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Love stalling away here and it's allowed Jota to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Love wants to control from the top but Jota keeps moving.
Love has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Love loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jota stuffs the takedown attempt from Love. Love gets slowly back to his feet.
Jota fails with an attempt to clinch.
Love is looking to counter punch.
Love looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Love keeps the fight on the outside.

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

Jota is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Love trying to control but Jota is working from the bottom.
Alex Jota has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Love throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Jota works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Jota throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Love is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Love avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Love wants to control from the top but Jota keeps moving.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Jota working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Love.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Calvin Love dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Love shoots in and bounces Jota off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Love looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Love in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jota keeping moving, preventing Love from controlling successfully.
Love pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Jota is keeping the position for now.

Jota is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Love trying to control but Jota is working from the bottom.
Jota takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Love is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Jota is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Love trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Love trying to control the position from guard on top but Jota is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Jota is working for submissions here. He's thrown up his legs looking for a triangle but Love frees his head nicely. Oh but Jota has switched to an armbar! Love is tapping furiously! Lovely submission there!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Armbar). Alex Jota!