PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Chiquito Fairtex (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and gracie barra (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). barra is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: rock with you. Chiquito Fairtex has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Fairtex
vs
barra

182 cm
23
180 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

183 cm
20
180 lbs
5 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
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 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Chiquito Fairtex!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, gracie barra!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Alexandre Firmino and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No joy there for barra, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
The fight stays on the outside here - Fairtex looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from barra.

barra shoots in and bounces Fairtex off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Fairtex looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Fairtex not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
barra postures up in Fairtex's guard and throws a big left but Fairtex blocks it.
Fairtex keeping full guard, as barra tries to pass.

Fairtex wriggles free and stands up.
Fairtex fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
barra defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Fairtex.
Some wild striking there from Fairtex.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fairtex throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around barra's waist but barra gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Fairtex off to one side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Chiquito Fairtex. That's going to take a lot out of him.
barra tries to clinch but Fairtex is having none of it.

barra gets a takedown into half guard.
Fairtex flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

barra is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

barra is looking for a kimura but Fairtex is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for barra to get the leverage.
barra stops Fairtex from getting back to his feet.
Fairtex is holding on to half guard well.
Fairtex is trying to stand up here but barra is controlling him well.
Fairtex wants to control but barra is keeping busy and won't allow it.
barra tries to pass to full mount but Fairtex defends it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

barra scores with a takedown into Fairtex's guard.
barra landing some decent shots from guard.
barra slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Fairtex tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but barra wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

barra wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Fairtex, who protects the arm well.
barra looks gassed!
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
barra working away.
Fairtex regains half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fairtex flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Fairtex wants to improve his position but barra is controlling well.
Fairtex keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

barra stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
barra swats away the attempt to clinch by Fairtex.
barra has a takedown stuffed.
barra fails with the takedown.
Fairtex keeps the fight on the outside.
barra looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Fairtex is fending him off so far but barra persists. Nope, Fairtex circles away and we're back to standing.
Fairtex misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Nice sprawl there from barra as Fairtex shoots in.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
barra changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Fairtex tries to avoid it but barra manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Fairtex to the ground. Fairtex escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Fairtex closes the distance and pushes barra back into the cage.
Fairtex looking to stall.

Fairtex breaks from the clinch.
Fairtex is looking to clinch but barra is avoiding it.
Fairtex shoots for a takedown but barra saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Fairtex shoots in but barra avoids the takedown attempt easily.
barra shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Fairtex sprawls well. Fairtex wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. barra gets slowly back to his feet.
barra tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Fairtex swivels and escapes.
barra looks for a takedown but Fairtex sprawls well.
Fairtex will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Fairtex scores with a leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

gracie barra dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Fairtex lands a two punch combo.
Fairtex shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts barra as he jumps to the side.
barra shoots in for a takedown but Fairtex shows good takedown defense.
barra has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Fairtex.

Fairtex 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.
Fairtex missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Fairtex wants to control from the top but barra keeps moving.
Fairtex sitting in guard, not really doing much.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

barra has an active guard here but Fairtex has managed to pass into half guard.
Fairtex stalling.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Fairtex stands up from half guard.
Fairtex shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts barra as he jumps to the side.
Fairtex tries to close the distance and clinch up but barra swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Fairtex with a poor takedown
and barra counters with a two punch combo.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Chiquito Fairtex. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fairtex tries to clinch up.
Fairtex shoots in but no luck this time.
barra displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Fairtex.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
barra shoots in but no luck this time.
Fairtex shoots in but no luck this time.

barra closes the distance and clinches.
Fairtex working hard to break the clinch.

barra manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Fairtex has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
barra trying to control the position.
Fairtex wants to control from the top but barra keeps moving.

Fairtex got a little sloppy there for a moment and barra has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Fairtex has managed to get both his arms back between barra's legs - danger averted.
barra keeping moving, preventing Fairtex from controlling successfully.

barra looking for a guillotine here but Fairtex defends easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Fairtex drops back looking for a leg! barra is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and barra manages to kick Fairtex off! Fairtex jumps back into barra's guard.
Fairtex throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as barra works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

barra looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Fairtex sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Fairtex thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

barra isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Fairtex stacks barra on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Fairtex!
Fairtex looking to punish the body of his opponent here but barra is avoiding damage well.
A lull in the action here.
barra is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
barra is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chiquito Fairtex dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

barra defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Fairtex.

Fairtex gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Fairtex is looking to control barra's arms but barra gets an underhook and turns him. Now Fairtex has his back to the cage.
barra fails to pull guard.
barra tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Fairtex fails to pull the fight into his guard.
barra gets underhooks to prevent Fairtex's takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Chiquito Fairtex. That's going to take a lot out of him.
barra has Fairtex pressed against the cage, preventing Fairtex from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

barra jumps guard and drags Fairtex to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

barra looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Fairtex has picked barra up and slammed him! barra can't keep hold of the triangle and Fairtex manages to pass to side control!
barra gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
barra makes his way to full guard. A much better position for barra.
gracie barra has got the better of the ground game so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

barra is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Fairtex is aware though and is defending well.

barra working for submissions but it's allowed Fairtex to get to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fairtex working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Fairtex is trying to control. barra wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Fairtex prevents barra from improving his position.
barra is trying to control but can't.
barra tries to roll over but Fairtex keeps him under control.
Fairtex content to control rather than advance.
barra is looking for a sweep. Fairtex is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Fairtex works his foot free and advances to mount.
Fairtex trying to control but barra is having none of it.
barra slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
barra on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
barra tries to roll over but Fairtex keeps him under control.
Fairtex looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
barra is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

barra looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
It looks like Fairtex is going to stand back up.
barra tries to get to full guard but Fairtex has control of the leg.

barra looking for submissions off his back.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Fairtex closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Fairtex is trying to drag barra to the mat but barra just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Fairtex is working for takedown but barra is calmly controlling the position for now.
Fairtex drops down looking for an ankle pick but barra pulls his leg out and moves away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
No luck for barra with that takedown attempt.
barra looks to clinch

and Fairtex counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Fairtex has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. barra is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
barra tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Fairtex just stands there and leans against the cage.
Fairtex is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Fairtex wants to break the clinch but can't.

barra jumps into guard, dragging Fairtex to the mat.
barra not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Fairtex is stalling in the full guard.
Fairtex wants to pass the guard but barra is keeping the position.

barra has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Fairtex can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Chiquito Fairtex.
I think Fairtex 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 29:29
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a draw!