PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Fabio Iago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Vera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Iago comes into the arena with One More Time blaring out of the sound system. Fabio Iago has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Iago
vs
Vera

190 cm
19
205 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

191 cm
18
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent knees
Very confident

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 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Fabio Iago!
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, Michael Vera!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Edson Gomes and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vera tries to clinch but Iago moves out of range.
Vera looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Vera moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Vera is looking to clinch.

Iago drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Vera looking for a sweep. Not yet Vera, not yet.
Iago is breathing heavily.

Vera has his feet on Iago's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Iago shoots in for a takedown but Vera shows good takedown defense.
Vera wants to clinch.
Vera wants to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Vera clinches up with Iago and pushes him back against the cage.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Vera takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Iago tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Vera smiles and moves away.

Vera shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Iago holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Vera tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Vera tries to control but Iago wriggling away.
Vera looking to finish with strikes here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Iago can't escape the position.
Iago wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Vera.

Vera is going olschool here, as he tries to force Iago to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Iago shrugs it off.
Iago holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Vera tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Vera misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Iago tries to hold on but Vera pushes him away.
Vera looking to finish with strikes here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Iago throwing hammer fists to the chest of Vera. What's that going to do exactly?
Vera trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Vera looking to finish with strikes here!
Vera looking to ground and pound but Iago is blocking nicely.
Vera sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Vera misses with a head shot.
Vera lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Iago hang on?
Iago avoids a series of strikes thrown by Vera.

That's four 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.
Iago wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Vera.
Vera looking to control but Iago is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Vera unloads with some shots from mount but Iago bucks and avoids them well.

Vera wants to finish this one by submission but Iago is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Vera.
Vera really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Iago. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Vera thowing shots but they're missing.
Iago keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Vera dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

The fight stays on the outside here - Vera looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Iago takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Vera tries to clinch but Iago is having none of it.
Vera is looking to clinch but Iago is avoiding it.
Vera connects with a high kick.
Vera throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Michael Vera seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The fight stays on the outside here - Vera looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Vera turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Vera gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Iago counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Iago drops back, looking for a kneebar! Vera looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Vera looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Vera!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vera passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Iago!
Vera throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Vera unloads with some shots from mount but Iago bucks and avoids them well.
Vera throws some wild stikes that Iago manages to avoid easily.
Vera trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Vera thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Vera unloads with some shots from mount but Iago bucks and avoids them well.

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.
Vera throwing strikes here but Iago is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Vera thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Vera throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Iago is trying to escape the mount.
Vera controlling from the full mount.
Vera throws some wild stikes that Iago manages to avoid easily.
Vera lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vera throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Vera looking to ground and pound but Iago is blocking nicely.
Vera has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Iago's face.
Vera thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Vera throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Vera throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Iago because Vera loaded up on that one.
Iago is in all sorts of trouble here.
Vera throws some wild stikes that Iago manages to avoid easily.
Iago can't escape the position.
Iago is working hard here to advance position.

That's four 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.
Vera throws some wild stikes that Iago manages to avoid easily.
Vera throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

Vera is going olschool here, as he tries to force Iago to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Iago shrugs it off.
Vera with the ground and pound from mount.
Vera punching from mount but Iago doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Iago blocking the ground and pound.
Vera thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Vera lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Iago tries to reverse the position but Vera maintains control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Vera showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Vera moves in looking to clinch but Iago pushes him off.
Iago keeps the fight on the outside.
Vera moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Vera shoots in for a double leg but Iago sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Vera gets a clinch.
Iago jumps guard but Vera stands there with Iago around his waist. Iago gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Vera breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Danga de danga de dang - Vera scores with a four punch combination!
Iago swats away the attempt to clinch by Vera.
The fight stays on the outside here - Vera looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Vera lands a head kick!
Fabio Iago is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vera doesn't manage to clinch there - Iago circles away.
Vera looks to clinch

and Iago counters with a single leg into guard. Vera didn't expect that.
Vera controls Iago momentarily but Iago frees himself.
Vera is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Vera is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Vera is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vera is trying to control the position but Iago postures up.
Vera wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Vera is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Vera looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Vera changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Vera moves in looking to clinch but Iago pushes him off.
Vera lands with a slapping head kick.
Vera is looking to clinch but Iago is avoiding it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vera throws a nice head kick!
Vera tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Iago paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Vera instigates a clinch.
Vera throws a knee to the head but misses.
Vera lands a damaging elbow.
Fabio Iago has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Vera pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Vera is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Vera darts in trying to clinch

and Iago counters with a takedown into side control.

Iago goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Vera rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Iago's guard! Nice work there by Vera!
Michael Vera is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Iago controls Vera momentarily but Vera frees himself.
Vera must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Iago striking off his back but it's not causing Vera any problems.
Vera preventing the sweep.
Iago has a closed guard, preventing Vera from standing up.
Iago tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Iago striking off his back but it's not causing Vera any problems.
Vera trying to control but Iago is working from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Fabio Iago showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Vera 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 28:29
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 28:29
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Michael Vera!