PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between thaigo alves (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and The Engineer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). alves comes to the cage accompanied by sandstorm. Engineer has chosen Spy Sappin Mah Sandwich as his entrance music. The Engineer acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

thaigo alves
vs
Engineer

168 cm
21
145 lbs
2 - 8 - 0

184 cm
22
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Inexperienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, thaigo alves!
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, The Engineer!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Matheus Silva and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Engineer misses with an attempted mid kick.
Engineer stuffs the takedown.
Engineer goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
alves shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Engineer as he jumps to the side.
Engineer throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! alves crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Engineer - the referee stops the clock and alves gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Engineer. alves manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
alves misses with a head kick.
alves wants to clinch up but Engineer keeps it at a distance.
Engineer lands a head kick. alves smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Engineer scoring well with a low kick there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

alves closes the distance and pushes Engineer back into the cage.
alves is struggling to control the position.
alves avoids a wild elbow strike from Engineer.
Engineer tries to circle away but alves has him pinned against the cage.
Engineer tries to land a knee to the head but alves blocks with his arms.

That's one minute gone in the round.
alves jumps guard but Engineer stands there with alves around his waist. alves gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for thaigo alves. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The referee is keeping an eye on alves - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Engineer missing with knees to the body.
alves managing to block the knees to the body from Engineer.
Engineer keeps the fight in the clinch, despite alves's efforts to push away.
Engineer can't break the clinch.
A bit of stalling here from alves.
Engineer tries to land knees in the clinch but alves avoids the damage to the body.

alves escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Engineer misses with a head kick.
Nice takedown defense from Engineer. No joy for alves on that attempt.
Nice body kick there by Engineer.

alves has managed to clinch.
Engineer is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
alves tries to pull guard but Engineer won't allow it.
Engineer taking a breather.
alves using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Engineer has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Engineer is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. alves is defending well for now.
alves working hard to break the clinch.
alves jumps guard but Engineer stands there with alves around his waist. alves gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Engineer missing with knees to the body.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Engineer.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by alves as Engineer tries to tie him up.
alves on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

alves breaks the clinch.
Engineer misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
alves takes a kick to the side of the head.
Engineer throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
The Engineer is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
alves tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Engineer throws a lazy head kick

and alves counters by clinching up.
Engineer wants to break the clinch but can't.
alves gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Engineer.
Engineer is trying to work for a single leg takedown but alves pulls him back up using the underhooks.
alves goes for a takedown in the clinch but Engineer prevents it.

alves gets control of Engineer's arms and successfully pulls guard. alves will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
alves is breathing heavily.
alves is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Engineer's corner is telling him to maintain position.
alves 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.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Engineer not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
alves looking for a sweep. Not yet alves, not yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but The Engineer will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Engineer throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Engineer throws a sloppy head kick

and alves counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Engineer's guard now.
Engineer keeping full guard, as alves tries to pass.
Engineer is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
alves is working hard here to advance position.
Engineer really doesn't want to stay on the ground with alves. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Engineer seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
alves wants to stand but Engineer has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Engineer is adopting a defensive guard.
Let's hope that Engineer 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.

Despite being in the dominant position, The Engineer just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
alves takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Engineer lands a head kick. alves smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Engineer lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Engineer throws a nice head kick!
thaigo alves is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Engineer lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Engineer buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Engineer delivers a nice body kick.
alves takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Engineer scores with a push kick.
alves takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
alves on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Engineer. Engineer obviously looking to wear him down.
Engineer throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by alves.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Engineer throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Engineer throws a quick inside leg kick.
Engineer throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
alves takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Engineer throws a nice outside leg kick.
alves tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
A solid leg kick lands there for Engineer.
Engineer keeps alves at a distance using the push kick.
An inside leg kick lands from Engineer.
A solid leg kick lands there for Engineer.
Engineer connects with a high kick.
Engineer looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
alves takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Engineer throws a head kick that half lands.
Engineer throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
alves tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
A head kick from Engineer lands but alves takes it in his stride.
alves will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Engineer pushes alves away with a front kick.
Engineer circles away from the clinch attempt.
Engineer throws a head kick that half lands.
A chopping leg kick lands by Engineer.
Engineer lands a high kick!
Engineer chopping away at his opponent's legs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

The Engineer showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Engineer lands a high kick!
alves is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Engineer throws a quick head kick that skims the top of alves's head.
Engineer scores with a spinning back kick!
Engineer throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by alves.
An inside leg kick lands from Engineer.
A good leg kick by Engineer.
Engineer scoring well with a low kick there.
alves takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
An inside leg kick lands from Engineer.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Engineer throws a head kick that misses.
alves shoots in but Engineer avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Engineer turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Engineer scores with a head kick.
Engineer throws a nice head kick!
alves sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
A good leg kick by Engineer.
Engineer throws a head kick but alves moves out of range.
Engineer feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to alves's calf.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Engineer, right into the meat.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Engineer.
Engineer avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Engineer scores with a leg kick.
alves steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Engineer. That one must have hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Engineer goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
A slow jab from alves misses its intended target.
Engineer lands with a kick to the ribs.
Nice body kick from Engineer.
The Engineer seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Engineer throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by alves.
Engineer with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Engineer connects with a high kick.
Engineer throws a front kick that sends alves stumbling back into the cage.
Engineer throws a quick head kick that skims the top of alves's head.
Engineer lands a head kick. alves smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
alves chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Engineer can pounce on him.
Engineer scores with a leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Engineer lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Engineer lands a head kick. alves smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Engineer connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Engineer chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Engineer scores with a head kick.
Engineer throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by alves.
The Engineer is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Engineer throws a nice head kick!
alves takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Engineer, right into the meat.
Engineer with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Engineer buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
alves steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Engineer. That one must have hurt.
Engineer buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
alves has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Engineer.
Engineer lands a head kick. alves smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Engineer lands with a slapping head kick.
Engineer goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Engineer throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Engineer throws a nice outside leg kick.
thaigo alves has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Engineer scores with a head kick.
Engineer throws a nice outside leg kick.
A nice leg kick lands there from Engineer.
Engineer throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

And that's the end of the fight!
The Engineer comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Engineer winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... The Engineer!