PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Frank Alves (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marcelo Cesar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Marcelo Cesar will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Alves
vs
Cesar

177 cm
21
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

170 cm
23
145 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

Decent wrestler
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Frank Alves!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Marcelo Cesar!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Emerson Jorge and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Alves closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Alves lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Cesar is trying to stand up here but Alves is controlling him well.
Alves missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Alves stops Cesar from getting back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cesar taking some punishment here, with Alves in his half guard.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Alves connects with a nice short shot to Cesar's temple.
Alves working over Cesar with some ground and pound. Cesar looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Cesar is looking to escape.
Cesar is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Alves scores with a couple of nice shots.
Alves lands with a punch from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cesar pushes Alves off and gets back to his feet.
Cesar fails in his attempt to clinch.
Cesar fails to land with a series of punches.
Cesar misses with a hook.
Alves shoots in looking for a takedown. Cesar tries to sprawl out of it but Alves keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Cesar manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Alves staying out of range there.
Cesar fails in his attempt to clinch.
Cesar looks to land a combination but Alves avoids it well.
No joy there for Cesar, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Alves.
Cesar is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Cesar looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cesar takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Cesar is pushing Alves's head away, looking to escape. Alves manages to hold on to the position though.
Cesar takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Cesar is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Alves has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Alves looks up at the clock and then as Cesar takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Alves smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Alves looks up at the clock and then as Cesar takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Alves smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Alves scores with a couple of short elbows.
Cesar tries to escape but Alves is in control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alves scores with punches from side control.
Alves in side control lands a decent elbow.
Cesar takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Cesar wants to get back to his feet.
Alves is putting a hurting on Cesar here, landing some big shots from side control.
Cesar is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Alves has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Alves scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Cesar to see if he's OK.
Cesar is pushing Alves's head away, looking to escape. Alves manages to hold on to the position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Alves lands a nice forearm strike.
Alves scores with punches from side control.
Alves scores with a couple of short elbows.
Alves working the body and head with strikes.

Cesar throws Alves to one side and escapes!
Cesar fails to land with a series of punches.
Cesar throws a right and a left that both miss.
Cesar loads up on a big right hand but Alves slips the punch.
Cesar throws a series of punches but Alves moves out of range.
Alves dives in and grabs Cesar's left leg, looking for a takedown. Cesar pushes down on Alves's head and hops out.
A punch combination from Cesar misses.
Alves bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Alves dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Alves dodges the punch combination from Cesar.
Cesar will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Horrible takedown by Alves or perhaps it was just good defense by Cesar which made him look bad.
Alves moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
A combination from Cesar does no damage.
Cesar throws a nice looking combination but Alves bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Alves slips a jab and a cross from Cesar.

Alves closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Alves lands in his opponent's guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Alves's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alves stands up over Cesar, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Cesar is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Alves is controlling him.
Alves pushes down on Cesar's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Cesar is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Alves scores with a couple of nice shots.
Cesar is trying to stand.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Alves slips a nice elbow through Cesar's hands, connecting with Cesar's forehead.

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.

Cesar kicks off Alves and gets to his feet.
Cesar misses with the combination.
Cesar misses with the combination.

Alves gets a takedown into half guard.

Cesar pushes Alves off and gets back to his feet.
Frank Alves is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Alves slips a jab and a cross from Cesar.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Alves throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Cesar was covering up waiting for the punch and Alves finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Alves trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Frank Alves overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Cesar wants to stand and escape but Alves is having none of it.
Alves is in close to Cesar's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Cesar is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Alves is controlling him.
Alves throws a big right hand that misses.
Alves stops Cesar from standing up.
Alves connects with a couple of short punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Cesar scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Alves slips a jab and a cross from Cesar.
Alves shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Cesar pinned against the cage. Cesar gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Cesar tries to clinch but Alves is having none of it.
Cesar stalks Alves and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Alves's face. Alves staggers backwards, shaken.

Alves shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Cesar wants to try and get back to his feet.
Alves landing strikes from the mount and Cesar is in trouble!
Cesar's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Alves dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Cesar misses with an uppercut.
Cesar tries to clinch there but Alves circles away.
Cesar's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Cesar duly obliges.
Cesar is looking to clinch.
Marcelo Cesar seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cesar looks to score with a jab to the body but Alves is just out of range.
Cesar looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Cesar gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Alves lands a couple of digs.

Cesar pushes Alves off and gets back to his feet.
Cesar displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Alves.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Cesar.
Alves shoots in but Cesar avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Cesar is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Cesar looks to land a combination. Alves sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Cesar swinging wildly here.
Alves shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Cesar as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Frank Alves. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cesar lands with a good body shot.

Alves scores a takedown into full mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cesar trying desperately to get to his feet.
Alves is landing with some decent strikes but Cesar is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

Cesar bucks Alves off and manages to get back to his feet!
Alves avoids a punch combination nicely.
Cesar wants to clinch up but Alves keeps it at a distance.
Cesar throws a right and a left that Alves avoids nicely.
Alves closes the distance and clinches up with Cesar, looking for a takedown. Alves pushes Cesar against the cage but Cesar circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Cesar cracks Alves with a good jab.
Frank Alves is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Cesar will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Cesar throws a right and a left that Alves avoids nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cesar will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Alves shoots in and drives through. Cesar sprawls well.
Alves swats away the attempt to clinch by Cesar.
Marcelo Cesar is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Alves slips a jab and a cross from Cesar.
Cesar tries to bum rush Alves with a series of wild strikes but Alves uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Alves decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Cesar kicks Alves off and gets back to his feet.
Cesar tries to close the distance and clinch up but Alves swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cesar swinging wildly here.
Alves swats away the attempt to clinch by Cesar.
Cesar tries to bum rush Alves with a series of wild strikes but Alves uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Marcelo Cesar has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Alves looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Cesar doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Cesar utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Cesar had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Alves defends it easily.
Alves landing some decent shots from guard.

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 Frank Alves.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Alves, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:27
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Frank Alves!