PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Alexandre Barao (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alessandro Moretti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Barao
vs
Moretti

190 cm
23
181 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

184 cm
21
183 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Powerful

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 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Alexandre Barao!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Alessandro Moretti!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barao shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Moretti but Moretti pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Barao fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Barao shoots for a takedown but Moretti saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alexandre Barao. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A big left from Moretti misses.

Moretti shoots in and gets a takedown into Barao's guard.
Moretti trying to control the position from guard on top but Barao is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Moretti postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Moretti trying to control but Barao is working from the bottom.

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

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Moretti wants to control from the top but Barao keeps moving.
Moretti looking to pass the guard.
Moretti wants to control from the top but Barao keeps moving.
Moretti landing some decent shots from guard.
Barao keeping moving, preventing Moretti from controlling successfully.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Moretti trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Moretti throws and elbow that misses. Barao uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Moretti's guard. Nice move by Barao!
Moretti looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Barao puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.

Barao seems to be working for a kimura but Moretti defends the submission attempt.
Moretti trying to hold on to Barao's head to control him but Barao postures up.
Moretti is concentrating on defense, preventing Barao from advancing position.
Moretti trying to control but Barao postures up.
Moretti is looking to improve his position.
Moretti looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Barao is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Moretti doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Barao.
Barao trying to pass the guard but Moretti defending well.
Barao wants to control but Moretti is keeping him busy.
Moretti trying to control but Barao postures up.
Moretti is holding on to half guard well.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Alessandro Moretti hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Moretti throws a jab but it's blocked by Barao.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Moretti throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Barao fails with the takedown

and Moretti counters with a nice double leg into guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Moretti accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Moretti postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Barao is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Moretti, into his guard.

Moretti throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Moretti working a defensive guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alessandro Moretti dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Moretti shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Barao slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Moretti prevents Barao from improving his position.
Moretti is trying to control the action in half guard but Barao is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Moretti trying to advance position but Barao counters by regaining guard.
Moretti looking to sit in guard and control but Barao gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Moretti is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Moretti is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barao preventing the sweep.
Barao tries to free his leg and advance position but Moretti is retaining full guard.

Barao drops back, looking for a kneebar! Moretti looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Moretti looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Moretti!
Moretti trying to control the action but Barao is working from the bottom.
Barao tries to buck Moretti off but Moretti is having none of it.

Moretti goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Barao rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Moretti's guard! Nice work there by Barao!

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.
Barao looking to pass the guard.
Moretti looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Moretti is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Barao pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Moretti is keeping the position for now.
Moretti keeping moving, preventing Barao from controlling successfully.
Moretti is trying to control the position but Barao postures up.

Alessandro Moretti has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Moretti pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Moretti misses with a looping right.
Moretti throws a hook to the side of Barao's head but Barao sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Moretti throws an overhand right that lands on Barao's shoulder, as Barao tries to avoid the shot.

Barao darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Moretti trying to control from the bottom.
Barao not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Moretti tries to get to full guard but Barao has control of the leg.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Moretti manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Moretti keeping moving, preventing Barao from controlling successfully.

Barao got a little sloppy there for a moment and Moretti has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Barao has managed to get both his arms back between Moretti's legs - danger averted.
Barao won't allow Moretti to sweep him here.
Alessandro Moretti has got the better of the ground game so far.
Moretti trying to control the position.
Barao trying to control but Moretti is working from the bottom.
Barao is pushing down on Moretti's leg trying to pass to half guard. Moretti is fighting to maintain full guard but Barao has managed to sneak the leg through.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Moretti trying to hold on to Barao's head to control him but Barao postures up.
Moretti might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Barao kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Alexandre Barao will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Moretti throws a big shot that misses.
Barao shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Moretti counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Barao's guard now.

Barao escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Moretti gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Moretti scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Barao working for submissions but it's allowed Moretti to get to half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Moretti prevents Barao from improving his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Moretti in particular looking to stall.
Moretti passes to full mount!

Moretti is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Barao has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Barao!
Moretti is pulling down on Barao's head to control his posture.
Moretti controls Barao momentarily but Barao frees himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Moretti 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.
Moretti keeping full guard, as Barao tries to pass.
Moretti wants to sweep but no luck.
Barao trying to control the position from guard on top but Moretti is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Barao with a poor takedown

and Moretti counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Barao's guard now.
Moretti chips away with some ground and pound.
Moretti slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Moretti tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Moretti has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Moretti trying to control the action but Barao is working from the bottom.

Moretti tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
An elbow from Moretti crashes against the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Moretti is in a dominant position here, looking for a kimura. Barao looks calm but he's in trouble here. Moretti gets his leg over his opponent's head and yanks on the arm. Barao is tapping like a morse code operator on the titanic! SOS! SOS! Moretti lets go of the hold and Barao can pop his arm back in it's socket.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:21 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Alessandro Moretti!