PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Basso Toscano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mauricio Aruba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Toscano
vs
Aruba

173 cm
22
160 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

175 cm
19
162 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Attliction

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Basso Toscano!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mauricio Aruba!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Mauricio Rocha and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aruba keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Aruba throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Toscano's waist but Toscano gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Aruba off to one side.

Aruba shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Aruba throws a strike but Toscano rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Aruba wants to control but Toscano passes easily into half guard.
Aruba has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Aruba trying to control from the bottom.
Aruba tries to get to full guard but Toscano has control of the leg.

Aruba looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Aruba is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Toscano thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

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

Toscano drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Aruba struggling a bit here.
Toscano landing a few strikes.
Toscano sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Aruba is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

Toscano tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Aruba is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aruba is not content to let Toscano control the position.

Toscano is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Aruba knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Aruba tries to improve position but can't.
Toscano happy to just control the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Aruba is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Aruba struggling a bit here.
Aruba looks gassed!
Toscano throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Aruba shoots and misses
and Toscano cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
A combination from Toscano does no damage.
Aruba wants to clinch but Toscano slips to the side

and Toscano decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Aruba's guard.
Toscano not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Toscano won't allow Aruba to sweep him here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Toscano scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Toscano stays in close to Aruba's body and controls the position.
Toscano stopping the sweep attempt from Aruba.
Toscano trying to control the position from guard on top but Aruba is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Aruba looking for a guillotine here but Toscano defends easily.
Aruba is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Aruba stuffs the takedown.
Aruba throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Toscano fails with the takedown.
Aruba misses with a takedown

and Toscano counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Aruba controls Toscano momentarily but Toscano frees himself.
Toscano makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

Aruba looking for a guillotine here but Toscano defends easily.

Aruba isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Toscano stacks Aruba 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 Toscano!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aruba manages to work his way to half guard, despite Toscano's best efforts.
Toscano throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Toscano is thwarting Aruba's attempts to control the position.
Aruba is trying to get back to full guard.
Toscano lands strikes from half guard.
Aruba wants to get back to full guard.

Toscano seems to be working for a kimura but Aruba defends the submission attempt.
Aruba trying to hold on to Toscano's head to control him but Toscano postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Aruba trying to get back to full guard but Toscano takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Aruba really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Toscano throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Aruba really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Aruba wants to hold on but Toscano pushes him away.
Aruba is working to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aruba tries to lock up and control but Toscano gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Aruba can't escape the position.
Aruba regains half guard.
Aruba is looking to improve his position.
Toscano slips a nice elbow through Aruba's hands, connecting with Aruba's forehead.
Aruba is looking for a sweep. Toscano is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Aruba trying to control here.
Toscano is pressing down on Aruba's thigh, looking to free his foot. Aruba is holding on for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Toscano is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Aruba has managed to free his arm - good work.
Aruba trying to control but Toscano postures up.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Toscano misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Toscano closes this distance looking for a takedown but Aruba circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Basso Toscano. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Aruba tries to clinch up.
Toscano misses with a few strikes there.

Aruba gets a takedown into half guard.

Aruba is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Toscano doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Aruba.
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 Basso Toscano will probably get the nod.
That's time! Toscano's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Aruba with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Toscano to score with a decent uppercut.
Aruba tries for a takedown but Toscano sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Toscano gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Aruba goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Aruba fails to pull guard.
Toscano is pressed up against the cage. Aruba has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Toscano down to the mat. Toscano avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Basso Toscano has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mauricio Aruba.

Toscano moves into range and clinches up with Aruba.

Toscano lands a takedown into guard.
Aruba pulls Toscano in close to prevent any damage.
Toscano wants to control from the top but Aruba keeps moving.
Toscano won't allow Aruba to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aruba keeping moving, preventing Toscano from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Toscano postures up.
Aruba wants to sweep but no luck.
Aruba is trying to keep Toscano in close.

Aruba is looking for a triangle but Toscano pushes his legs off easily.
Aruba takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

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

and Toscano counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Aruba trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Toscano prevents Aruba from getting the reversal.
Toscano with shots to the head and body - Aruba looks very uncomfortable down there.
Aruba slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aruba controlling the position for now.
Aruba gets full guard.
Aruba wants to sweep here but Toscano controlling him for the moment.
Aruba pulls Toscano in close to his closed guard and prevents Toscano from doing any damage or advancing position.

Aruba throws his legs up looking for a submission but Toscano uses it to pass to side control.
You can see the frustration on Aruba's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aruba is looking to reverse the position.
Toscano advances to mount.
Aruba is looking to get to half guard.
Toscano landing strikes, looking to finish!
Aruba is working to get back to half guard.
Toscano scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Aruba?

Toscano is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Aruba is surviving well by controlling Toscano's body position as best he can.
Aruba tries to hold on but Toscano postures up.

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.
Aruba bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Aruba stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Toscano swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Aruba drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Toscano dives on top into guard.
Toscano landing with the ground and pound.
Toscano is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Aruba utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Mauricio Aruba has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Toscano looking to pass the guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Basso Toscano showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Toscano has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 30:27
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Basso Toscano!