PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Paulo Thiago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Donovan Ray (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Thiago
vs
Ray

180 cm
25
178 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

178 cm
20
178 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Paulo Thiago!
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, Donovan Ray!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Emerson Jorge and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A head kick by Thiago misses
and Ray counters with a nice body kick.
Ray gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Thiago.
Ray slips a jab and a cross from Thiago.
Ray wants to clinch.
That kick from Thiago tenderised Ray's leg. Ray is trying to keep his angry face on.
Ray moves in looking to clinch but Thiago pushes him off.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thiago misses with a straight left.
Ray tries to close the distance and clinch but Thiago swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Thiago defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Ray.
Ray tests Thiago's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Thiago looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Ray moves out of range as Thiago throws a body kick.
A head kick misses from Ray.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thiago keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Ray throws a looping overhand right but Thiago ducks down to avoid it.
Ray fails in his attempt to clinch.
Thiago lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

Ray closes the distance and pushes Thiago back into the cage.
Thiago is trying to break the clinch but Ray has him pressed against the cage.
Thiago wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Thiago wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Thiago prevents a takedown attempt there.
Thiago is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ray is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Thiago pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Paulo Thiago has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Donovan Ray.
Thiago wants to get back to striking at distance but Ray won't allow it.
Ray has Thiago pressed against the cage, preventing Thiago from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Thiago wants to break free but Ray has control.
Thiago is trying to break the clinch but Ray is controlling him.
Thiago lands with a short head shot on the inside.

Ray drags the fight down to the ground.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thiago is fighting to break Ray's control of his arms but Ray is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

Ray uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Sloppy strikes from Thiago. Those never looked like landing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Good exchange - Ray coming out on top.

Ray moves into range and clinches up with Thiago.
Thiago is trying to push Ray away but Ray has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Thiago wants to break free but Ray has control.
Ray goes for a takedown attempt but Thiago pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Ray doesn't manage to clinch there - Thiago circles away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Thiago misses with a double jab

and Ray counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Ray.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Donovan Ray will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Thiago throws a jab when Ray was well out of range.
Ray has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Ray misses the jab.
Paulo Thiago is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Thiago ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Ray takes a swing at Thiago's ribcage but misses.
Ray takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Paulo Thiago seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Thiago shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Thiago throws a leg kick but Ray moved away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A jab from Ray misses.
Thiago blocks a jab.
Paulo Thiago is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Thiago tries a head kick but it misses.
Thiago swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Ray tries to clinch but Thiago is having none of it.
Ray misses with a straight right.

Ray drives through and clinches with Thiago against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thiago is trying to break free.
Thiago looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Thiago looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Ray breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Ray clinches with his opponent.
Thiago being controlled against the cage.
Thiago working hard to break the clinch.

Ray breaks from the clinch.
Thiago displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Ray throws out the jab.
Thiago stuffs the takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ray clinches up against the cage.

Ray pulls guard effortlessly.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Thiago accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Ray is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Thiago wanted to stand there but Ray had control of the position.
Ray working a defensive guard here.
Thiago wants to stand but Ray is controlling his posture from full guard.
Ray is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Donovan Ray wasn't active enough on the ground.
Ray tries to clinch up.
Ray tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Thiago paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Thiago throws a combination. Ray tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Ray misses with a looping left.
Paulo Thiago is winning the standup battle so far.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Thiago swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Donovan Ray will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Thiago's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Thiago doesn't manage to clinch there - Ray circles away.
Thiago thows a body shot but no joy.
Ray avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Thiago, right into the meat.
No joy there for Thiago, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Thiago misses with a series of wild punches.
Thiago throws a lazy head kick
and Ray counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Thiago blocks a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Ray.

Thiago gets tackled into the cage by Ray. Ray maintains the clinch.
Thiago is trying to break the clinch but Ray is controlling him.
Ray changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Thiago fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Ray closes the distance and clinches.

Ray breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Donovan Ray is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thiago fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Thiago lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Ray backs up against the cage.

Ray clinches up against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Thiago's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Ray has Thiago pressed against the cage, preventing Thiago from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Thiago working hard to break the clinch.
Thiago working hard to break the clinch.

Ray manages to break the clinch.
Ray might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Thiago keeps the fight on the outside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A good leg kick by Thiago.
Ray lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Thiago throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Ray moves into range and clinches up with Thiago.
Paulo Thiago has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Thiago wants to break free but Ray has control.

Ray breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Ray darts in and clinches Thiago up against the cage.
Thiago wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Ray has him pressed against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A frustrated look appears on Thiago's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Thiago wants to get back to striking at distance but Ray won't allow it.
Thiago is trying to break free.
Thiago can't break the clinch.
Ray drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Thiago has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Ray keeps control of Thiago as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Ray manages to break the clinch.
Ray tries to clinch there but Thiago circles away.

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 Paulo Thiago.
I think Ray 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 27:30
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Donovan Ray!