PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ricardo Arona (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andrei Shleifer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Arona
vs
Shleifer

225 cm
20
205 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

193 cm
20
220 lbs
3 - 3 - 1

Decent wrestler
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Dangerous knees
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ricardo Arona!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Andrei Shleifer!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Matheus Silva and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Arona blocks a head kick by Shleifer.

Shleifer has taken the fight to the clinch.
Shleifer throws a knee to the head but misses.
Shleifer looking to throw knees to the head but Arona is blocking nicely.
Shleifer lands a good knee to the midsection. Arona won't want to take too many of those.
Shleifer throws a knee to the head but misses.
Arona avoids the elbow strike from Shleifer, against the cage.
Shleifer misses with a knee to the head.
Shleifer looking to throw knees to the head but Arona is blocking nicely.
Arona has Shleifer pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Shleifer manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Shleifer tries to land a knee to the head but Arona blocks with his arms.
Shleifer using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Arona has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Arona tries for a takedown but Shleifer manages to get underhooks.
Arona changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Shleifer fights it off and pushes away nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ricardo Arona. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Shleifer tries to clinch up but Arona circles away and keeps his distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Shleifer clinches with his opponent.
Shleifer connects with a knee to the head.

It looks like Ricardo Arona has been cut.
Shleifer lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

Arona is rocked!
Shleifer tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Oh Arona is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Shleifer stalling.
Shleifer with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Shleifer looks gassed!
Shleifer tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Shleifer holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Knees in the clinch landing for Shleifer.
Shleifer throws a knee to the head but misses.
Shleifer putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Arona in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Shleifer trying to control the position but instead, Arona has worked for underhooks and has pushed Shleifer into the cage.
Shleifer with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Shleifer trying to stall but Arona improves his position.
Shleifer gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Arona.
Shleifer is pressed up against the cage. Arona has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Shleifer down to the mat. Shleifer avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Arona seems to have got his legs back now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Arona drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Arona stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Shleifer swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Arona really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Arona stops Shleifer from standing up.

Arona drops back looking for a leg! Shleifer is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Shleifer manages to kick Arona off! Arona jumps back into Shleifer's guard.

Arona drops back looking for a leg! Shleifer is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Shleifer manages to kick Arona off! Arona jumps back into Shleifer's guard.
Arona has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Shleifer looking for a sweep. Not yet Shleifer, not yet.

Arona thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shleifer controls from within his opponent's guard.

Arona looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Shleifer is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Arona isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Shleifer stacks Arona 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 Shleifer!
Arona on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Arona tries to get out of the position.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Shleifer takes a little break here. Arona wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arona is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Shleifer remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

Shleifer decides to stand back up.
Shleifer lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Arona circles away quickly and effectively.
Both fighters circling a little - Shleifer finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Shleifer moves into the clinch.
Shleifer slows down the pace here.
Shleifer tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andrei Shleifer dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ricardo Arona's cut.
That's time! Arona's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Shleifer lands a front kick.
Shleifer throws a half hearted mid kick.
Shleifer wants to clinch.

Shleifer closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Shleifer using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Arona has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Shleifer tries a knee to the head but Arona blocks it.
Shleifer lands a good knee to the midsection. Arona won't want to take too many of those.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Arona takes a knee right on the jaw!
Shleifer effectively controlling the action here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Shleifer lands a good knee to the midsection. Arona won't want to take too many of those.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shleifer putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Arona in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Shleifer tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Shleifer lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Shleifer misses with a knee strike.
Shleifer with a knee to the head.
Shleifer looking to throw knees to the head but Arona is blocking nicely.
Shleifer with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Arona wants a takedown.
Shleifer misses with a knee strike.
Shleifer tries a knee to the head but Arona blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shleifer tries a knee to the head but Arona blocks it.
Arona tries to score a body lock takedown but Shleifer shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Arona on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Arona looking for a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ricardo Arona. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Arona takes a knee right on the jaw!
Shleifer with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Arona wants a takedown but no success here.
Shleifer tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Andrei Shleifer seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Shleifer is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Arona has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Shleifer is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shleifer tries to land a knee to the head but Arona blocks with his arms.
Shleifer tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Arona can't get the takedown.
Shleifer tries a knee to the head but Arona blocks it.
Shleifer using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Arona has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Arona is looking to take this one to the mat.
Shleifer gets underhooks to prevent Arona's takedown attempt.
Shleifer landing some nice looking knees to the body.
A knee to the head by Shleifer.
Shleifer tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Arona is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Shleifer gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A knee to the head by Shleifer.
Shleifer tries to land a knee to the head but Arona blocks with his arms.
Shleifer with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Shleifer prevents a takedown attempt there.
Arona takes a knee right on the jaw!
Arona drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Shleifer with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Shleifer landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andrei Shleifer showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Ricardo Arona's cut.
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!

Arona throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Shleifer's waist but Shleifer gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Arona off to one side.

Arona drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Shleifer struggling a bit here.
Shleifer tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Arona wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Arona is trying to get an arm triangle but Shleifer is defending well.
Arona tries to advance to mount but can't.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Shleifer can't do much from the bottom here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Arona wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Shleifer, who protects the arm well.
You can see the frustration on Shleifer's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Arona tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Arona has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Shleifer sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Shleifer gets back to full guard.
Arona pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Shleifer is keeping the position for now.
Shleifer is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Shleifer is taking a breather. Arona says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

Arona looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Shleifer is taking a breather. Arona says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Arona is staying active underneath Shleifer, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Andrei Shleifer wasn't active enough on the ground.

Shleifer gets caught flat footed, as Arona shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Shleifer is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

Arona drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Shleifer manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Arona has Shleifer in his guard.
Shleifer sitting in guard, not really doing much.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shleifer passes Arona's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Arona looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Shleifer keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Arona is trying to get back to full guard.

Arona actively working from the bottom here.
Shleifer stalling.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Arona looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Shleifer stalling.
Andrei Shleifer is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Andrei Shleifer was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Arona circles away from the clinch attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Andrei Shleifer comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Shleifer has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 27:30
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Andrei Shleifer!