PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ace Popo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Freddy Alves (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Popo comes to the cage accompanied by Alter Bridge- Ties that Bind. Alves comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Trik Turner - Friends and Family kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Popo
vs
Alves

168 cm
24
158 lbs
11 - 5 - 0

168 cm
24
170 lbs
11 - 11 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Solid boxing
KO power

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite 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 11 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ace Popo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Freddy Alves!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Seu Braga and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alves throws a nice looking combination but Popo bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Alves throws a low kick, looking for Popo's leg but Popo calmly moves out of range.
Popo fails with the takedown.
Alves drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Alves scores with a shot to the body.
Alves fails to land the takedown.
Popo gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Alves counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Popo wants to improve his position but Alves is controlling well.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Alves in particular looking to stall.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Alves's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alves winds up and cracks Popo with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Popo is pressing down on Alves's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Popo is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Alves defends well.

Popo is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Alves throws a big right hand that misses.

Popo looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Alves pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Popo is keeping the position for now.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Alves's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Popo 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.
Alves is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

Popo has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Alves can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Alves is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Popo has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Alves can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Alves lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Alves throwing strikes from guard but Popo blocks nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alves with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Popo throws his legs up looking for a submission but Alves uses it to pass to side control.
Alves scoring with punches from side control.
Popo tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Alves works to advance to full mount. Popo defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Alves wants to control the pace but Popo is squirming around nicely.
Popo is desperately trying to improve his position but Alves has a good base and remains in mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Alves has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Popo's face.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Alves scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Popo?
Alves trying to control but Popo is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Popo wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Alves controlling from mount.
Alves looking to finish Popo with some ground and pound. This is bad for Popo!
Popo taking shots to the head.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Popo is looking to improve his position but Alves isn't that keen on the idea.
Alves tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Alves scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Popo?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Freddy Alves dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Popo takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Alves misses with a series of wild punches.
Alves lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Some wild striking there from Alves.
Alves will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Popo uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Alves.
Popo shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Alves sprawls well. Alves wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Popo gets slowly back to his feet.
Ace Popo is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Alves misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Popo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alves throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Alves misses with a looping left.
Popo fails with an attempt to clinch.
Popo throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Popo slips a jab from Alves.
Alves throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

Alves shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Popo's guard.
Popo controls Alves momentarily but Alves frees himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Popo had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Alves defends it easily.
Alves is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Popo working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Alves doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Alves manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Popo looking for a guillotine here but Alves defends easily.

Popo is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Alves is aware though and is defending well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alves looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Alves makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Alves postures up in Popo's guard and throws a big left but Popo blocks it.
Popo avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Alves controlling from the top position.

Popo had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Alves defends it easily.
Alves stays in close to Popo's body and controls the position.
Alves must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Popo is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Alves stays in close to Popo's body and controls the position.
Popo looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Alves trying to control the position from guard on top but Popo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Alves lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Alves content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Alves missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
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.
Popo is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Alves wants to control from the top but Popo keeps moving.

Popo has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Alves can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Freddy Alves showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Alves misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Alves gets a takedown into half guard.
Alves landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Popo is staying active underneath Alves, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Alves working over Popo with some ground and pound. Popo looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Popo taking some punishment here, with Alves in his half guard.

Popo looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Popo is refusing to be controlled, as Alves sits in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alves might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Popo kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Freddy Alves has got the better of the ground game so far.

Popo with the active half guard here but Alves passes nicely into side control.
Alves trying to control the position but Popo is working away.
Popo manages to get back to half guard.
Popo has hold of Alves's hands but Alves slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Alves wants to stand but Popo has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Popo is trying to control but can't.
Popo is staying active underneath Alves, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Ace Popo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alves is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Popo trying to hold on to Alves's head to control him but Alves postures up.
Alves stalling.
Alves trying to control from half guard but Popo is working away.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Popo is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Alves's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Alves's back!
Alves breaks Popo's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Popo working for submissions but it's allowed Alves to get to half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Alves seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alves looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Alves looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Popo looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Popo makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Popo.
Alves slips nicely into half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Alves is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Popo trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Alves with a couple of short strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Popo is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Alves scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Popo?
Alves looking to finish Popo with some ground and pound. This is bad for Popo!
Alves avoids the attempt from Popo to control.
Popo is desperately trying to improve his position but Alves has a good base and remains in mount.
Alves looking to control and managing it successfully.
Freddy Alves is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Popo keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Alves controlling his opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Freddy Alves comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Alves 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 27:30
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Freddy Alves!
A relieved looking Freddy Alves thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.