PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Tiberius Spartacus (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thiago Pais (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Spartacus
vs
Pais

172 cm
25
157 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

166 cm
25
143 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight 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, Tiberius Spartacus!
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, Thiago Pais!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Paulo Santos and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Spartacus swings away with a body shot that misses
and Pais counters with a thumping low kick.
Pais connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Spartacus looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Spartacus misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Pais.
Pais lands a nice looking body shot.
Pais finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Pais fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Pais lands with a kick to the ribs.
Spartacus wants to clinch.
Spartacus tries to clinch up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spartacus wants to clinch
and Pais makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Spartacus.
Spartacus throws a predictable looking body shot

and Pais counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Pais.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Pais postures up.
Pais throws a big right hand that misses.
Pais throws a strike but Spartacus rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Spartacus with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Spartacus is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Pais is pulling down on Spartacus's head to control his posture.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Spartacus trying to control the position from guard on top but Pais is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Spartacus throws a big elbow that misses.
Spartacus throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Spartacus works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Pais wants to get back to full guard.
Pais is controlling Spartacus's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Spartacus trying to control from half guard but Pais is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pais controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Pais is trying to get back to full guard.
Spartacus tries to pass the half guard into mount. Pais knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Pais really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Spartacus. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Pais blocking the ground and pound attempt from Spartacus.
Spartacus is looking to advance position but Pais won't allow it.
Pais keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Spartacus thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Pais's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Spartacus wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pais keeps working.
Spartacus is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Pais is looking to improve his position.
Spartacus thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Spartacus tries to pass to full mount but Pais defends it.
Spartacus looks to land a strike but Pais avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Spartacus trying to control but Pais is working from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pais 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.
Spartacus trying to control but Pais is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Tiberius Spartacus will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Spartacus is looking to score with low kicks.
Pais motions for Spartacus to come forward. Pais throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Pais, right into the meat.
Tiberius Spartacus is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Spartacus misses the body punch

and Pais counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Pais throws a strike but Spartacus rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Spartacus stands and throws Pais's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Spartacus working the body and head with strikes.
Pais regains half guard there - taking advantage of Spartacus's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pais wants to control but Spartacus is keeping busy.
Spartacus uses his free foot to push down on Pais's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Pais.
Tiberius Spartacus overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Pais is looking to improve his position but Spartacus isn't that keen on the idea.

Spartacus goes for an armbar but Pais turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Pais.
Pais in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Spartacus bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Pais's guard.
Spartacus pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Pais is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Spartacus wants to control from the top but Pais keeps moving.
Spartacus looking to sit in guard and control but Pais gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Pais trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Spartacus manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Pais manages to get himself to full guard.

Spartacus postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Pais is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Spartacus, into his guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Pais throws a strike but Spartacus rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pais avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Spartacus slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Pais takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.

Spartacus goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Pais has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Spartacus but great work by Pais.
Spartacus parries the strikes from Pais easily there. Pais is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Spartacus to escape.
Spartacus prevents Pais from moving into mount.
Pais working the strikes but Spartacus uses the opportunity to regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Spartacus taking some punishment here, with Pais in his half guard.
Pais throws a strike but Spartacus avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Pais throws a strike but Spartacus rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Spartacus pushing down on Pais's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Pais is not content to let Spartacus control the position.
Spartacus thows a huge punch but Pais dodges it nicely.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Spartacus not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Spartacus wants to take a breather but Pais is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tiberius Spartacus dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Pais decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Pais throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Spartacus to regain full guard.

Spartacus throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Spartacus utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Spartacus working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Pais.
Pais with a flurry of punches that miss.
Pais loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Pais throws an elbow that misses. Spartacus uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Pais's guard. Nice move by Spartacus!
Spartacus throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Pais works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spartacus passes Pais's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Spartacus looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Spartacus is working hard here to advance position.
Spartacus throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Spartacus sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Pais defending well though.
Pais punching from the bottom.
Pais is looking to improve his position.
Spartacus wants to control but Pais is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Spartacus throwing shots but Pais is blocking nicely.
Pais is holding on to half guard well.
Spartacus throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Spartacus wants to pass to mount but Pais is defending the position.

Spartacus wants to work for an arm triangle but Pais is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Pais wants to get back to full guard.
Spartacus trying to pass the guard but Pais defending well.
Spartacus uses his free foot to push down on Pais's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Pais.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spartacus trying to control but Pais is having none of it.
Pais wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Spartacus.
Pais keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Spartacus throwing strikes here but Pais is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Pais is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Spartacus has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Spartacus throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Pais because Spartacus loaded up on that one.
Spartacus lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Spartacus misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Thiago Pais has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tiberius Spartacus is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Spartacus controlling the position easily from mount.
Pais is squirming around, avoiding Spartacus's attempts to control the action.
Spartacus controlling from mount.
Spartacus wants to control the pace but Pais is squirming around nicely.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Spartacus content just to control the position here.
Pais is trying desperately to improve position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tiberius Spartacus showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Spartacus, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 30:27
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tiberius Spartacus!
After the fight, Tiberius Spartacus was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.