PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Paul Dawkins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matheus Carvalho (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Carvalho has chosen Notorious BIG - Victory as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Dawkins
vs
Carvalho

183 cm
21
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

192 cm
19
222 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good gas tank

Lightning Fight Gear

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Paul Dawkins!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Matheus Carvalho!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Bruno Lombardi and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Carvalho fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Dawkins sprawls well initially but Carvalho persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Dawkins looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Dawkins tries to kick Carvalho off but Carvalho keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Carvalho prevents Dawkins from improving his position.
Carvalho stalling.
Carvalho tries to pass the half guard into mount. Dawkins knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Carvalho wants to work for an arm triangle but Dawkins is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Carvalho looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Dawkins tries to roll over but Carvalho keeps him under control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Dawkins cracks the inside of Carvalho's front leg.
Dawkins shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Carvalho counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Dawkins is trying to control but can't.
Well, if Carvalho is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Carvalho stops Dawkins from getting back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carvalho is taking a breather. Dawkins 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.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dawkins wants to get back to his feet.
Carvalho moves nicely into side control.
Carvalho controlling from side mount.
Carvalho connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Dawkins some visible discomfort.
Dawkins tries to buck Carvalho off but Carvalho is having none of it.
The referee asks Carvalho politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Carvalho prefers to stall for the moment though.
Carvalho's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dawkins is looking for a sweep.
You can see the frustration on Dawkins's face as Carvalho controls the position.

Carvalho is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Dawkins knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Carvalho tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Dawkins tries to buck Carvalho off but Carvalho is having none of it.
Carvalho creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Dawkins is pushing Carvalho's head away, looking to escape. Carvalho manages to hold on to the position though.
Carvalho is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Dawkins's shoulder. That is not cool.
Let's hope that Carvalho has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

Despite being in the dominant position, Matheus Carvalho just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Dawkins has his takedown stuffed

and Carvalho counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Carvalho wants to pass the guard but Dawkins is defending well.
Dawkins trying to hold on to Carvalho's head to control him but Carvalho postures up.
Carvalho is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Dawkins is trying to stand back up but Carvalho is controlling him
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matheus Carvalho dominated that round.
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.

Danga de danga de dang - Dawkins scores with a four punch combination!
Dawkins fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Carvalho manages to avoid it.
Dawkins moves in looking to clinch but Carvalho pushes him off.

Carvalho feints and as Dawkins raises his hands in defense, Carvalho changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Carvalho throwing strikes from guard but Dawkins blocks nicely.
Carvalho content to stall in guard here.

Dawkins working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Carvalho has passed into half guard!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carvalho slows the pace down in half guard.
Dawkins tries to roll over but Carvalho keeps him under control.
Carvalho looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Carvalho in particular looking to stall.
Carvalho is thwarting Dawkins's attempts to control the position.
Ground and pound from Carvalho.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Dawkins tries to roll over but Carvalho keeps him under control.
Carvalho wants to advance to full mount but Dawkins doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Dawkins throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Carvalho stands up over Dawkins, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Carvalho drops back looking for a leg! Dawkins is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Dawkins manages to kick Carvalho off! Carvalho jumps back into Dawkins's guard.
Carvalho is breathing heavily.
Carvalho works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Carvalho is thwarting Dawkins's attempts to control the position.

Carvalho is looking for a kimura but Dawkins is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Carvalho to get the leverage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Dawkins actively working from the bottom here.
Dawkins pushes Carvalho off looking to stand but Carvalho dives back in and keeps control.
Carvalho content to control rather than advance.
Dawkins trying to hold on to Carvalho's head to control him but Carvalho postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Dawkins is looking to escape.
Carvalho is nestled in close to Dawkins, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Carvalho working over Dawkins with some ground and pound. Dawkins looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Carvalho looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Carvalho trying to advance position but Dawkins counters by regaining guard.
Dawkins wants to get back to his feet but Carvalho is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Dawkins being controlled here, momentarily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Carvalho trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Carvalho passes Dawkins's left leg - he's now in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matheus Carvalho showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Dawkins misses with a takedown attempt
and Carvalho counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Carvalho circles away from the clinch attempt.
Carvalho misses with a few strikes there.
Carvalho bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Dawkins's head.
Dawkins wants to clinch up but Carvalho keeps it at a distance.
Dawkins connects with a solid leg kick.
Carvalho shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Dawkins misses with a double jab

and Carvalho counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Carvalho.
Dawkins controls Carvalho momentarily but Carvalho frees himself.
Dawkins wants to stand up but Carvalho is controlling him.

Dawkins escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Carvalho gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Carvalho is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dawkins is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Carvalho works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Carvalho controlling the pace.
Dawkins wants to get back to full guard.
Carvalho is taking a breather. Dawkins 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.
Carvalho working over Dawkins with some ground and pound. Dawkins looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Dawkins has hold of Carvalho's hands but Carvalho slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Dawkins wants to get back to full guard but Carvalho has passed into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carvalho tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Carvalho pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Carvalho content just to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Despite being in the dominant position, Matheus Carvalho just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Dawkins tries to clinch up
and Carvalho counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Dawkins throws a head kick that misses.

Carvalho changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Dawkins looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Carvalho controls the position.
Carvalho works to advance to full mount. Dawkins defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Dawkins tries to reverse the position but Carvalho maintains control.
Carvalho controlling from mount.
Dawkins tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Carvalho controlling from the full mount.
Carvalho lands with some strikes.

Carvalho with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Carvalho avoids the attempt from Dawkins to control.
Dawkins tries to get back to half guard but can't.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matheus Carvalho comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Carvalho winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matheus Carvalho!