PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Doctor Tibas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Lowrey (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tibas comes to the cage accompanied by Killswitch Engage - My Curse. Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the fighters buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Tibas
vs
Lowrey

189 cm
20
198 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
30
190 lbs
5 - 14 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Doctor Tibas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mike Lowrey!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Alexandre Firmino and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lowrey misses with a wild body shot.

Tibas shoots in and gets a takedown into Lowrey's guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Lowrey wants to sweep but no luck.
Tibas with a flurry of punches that miss.
Tibas has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Tibas preventing the sweep.
Lowrey preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Lowrey holds on and takes a little breather.
Tibas trying to control the position from guard on top but Lowrey is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tibas trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Tibas missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Tibas throwing strikes from guard but Lowrey blocks nicely.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Tibas accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tibas looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Tibas trying to control but Lowrey is working from the bottom.
Tibas controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

We're going to have a standup here because Doctor Tibas wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Lowrey misses with a body shot.

Lowrey gets tackled into the cage by Tibas. Tibas maintains the clinch.

Tibas has picked Lowrey up - he's going for a ride! Tibas dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Tibas not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tibas throwing shots but Lowrey is blocking nicely.
Tibas not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Tibas not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Lowrey on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Tibas trying to control from Lowrey's half guard. Lowrey has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lowrey is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Lowrey preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Lowrey keeping moving, preventing Tibas from controlling successfully.
Tibas preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lowrey is trying to keep Tibas in close.
Lowrey might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Tibas kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Tibas working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Lowrey pulls Tibas in to control the position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Tibas has taken the fight to the clinch.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Tibas.
Lowrey avoids a wild elbow strike from Tibas.

Tibas wants the takedown. Lowrey is fighting it off but Tibas persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Lowrey's guard against the cage.
Tibas is working Lowrey over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Tibas distracts Lowrey with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Lowrey trying to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Tibas trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Tibas with a flurry of punches that miss.
Tibas is looking to work some ground and pound but Lowrey has wrist control.
Tibas trying to control the position from guard on top but Lowrey is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lowrey lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Tibas!
Tibas tries to hold on but Lowrey postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tibas is wriggling around trying to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Doctor Tibas dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Tibas scores with a takedown into Lowrey's guard.
Tibas throws a big elbow that misses.
Tibas postures up.
Lowrey keeping moving, preventing Tibas from controlling successfully.
Tibas preventing the sweep.
Tibas trying to control but Lowrey is working from the bottom.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Lowrey is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Doctor Tibas just wasn't active enough.

Lowrey scores with a takedown into Tibas's guard.
Lowrey is fighting to break Tibas's control of his arms but Tibas is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lowrey works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Tibas wants to control but Lowrey is keeping busy.

Lowrey is trying to work for a kimura but Tibas is defending well.
Lowrey is trying to control the action in half guard but Tibas is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Lowrey is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Lowrey is trying to control. Tibas wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tibas slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Tibas looking to hit a scissor sweep but Lowrey is one step ahead there.
Lowrey stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Tibas swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Lowrey passes into half guard.
Lowrey looks to land a strike but Tibas avoids it nicely and regains full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tibas looking to hit a scissor sweep but Lowrey is one step ahead there.
Tibas has Lowrey pulled in close to control his posture.
Lowrey stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Tibas swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Tibas wants to sweep but no luck.
Tibas looking to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lowrey trying to control the position from guard on top but Tibas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Doctor Tibas.
Lowrey with a lazy takedown attempt

and Tibas counters with a takedown into side control.

Tibas decides to stand back up. Tibas steps back and let's Lowrey get back to his feet.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Tibas looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Tibas throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Lowrey tries to roll over but Tibas keeps him under control.
Lowrey is trying to control but can't.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tibas trying to control the action but Lowrey is working from the bottom.
Doctor Tibas overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Tibas stalling.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Doctor Tibas dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Lowrey looking to score a takedown here. Tibas is defending well but Lowrey drives through and ends up in Tibas's guard.
Lowrey advances to half guard.
Tibas is refusing to be controlled, as Lowrey sits in half guard.

Lowrey is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Tibas has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Lowrey is working away from the top position though.
Tibas wants to improve his position but Lowrey is controlling well.

Lowrey is working for a submission of some sort.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tibas kicks off Lowrey and gets to his feet.
Lowrey shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Tibas but Tibas pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Tibas moves into the clinch successfully.
A short body shot lands from Tibas as the two fighters clinch.

Tibas works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Tibas trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Lowrey has a closed guard, preventing Tibas from standing up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tibas throws an elbow that misses. Lowrey uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Tibas's guard. Nice move by Lowrey!
Lowrey trying to control but Tibas is working from the bottom.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lowrey is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Lowrey prevents Tibas from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lowrey stopping the sweep attempt from Tibas.
Lowrey passes Tibas's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Tibas has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Lowrey is working away from the top position though.
Doctor Tibas is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Lowrey is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Tibas defends it well.
Tibas keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lowrey is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Tibas defends it well.
Tibas pushes Lowrey off looking to stand but Lowrey dives back in and keeps control.
Lowrey is looking to take a break and control but Tibas is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lowrey throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Mike Lowrey has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Lowrey is working for a submission of some sort.

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 Doctor Tibas.
Well Tibas has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 30:28
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:28
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Doctor Tibas!
After the fight, Doctor Tibas 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.