PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kuai Lai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tiago Jorge (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lai comes to the cage accompanied by CKY - Chinese Rap. Jorge is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Tropa de Elite. 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!

Lai
vs
Jorge

195 cm
31
215 lbs
30 - 22 - 0

187 cm
27
212 lbs
15 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
World class MT
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 30 - 22 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Kuai Lai!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Tiago Jorge!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Alexandre Firmino and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Jorge closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Lai lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Lai is pressed up against the cage. Jorge has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Lai down to the mat. Lai avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Jorge closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Lai did well to prevent Jorge getting side control.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Jorge stalling.
Lai tries to roll over but Jorge keeps him under control.
The fighters are battling for position here. Lai manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Jorge lands a couple of digs.
Jorge wants to control from the top but Lai keeps moving.
Jorge tries to free his leg and advance position but Lai is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lai can't keep his opponent in guard - Jorge advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Jorge trying to mount his opponent but Lai defends it.
Lai wants to get back to his feet.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Jorge lands a nice short elbow.
Lai blocking the ground and pound attempt from Jorge.
Jorge thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Lai's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jorge throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Lai to regain full guard.
Jorge sitting in guard here, content to control.
Jorge in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Jorge wants to control from the top but Lai keeps moving.
Jorge trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Jorge loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Jorge throws an elbow that misses. Lai uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Jorge's guard. Nice move by Lai!
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Jorge is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Jorge has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lai working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Jorge avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Lai throwing strikes from guard but Jorge blocks nicely.
Jorge working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Lai.
Jorge is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Jorge tries to pass the half guard into mount. Lai knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Jorge controlling the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lai is controlling Jorge's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Jorge lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Jorge scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Jorge lands strikes from half guard.
Lai won't allow Jorge to pass to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tiago Jorge dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Lai tries to sprawl but Jorge drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Jorge thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Jorge wants to take a breather but Lai is having none of it.
Lai avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Jorge.
Jorge thows a huge punch but Lai dodges it nicely.
Jorge is looking to take a break and control but Lai is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Jorge throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Jorge performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Jorge sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Lai defending well though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jorge controlling the action here.
Jorge trying to control the action but Lai is working from the bottom.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Tiago Jorge.
Lai throws a sloppy head kick and Jorge moves out of range easily.
Lai throws a head kick that misses.

Jorge closes the distance and pushes Lai back into the cage.
Lai with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Lai lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Jorge backwards.

Lai ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Lai no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Jorge throwing strikes from guard but Lai blocks nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jorge loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Jorge working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Lai working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Jorge.
Jorge trying to control but Lai is working from the bottom.
Jorge throwing strikes but missing.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Jorge missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Jorge looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jorge throwing strikes from guard but Lai blocks nicely.
Lai avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Lai utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Lai trying to keep a closed guard but Jorge is proving a slippery customer.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Jorge accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Jorge trying to control the position from guard on top but Lai is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Jorge pushing down on Lai's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jorge scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Jorge wants to control but Lai is keeping him busy.
Jorge throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Lai avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Jorge.
Well, if Jorge 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.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jorge's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Jorge missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tiago Jorge 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!

Jorge gets a clinch.
Jorge managing to block the knees to the body from Lai.
Lai prevents the takedown attempt.
Lai prevents the takedown attempt.

Jorge gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Jorge is trying to control. Lai wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Jorge is controlling the pace.
Lai wants to control but Jorge passes into side.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jorge in side control, throwing shots but Lai defends.
Lai is looking to regain half guard here but Jorge keeps moving and retains side control.
Jorge postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Jorge tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Lai managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Jorge.
Jorge in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Kuai Lai has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

It looks like Kuai Lai has been cut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jorge throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Jorge looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Lai is avoiding damage well.
Lai managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Jorge.
Jorge creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Lai sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Jorge in side control, throwing shots but Lai defends.
Jorge working the ground and pound from side control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Jorge wants to lay and pray for a moment but Lai keeps working.
Jorge cracks Lai with a big elbow.
Jorge landing strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jorge misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Jorge wants to control but Lai is keeping him busy.
Lai is trying to control Jorge's posture but Jorge avoids it.
Jorge is working Lai over with some ground and pound from side control.
Tiago Jorge has got the better of the ground game so far.
Jorge landing strikes.
Tiago Jorge is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Lai is trying to get back to his feet.
Jorge taking a breather here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jorge trying to control the action but Lai is working from the bottom.
Jorge just content to control the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Jorge is trying to ground and pound but Lai uses the momentary lack of control by Jorge to regain half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tiago Jorge comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Jorge 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 27:30
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tiago Jorge!
Tiago Jorge is the new light heavyweight champion!
After winning the bout, Tiago Jorge thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.