PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Robert Garcia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mister Theilulaia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Garcia comes to the cage accompanied by Art of Fighting Theme. Mister Theilulaia is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Garcia
vs
Theilulaia

170 cm
26
155 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

182 cm
25
147 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Dangerous knees
Powerful

Sydney BEAST Clothing

CEC Nutrition Q160 & Loans

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Robert Garcia!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mister Theilulaia!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Alexandre Firmino and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Theilulaia tries to clinch

and Garcia counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Garcia wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Theilulaia unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Theilulaia is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Garcia is defending well for now.
Theilulaia with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Theilulaia with a knee to the head.

It looks like Robert Garcia has been cut.
Theilulaia lands a good knee to the midsection. Garcia won't want to take too many of those.
Theilulaia misses with a knee strike.
Theilulaia throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Garcia blocks it with crossed arms.
Theilulaia with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Garcia breaks the clinch.
Theilulaia looks to clinch

and Garcia counters by clinching up.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Theilulaia putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Garcia in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Theilulaia with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Theilulaia tries to land knees in the clinch but Garcia avoids the damage to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garcia blocks an elbow strike from Theilulaia.
Theilulaia misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Garcia.
Theilulaia looking to throw knees to the head but Garcia is blocking nicely.
Garcia blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Garcia breaks the clinch.

Garcia fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Theilulaia sprawls well initially but Garcia persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Garcia tries to pass the half guard into mount. Theilulaia knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Theilulaia is pressing down on Garcia's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Theilulaia is looking to sweep but instead, Garcia has passed into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Theilulaia manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Theilulaia is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Garcia is controlling him.
Garcia controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Garcia is looking to stand up but Theilulaia won't let him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Theilulaia is looking to stand up but Garcia isn't so interested in that idea.
Theilulaia tries to land a sweep but no joy.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Robert Garcia just wasn't active enough.

Garcia scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Theilulaia trying to control from the bottom.
Garcia seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Theilulaia moves into full guard.
Theilulaia is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Garcia sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Garcia might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

We're going to have a standup here because Robert Garcia wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Theilulaia wants to clinch but Garcia slips to the side

and Garcia moves into the clinch.
Theilulaia unloads a knee to the mid-section. Garcia lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Theilulaia with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Knees to the body from Theilulaia.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Garcia jumps guard and drags Theilulaia to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Theilulaia wants to pass the guard but Garcia is keeping the position.
Garcia is looking to stand back up but Theilulaia counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Garcia.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mister Theilulaia dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Robert Garcia's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Theilulaia moves to clinch but Garcia breaks away
and Garcia makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Garcia circles away from the clinch attempt

and Garcia counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Theilulaia crunches a lovely knee into Garcia's ribcage.
Theilulaia using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Garcia has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Garcia fails to pull guard.
Theilulaia missing with knees to the body.
Theilulaia is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Garcia is keeping busy.

Garcia breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Garcia looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Theilulaia!
Theilulaia struggling a bit here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Theilulaia gets back to half guard.
Theilulaia wants to sweep but Garcia has passed to side control!

Garcia decides to stand up, so the ref orders Theilulaia to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Theilulaia tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Garcia counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

Garcia closes the distance and clinches.
Theilulaia missing with knees to the body.
Theilulaia tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Garcia avoids it.
Garcia is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Theilulaia to keep the fight standing.
Theilulaia looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Knees in the clinch landing for Theilulaia.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Theilulaia landing knees to the body.
Theilulaia with a knee to the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Garcia on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Theilulaia landing knees to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Theilulaia throws a knee to the head but misses.
Garcia is trying to break the clinch but Theilulaia has him pressed against the cage.
Garcia on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Theilulaia crunches a lovely knee into Garcia's ribcage.
Garcia tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Theilulaia smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Robert Garcia. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Theilulaia fails in his attempt to clinch.
Theilulaia tries to clinch but Garcia is having none of it.

Garcia closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Theilulaia trying to control here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Theilulaia is looking for a sweep. Garcia is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Theilulaia wants to get back to his feet.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Garcia circles away from the clinch attempt

and Garcia counters with a single leg into guard. Theilulaia didn't expect that.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Theilulaia working a defensive guard here.
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.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Mister Theilulaia will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Robert Garcia's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Theilulaia tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Garcia counters by clinching up.

Garcia breaks from the clinch.
Theilulaia tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Garcia paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Theilulaia darts in trying to clinch

and Garcia counters by clinching up.
Garcia on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Theilulaia crunches a lovely knee into Garcia's ribcage.
Theilulaia landing knees to the head.
Theilulaia tries to land knees in the clinch but Garcia avoids the damage to the body.

Garcia's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Theilulaia tries to clinch but Garcia moves away

and Garcia counters by moving into the clinch.
Theilulaia looking to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garcia is trying to pull guard but Theilulaia turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Theilulaia has Garcia pressed against the cage, preventing Garcia from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Theilulaia using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Garcia has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Theilulaia unloads a knee to the mid-section.
The referee calls for Garcia to work.
Knees in the clinch landing for Theilulaia.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Theilulaia misses with a knee to the head.
Theilulaia tries a knee to the head but Garcia blocks it.
Theilulaia is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Theilulaia misses with a knee strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Theilulaia missing with knees to the body.
Theilulaia missing with knees to the body.
Garcia is trying to pull guard but Theilulaia has him pressed against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Robert Garcia. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Garcia is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Knees to the body from Theilulaia.
Theilulaia landing knees to the body.
Theilulaia prevents a takedown attempt there.
Theilulaia misses with a knee to the head.
Garcia managing to block the knees to the body from Theilulaia.
Theilulaia tries to land knees in the clinch but Garcia avoids the damage to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Theilulaia missing with knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Theilulaia tries to land knees in the clinch but Garcia avoids the damage to the body.
Garcia blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Garcia jumps into guard, dragging Theilulaia to the mat.
Theilulaia won't allow Garcia to get back to his feet.
Theilulaia tries to stand but Garcia is controlling from the bottom.
Robert Garcia overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Garcia is looking to stand up but Theilulaia isn't so interested in that idea.
Garcia controls Theilulaia momentarily but Theilulaia frees himself.
Garcia keeping moving, preventing Theilulaia from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Mister Theilulaia was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Theilulaia tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Garcia manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Garcia scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Theilulaia is trying to stand back up but Garcia is controlling him
Robert Garcia has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Theilulaia wants to control but Garcia is keeping busy and won't allow it.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Garcia stops Theilulaia from getting back to his feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Theilulaia looks to clinch
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Mister Theilulaia is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Theilulaia gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Garcia to score an easy takedown into full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Mister Theilulaia.
I've got Theilulaia 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 27:30
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mister Theilulaia!
Mister Theilulaia thanked the fans post fight for their support.