PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Christopher Pyle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vitor Belfort (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Pyle kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Bate Pesadão. Belfort is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Forever and 300 Violin Orchestra Remix (Crack Bottles Forever). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Pyle
vs
Belfort

181 cm
18
186 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

182 cm
25
188 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Tends to cut

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Christopher Pyle!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Vitor Belfort!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Alexandre Firmino and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Pyle shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Belfort is trying to defend but Pyle finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Pyle not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Pyle missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Belfort is trying to get back to full guard.
Belfort moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Belfort is trying to keep Pyle in close.
Pyle lands a couple of digs.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Belfort working for a triangle but Pyle defends it easily.
Pyle looking to pass the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Belfort is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Belfort might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Pyle haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Pyle lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Belfort is pulling down on Pyle's head. It's preventing any offense from Pyle, at least for the moment.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Vitor Belfort.

Belfort looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Belfort works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Pyle landing small, sideways elbows.
Pyle is trying to maintain the position but Belfort is very close to passing his half guard.
Belfort lands with a punch from half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Still in half guard, Belfort seems content to control.
Belfort's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Belfort is keen to just control but Pyle is a slippery customer.
Belfort is thwarting Pyle's attempts to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Vitor Belfort hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Belfort throws a head kick but Pyle moves out of range.
Belfort fails with a takedown attempt.
Pyle moves forwards but Belfort connects with a nice, crisp jab.

Belfort manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Pyle on his heels. He'll look to pass Pyle's guard now, I'm sure.
Belfort looking to pass the guard.
Belfort controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Pyle looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Pyle is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Belfort tries to free his leg and advance position but Pyle is retaining full guard.
Belfort trying to control but Pyle is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Vitor Belfort was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Belfort shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Pyle is trying to defend but Belfort finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Belfort stalling.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Belfort connects with a nice short shot to Pyle's temple.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Belfort is pressing down on Pyle's thigh, looking to free his foot. Pyle is holding on for now.

Belfort stands up and beckons Pyle to join him on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vitor Belfort dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Belfort displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Pyle.
Belfort misses with a wild combination.
Belfort fails in his attempt to clinch.
Belfort closes the distance and clinches up with Pyle, looking for a takedown. Belfort pushes Pyle against the cage but Pyle circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Belfort shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Pyle manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Pyle looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Belfort postures up.
Belfort stopping the sweep attempt from Pyle.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Belfort showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Belfort slips nicely into half guard.
Belfort is trying to control. Pyle wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Belfort takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Vitor Belfort hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Belfort closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Pyle trying to control from the bottom.
Vitor Belfort has got the better of the ground game so far.
Belfort lands strikes from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Belfort is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Pyle!
Belfort looking to control and managing it successfully.
Belfort working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Belfort controlling the pace for now.
Belfort putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pyle manages to control the position for a moment.
Belfort takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
A nice elbow there by Belfort.
Belfort looking to finish Pyle with some ground and pound. This is bad for Pyle!
Belfort content just to control the position here.
Belfort dominating with strikes here.
Belfort takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Belfort trying to control but he's not successful this time.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Belfort controlling the position easily from mount.
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!
Let's hope that Belfort 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.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Vitor Belfort.
Belfort tries for a takedown but Pyle sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vitor Belfort showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Belfort throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Belfort tries a head kick but it misses.

Belfort takes the fight into the clinch.
Pyle goes for a takedown attempt but Belfort pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Belfort moves into the clinch.
Belfort gets underhooks to prevent Pyle's takedown attempt.

Belfort breaks the clinch.
Belfort changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Pyle tries to avoid it but Belfort manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Pyle to the ground. Pyle escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Belfort scores with a head kick. Pyle tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Pyle sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Belfort scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Belfort taking a breather here.
Belfort wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pyle keeps working.

Belfort tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Belfort has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Belfort wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pyle keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Pyle sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Belfort is taking a breather. Pyle 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.

Vitor Belfort has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Pyle has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Christopher Pyle. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Belfort misses with a takedown attempt - Pyle sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Pyle takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Vitor Belfort seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pyle goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

Belfort scores with a takedown into Pyle's guard.
Pyle looking for a sweep. Not yet Pyle, not yet.
Pyle can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Belfort controls the pace.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Pyle wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Vitor Belfort hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Pyle on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Vitor Belfort is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
A right-left combo lands from Belfort.
Belfort lands with a kick to the temple. Pyle shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Belfort shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Pyle pinned against the cage. Pyle gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Sloppy strikes from Pyle. Those never looked like landing.
Christopher Pyle has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vitor Belfort comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Belfort has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 27:30
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 27:30
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 27:30

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