PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alex Ramirez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rafael Garcia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Ramirez might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Megadeth-Trust. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Ramirez
vs
Garcia

180 cm
37
202 lbs
25 - 21 - 0

184 cm
26
205 lbs
7 - 8 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 25 - 21 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Alex Ramirez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Rafael Garcia!
The judges for this bout are Patrick Alders, Paul Aken and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ramirez shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Garcia eats them both and turns towards Ramirez to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Garcia tries to clinch up but Ramirez circles away and keeps his distance.

Ramirez closes the distance and pushes Garcia back into the cage.

Garcia is trying to trip Ramirez. He has hold of a leg but Ramirez is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Garcia persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Ramirez is looking for a triangle but Garcia pushes his legs off easily.

Ramirez isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Garcia stacks Ramirez on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Garcia!
Ramirez isn't going anywhere.
Ramirez manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Garcia looking for submissions off his back.
Ramirez lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Ramirez seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Garcia looking for submissions off his back.
Ramirez scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Garcia looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Ramirez prevents Garcia from improving his position.
Ramirez trying to control the pace.
Ramirez wants to pass to mount but Garcia is defending the position.
Ramirez is controlling the pace.
Ramirez tries to pass to full mount but Garcia defends it.
Ramirez is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Garcia is trying to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Garcia is refusing to be controlled, as Ramirez sits in half guard.
Ramirez lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Ramirez scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Garcia is looking for a sweep. Ramirez is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Ramirez is nestled in close to Garcia, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

Ramirez is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Garcia has managed to free his arm - good work.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Garcia is defending against the submission attempts here by Ramirez.

Garcia looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Ramirez is nestled in close to Garcia, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ramirez seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Garcia does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Garcia works his way to full guard. Good work.
Ramirez tries to free his leg and advance position but Garcia is retaining full guard.
Ramirez lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Garcia is looking for a triangle but Ramirez pushes his legs off easily.

Garcia escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Ramirez gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Ramirez landing some decent shots from guard.
Ramirez looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Garcia escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Ramirez gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Garcia looks winded!
Ramirez trying to control but Garcia is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Garcia has momentary wrist control but Ramirez slips an elbow through the middle.
Ramirez has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Ramirez is stalling in the full guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ramirez advances to half guard.
Ramirez not doing much here.
Ramirez lands strikes from half guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
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. Ramirez connects with a nice short shot to Garcia's temple.
Nice strikes from Ramirez there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Ramirez dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Ramirez swinging wildly here.

Ramirez feints and as Garcia raises his hands in defense, Ramirez changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Ramirez trying to control the position from guard on top but Garcia is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Garcia working a defensive guard here.

Garcia is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Ramirez defends well.
Ramirez content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Ramirez trying to control but Garcia is working from the bottom.
Alex Ramirez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Garcia looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Ramirez has picked Garcia up and slammed him! Garcia can't keep hold of the triangle and Ramirez manages to pass to side control!
Ramirez working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Ramirez cracks Garcia with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Ramirez tries for a kimura but Garcia is defending well.
Garcia is trying to control Ramirez's posture but Ramirez avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ramirez looks up at the clock and then as Garcia takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Ramirez smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Garcia can't do much from the bottom here.
Garcia is looking to regain half guard here but Ramirez keeps moving and retains side control.
Garcia is not content to let Ramirez control the position.
Ramirez is chipping away with strikes.
Garcia gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Garcia on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Ramirez looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ramirez is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Ramirez seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

Garcia is rocked!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
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. Ramirez connects with a nice short shot to Garcia's temple.
Garcia is still in real trouble! Can Ramirez finish him?

Garcia has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Ramirez escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Ramirez!
Garcia is breathing heavily.
Garcia takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Ramirez controls the position.
Ramirez lands a decent elbow from side control.

Ramirez working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
The referee asks Ramirez politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Ramirez prefers to stall for the moment though.

Ramirez working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Garcia seems to have recovered his senses.
Garcia struggling a bit here.
Garcia is letting Ramirez control him for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ramirez scores with a couple of short elbows.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Garcia is looking for a sweep.
Ramirez controlling from side mount.
Garcia is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Ramirez controls the position.
Garcia regains half guard.

Garcia looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Garcia tries to roll over but Ramirez keeps him under control.
Ramirez takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ramirez is trying to control. Garcia wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Alex Ramirez wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Ramirez lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
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!

Garcia decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Ramirez is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Garcia pulls his head out easily.
Ramirez wants to improve his position but Garcia is controlling well.
Garcia wants to free his trapped foot but Ramirez is holding on for dear life with his legs.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ramirez wants to control but Garcia is keeping busy.
Ramirez gets back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Ramirez dominated that second 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. And we move into the final round!

Ramirez lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.

Ramirez throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Garcia tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Ramirez is in Garcia's guard.
Ramirez landing with the ground and pound.

Garcia throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Ramirez is stalling in the full guard.
Ramirez stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Garcia swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Ramirez got a little sloppy there for a moment and Garcia has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Ramirez has managed to get both his arms back between Garcia's legs - danger averted.

Garcia is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Ramirez defends well.
Ramirez is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Garcia can do to turn this around?

Garcia working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Ramirez doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Ramirez manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Garcia takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ramirez pushing down on Garcia's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
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. Ramirez connects with a nice short shot to Garcia's temple.
Ramirez content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

Ramirez is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Garcia sees it coming and defends easily.
Ramirez is trying to control the action in half guard but Garcia is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Ramirez controlling the action here.

Ramirez is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Ramirez lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ramirez scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ground and pound from Ramirez.

Ramirez is looking for a kimura here.
Ramirez looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Ramirez lands strikes from half guard.
Ramirez working Garcia over with strikes.

Ramirez is working for a kimura but Garcia is defending it quite comfortably.
Garcia won't allow Ramirez to pass to mount.
Ramirez takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Garcia has hold of a guillotine but he's not going to be able to crank on it really with only half guard, so it's no trouble for Ramirez. Oh but Garcia has got full guard now! Oh boy! This one could be over very soon! Ramirez goes limp - he's gone! Garcia jumps up and celebrates with the crowd - fantastic submission finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:21 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Rafael Garcia!
A pretty intense looking Rafael Garcia took the opportunity post-fight to ask for a shot at the title.