PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Pedro Dias (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tony Siciliano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Dias
vs
Siciliano

180 cm
18
155 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

210 cm
22
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Pedro Dias!
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, Tony Siciliano!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Leandro Rodrigues and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dias tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Siciliano paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Siciliano shoots for a double leg takedown but Dias sprawls well. He's pushed Siciliano's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Siciliano gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Siciliano jumps guard but Dias stands there with Siciliano around his waist. Siciliano gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Dias wants to break free but Siciliano has control.
Dias tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Siciliano's elbow.
Siciliano throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Dias stops a takedown attempt from Siciliano.
Pedro Dias has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tony Siciliano.

Siciliano's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Dias misses with a head kick.
Dias misses with a body kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Siciliano looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Dias misses with a head kick.
Siciliano shoots for a double leg takedown but Dias sprawls well. He's pushed Siciliano's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Dias pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Siciliano tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Dias swivels and escapes.
Dias scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Siciliano.
A head kick by Dias misses
and Siciliano counters with a two punch combo.
Siciliano fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Siciliano looks winded!
Siciliano takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Siciliano bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Dias circles away from the clinch attempt

and Dias counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Dias is looking to control Siciliano's arms but Siciliano gets an underhook and turns him. Now Dias has his back to the cage.
Siciliano has Dias pressed against the cage, preventing Dias from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Dias pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Dias shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Siciliano defends it nicely.
Dias misses with a takedown attempt - Siciliano sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Dias stuffs the takedown attempt from Siciliano. Siciliano gets slowly back to his feet.
Dias takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

Dias gets tackled into the cage by Siciliano. Siciliano maintains the clinch.

Dias breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Siciliano shoots for a takedown but Dias saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Dias tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Siciliano manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Siciliano misses with a takedown attempt - Dias sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Dias tries to close the distance and clinch but Siciliano swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Dias avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Dias misses with a jab, cross combination.
Dias takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Siciliano keeps the fight on the outside.
Dias stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Dias shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Dias moves in looking to clinch but Siciliano pushes him off.

Dias gets tackled into the cage by Siciliano. Siciliano maintains the clinch.
Dias is trying to pull guard but Siciliano turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Siciliano looking to throw knees to the head but Dias is blocking nicely.
Dias is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Siciliano to keep the fight standing.

Siciliano breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Siciliano has Dias up against the cage in a clinch.

Siciliano breaks from the clinch.
Siciliano fails with the takedown.
Dias throws a sloppy head kick
and Siciliano counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Dias is lucky that one didn't land flush.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nice sprawl there from Siciliano as Dias shoots in.
Siciliano fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Siciliano tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Dias paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Dias throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Siciliano's waist but Siciliano gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Dias off to one side.
Tony Siciliano seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Dias swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Pedro Dias will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Siciliano has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Dias avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Siciliano pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Siciliano shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Dias defends it nicely.
Dias wants to clinch

and Siciliano counters by clinching up.
Siciliano can't break the clinch.
Siciliano is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Siciliano breaks the clinch.
Siciliano stuffs the takedown attempt from Dias. Dias gets slowly back to his feet.
Siciliano is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Siciliano slips a jab and a cross from Dias.
Siciliano is looking to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Siciliano defending well as Dias loads up on a big left hand.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Siciliano.
Pedro Dias has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tony Siciliano.
Dias fails with an attempt to clinch.
Siciliano throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Dias's head.
The fight stays on the outside here - Siciliano looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Siciliano ducks under a wild hook from Dias.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Dias.
Dias scoring well with a low kick there.
Pedro Dias is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Dias plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Dias stuffs the takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dias defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Siciliano.

Dias has taken the fight to the clinch.
Dias has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Dias is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Dias blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Siciliano scores with a knee to the head.
Dias is looking to break free of the clinch but Siciliano has double underhooks.
Siciliano tries to break the clinch but Dias is controlling the position.
Siciliano trying to stall but Dias improves his position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Dias on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Siciliano keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Dias's efforts to push away.
Dias looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Dias's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Siciliano tries to clinch but Dias is having none of it.
Siciliano tries to clinch there but Dias circles away.
Siciliano throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Dias throws a nice head kick!
Dias scores with a punch to the head.

Dias has closed the distance and engaged Siciliano in a clinch.

Dias manages to break the clinch.
Dias fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Dias goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Siciliano tries for a takedown but Dias sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Dias tries to close the distance and clinch up but Siciliano swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Siciliano looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Dias is fending him off so far but Siciliano persists. Nope, Dias circles away and we're back to standing.

Siciliano closes the distance and clinches.
Dias throws a knee to the head but misses.
Dias tries to pull guard but Siciliano forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Siciliano lands a knee to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Dias looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Siciliano manages to break the clinch.
Siciliano misses with a takedown attempt - Dias sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Siciliano throws a sloppy head kick and Dias moves out of range easily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Dias moves in looking to clinch but Siciliano pushes him off.
Siciliano shoots in but Dias avoids the takedown attempt easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Pedro Dias will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Siciliano tries to circle away but Dias has him pinned against the cage.

Siciliano escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Dias misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Siciliano.
Siciliano will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A head kick misses from Dias.
Siciliano tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Dias counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Dias.
Siciliano misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Dias.
Tony Siciliano seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Siciliano takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Siciliano lands a body punch in the clinch.
Dias is trying to push Siciliano away but Siciliano has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dias tries to pull guard but Siciliano forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Dias escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Dias has a takedown stuffed.

Siciliano rushes Dias and presses him up against the cage.

Siciliano breaks the clinch.
Siciliano shoots in for a takedown but Dias shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Dias just misses with a punch to the body.
A punch combination from Siciliano misses.
Siciliano avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Siciliano lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Dias is looking to clinch.
Siciliano shoots in but Dias avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dias fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Pedro Dias. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Siciliano closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Dias wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Dias wants to break the clinch but can't.
Dias wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Siciliano has him pressed against the cage.

Siciliano breaks from the clinch.

Siciliano shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Dias's guard.
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!
Siciliano working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Dias wants to stand but Siciliano is controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Siciliano passes Dias's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Dias wants to get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dias trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Siciliano thows a huge punch but Dias dodges it nicely.
Dias wants to get back to his feet.

Siciliano stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Siciliano fails with a takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dias tries to bum rush Siciliano with a series of wild strikes but Siciliano uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Sloppy strikes from Siciliano. Those never looked like landing.
Dias throws a head kick but Siciliano moves out of range.
Siciliano misses with a jab, cross combination.
Siciliano throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Dias.
Dias throws a leg kick
and Siciliano counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Dias tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Siciliano shoots in looking for a takedown but Dias manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Siciliano's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Siciliano shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Tony Siciliano has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Pedro Dias is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Dias.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Tony Siciliano.
I think Dias has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 29:28
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 29:28
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Pedro Dias!