PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Timo Vasconcelos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alexander Reva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Vasconcelos comes to the cage accompanied by Sveriges elit. Reva is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Demons. Alexander Reva told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Vasconcelos
vs
Reva

205 cm
27
284 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

198 cm
29
260 lbs
17 - 7 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

ADCC Champion
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Timo Vasconcelos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 7 - 1, fighting out of London, Alexander Reva!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, James Ackerman and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Reva tries for a takedown but Vasconcelos circles away easily
and Vasconcelos counters with a left and a right that stings Reva.
Vasconcelos stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Vasconcelos wants it to stay on the feet.

Vasconcelos rushes Reva and presses him up against the cage.
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!
Reva wants a takedown but no success here.
Timo Vasconcelos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alexander Reva.
Vasconcelos working Reva over with knees to the body.
A body shot lands from Vasconcelos.
Reva looks winded!
Vasconcelos lands a hook that snaps the head of Reva backwards.
Vasconcelos lands with a short shot to the head.

Vasconcelos breaks from the clinch.
Vasconcelos misses the shot to the body.
Reva tries for a takedown but Vasconcelos sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Reva looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Vasconcelos is fending him off so far but Reva persists. Nope, Vasconcelos circles away and we're back to standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vasconcelos misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Vasconcelos lands a big head kick that sends Reva tumbling to the mat! Vasconcelos takes a step backwards and waves Reva back to his feet - he wants the finish!

It looks like Alexander Reva has been cut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Vasconcelos is looking to clinch but Reva is avoiding it.
Reva takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Vasconcelos tries a head kick but it misses.
Vasconcelos tries to score with a low kick but Reva moves his leg out of the way.
Vasconcelos tries to close the distance and clinch but Reva swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Vasconcelos closes the distance and clinches.
Vasconcelos misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Reva is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Vasconcelos pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Reva goes for a takedown attempt but Vasconcelos pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
No luck for Reva with that takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice jab there from Vasconcelos.
Vasconcelos throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Reva.
Reva has a takedown stuffed.
Vasconcelos will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Reva fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Vasconcelos avoids it really well and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reva shoots for a double leg takedown but Vasconcelos sprawls well. He's pushed Reva's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That kick from Vasconcelos tenderised Reva's leg. Reva is trying to keep his angry face on.

Vasconcelos clinches with his opponent.

Vasconcelos breaks the clinch.
Vasconcelos swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Reva shoots for a double leg takedown but Vasconcelos sprawls well. He's pushed Reva's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Reva circles away from the clinch attempt

and Reva counters with a takedown into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Reva controls the position from side control.
Vasconcelos tries to buck Reva off but Reva is having none of it.
Vasconcelos can't do much from the bottom here.

Reva wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Vasconcelos, who protects the arm well.
Vasconcelos tries to buck Reva off but Reva is having none of it.
Reva working away.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Reva wants to control but Vasconcelos is keeping him busy.
Vasconcelos isn't going anywhere.

Reva goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Vasconcelos rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Reva's guard! Nice work there by Vasconcelos!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Timo Vasconcelos dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Alexander Reva's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Reva with a lazy takedown attempt
and Vasconcelos counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Reva thinking.
Vasconcelos tries to clinch there but Reva circles away.
Vasconcelos is looking to clinch but Reva is avoiding it.
A left and a right from Vasconcelos both land. Nice combination.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Vasconcelos tries to clinch but Reva is having none of it.
Vasconcelos fails in his attempt to clinch.

Reva scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Vasconcelos wants to get back to full guard.

Reva is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Vasconcelos has managed to free his arm - good work.
Vasconcelos wants to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vasconcelos keeping hold of Reva's head, controlling as best he can.
Vasconcelos is staying active underneath Reva, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Vasconcelos tries to get to full guard but Reva has control of the leg.
Reva stalling away here and it's allowed Vasconcelos to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Vasconcelos looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Alexander Reva has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Reva has gone for a leg lock! Vasconcelos slips out almost immediately though and dives into Reva's guard.
Reva keeping full guard, as Vasconcelos tries to pass.

Reva is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Vasconcelos is aware though and is defending well.

Vasconcelos avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Reva keeping full guard, as Vasconcelos tries to pass.

Reva is looking for a triangle but Vasconcelos pushes his legs off easily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Vasconcelos's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vasconcelos trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Vasconcelos is pushing down on Reva's leg trying to pass to half guard. Reva is fighting to maintain full guard but Vasconcelos has managed to sneak the leg through.

Reva actively working from the bottom here.

Reva looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Reva is breathing heavily.
Vasconcelos tries to stand and escape but Reva is controlling the position.
Vasconcelos tries to pass the half guard into mount. Reva knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Reva looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Vasconcelos perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Reva actively working from the bottom here.
Vasconcelos not doing much here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Reva is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Vasconcelos pulls his head out easily.
Vasconcelos takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Vasconcelos tries to stand but can't do so whilst Reva controls his leg.
Vasconcelos controlling the action here.

We're going to have a standup here because Timo Vasconcelos wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Reva shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Reva showed some decent athleticism there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Timo Vasconcelos dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Alexander Reva's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Vasconcelos stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Vasconcelos wants it to stay on the feet.
Reva shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Vasconcelos as he jumps to the side.
Vasconcelos doesn't manage to clinch there - Reva circles away.
Vasconcelos tries to clinch but Reva moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vasconcelos tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Reva paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Reva uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Vasconcelos.
Vasconcelos cracks Reva with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Vasconcelos fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reva misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Timo Vasconcelos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alexander Reva.
Reva fails with a takedown attempt.
Reva takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A shot to the liver by Vasconcelos. Beautiful body shot.
Vasconcelos stuffs the takedown.
Timo Vasconcelos is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Reva gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

That has opened up Alexander Reva's cut even more.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Reva.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice shot by Vasconcelos.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Vasconcelos tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Vasconcelos throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Reva shoots for a double leg takedown but Vasconcelos sprawls well. He's pushed Reva's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Reva gets tackled into the cage by Vasconcelos. Vasconcelos maintains the clinch.
Vasconcelos prevents the takedown attempt.
Vasconcelos misses with a punch to the body.
Reva is looking to take this one to the mat.
Vasconcelos can't find room to land a body shot as Reva controls the action.
Vasconcelos misses with a knee to the head.
Alexander Reva has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reva is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Vasconcelos is defending well.
Vasconcelos working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Vasconcelos lands a right hand that snaps the head of Reva backwards.
Vasconcelos throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Reva blocks it with crossed arms.
Vasconcelos lands a left hand.
Vasconcelos struggles to land a body shot inside as Reva controls his hands.
Vasconcelos digs a right hand underneath Reva's ribcage. Reva let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Vasconcelos tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Reva's elbow.
Vasconcelos misses with a body punch.
Reva is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Vasconcelos is defending well.

Vasconcelos breaks from the clinch.

Vasconcelos lands a big head kick that sends Reva tumbling to the mat! Vasconcelos takes a step backwards and waves Reva back to his feet - he wants the finish!

The cut above Alexander Reva's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Vasconcelos moves in looking to clinch but Reva pushes him off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vasconcelos scores with a hook to the body. Reva takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.

Vasconcelos instigates a clinch.

Vasconcelos's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Vasconcelos is looking to wear down Reva with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Vasconcelos throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Reva.
Vasconcelos tries to clinch there but Reva circles away.

Vasconcelos darts in and clinches Reva up against the cage.
Vasconcelos lands a hook that snaps the head of Reva backwards.
Reva drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Vasconcelos gets the underhooks and prevents it.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Vasconcelos throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.

And that's the end of the fight!
Timo Vasconcelos showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Vasconcelos, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 William Gold scores the fight 30:26
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 30:27
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Timo Vasconcelos!
Timo Vasconcelos was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.