PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Marcelo Garcia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aze Toro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Toro has chosen Hate me or Get DIE tryn' - 50cent as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Garcia
vs
Toro

177 cm
23
165 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

190 cm
31
164 lbs
18 - 15 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

ADCC Champion
World class boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Marcelo Garcia!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Aze Toro!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Paulo Santos and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Toro changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Garcia moves out of range as Toro strikes.
A lazy left from Toro finds it's target.
No joy there for Toro, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Toro misses with a straight right.
Garcia connects with a body shot.
Garcia gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Toro works over Garcia's head and body with a nice combination.
Toro connects with a good right hand that stumbles Garcia. Garcia circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Toro works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Garcia shoots in looking for a takedown. Toro tries to sprawl out of it but Garcia keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Toro manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Toro connects with a body shot.
Garcia pivots, looking for a leg kick but Toro is out of range and Garcia settles back down.
Toro misses with the combination.
Toro lands with an overhand left.
Toro walks into a stiff left hand from Garcia.
Aze Toro seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Garcia takes one on the button.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garcia takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Toro slips under a jab from Garcia.
Garcia misses the body punch

and Toro counters with a single leg into guard. Garcia didn't expect that.
Toro is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Garcia keeping full guard, as Toro tries to pass.
Garcia working a defensive guard here.
Garcia might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Garcia looking for a guillotine here but Toro defends easily.
Garcia wants to stand and escape but Toro is having none of it.
Toro with a flurry of punches that miss.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

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

Garcia looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Toro has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Garcia looking to hit a scissor sweep but Toro is one step ahead there.
Toro pushes down on Garcia's leg and manages to get into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Garcia trying to control but Toro postures up.
Toro wants to free his trapped foot but Garcia is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Garcia tries to get to full guard but Toro has control of the leg.

Garcia looking for submissions off his back.

Toro is looking for a kimura here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Toro looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garcia wants to control but Toro passes into side.
Toro cracks Garcia with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Check out the look on Toro's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Garcia avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Toro.
Garcia avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Toro.

Toro tries for a kimura but Garcia is defending well.

Toro is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Garcia knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Garcia manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Garcia keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Toro is looking for a kimura here.
Garcia is looking to control Toro's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Garcia avoid being mounted?
Garcia wants to get back to his feet.
Garcia slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Garcia is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Garcia keeping moving, preventing Toro from controlling successfully.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Garcia throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Toro throwing strikes from guard but Garcia blocks nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Garcia wants to slow Toro down by chopping away at his legs.
Toro connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Garcia ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Garcia pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Toro swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Garcia misses with a wild combination.
Garcia misses with an uppercut
and Toro counters with a nice body shot.
Toro misses with a body shot.
Toro is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Toro connects with a body shot that sends Garcia's belly button to the back.

Garcia closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Toro quickly recovers to half guard.

Garcia is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Toro sees it coming and defends easily.
Toro trying to control from the bottom.
Toro misses with some strikes from the bottom.

Garcia is working for a submission of some sort.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Garcia is looking for a kimura but Toro is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Garcia to get the leverage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Toro is pressing down on Garcia's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Garcia avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Garcia advances to half guard.

Garcia wants to work for an arm triangle but Toro is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Toro looking for submissions off his back.
Aze Toro has got the better of the ground game so far.

Toro is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Garcia pulls his head out easily.

Toro looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Garcia is trying to work for a kimura but Toro is defending well.

Garcia wants to work for an arm triangle but Toro is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Garcia seems to be working for a kimura but Toro defends the submission attempt.
Garcia is thwarting Toro's attempts to control the position.

Garcia is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Toro sees it coming and defends easily.
Garcia wants to take a breather but Toro is having none of it.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Garcia is working for a submission of some sort.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Toro is looking to improve his position.

Garcia is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Toro defends it well.
Toro gets full guard.

Garcia got a little sloppy there for a moment and Toro has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Garcia has managed to get both his arms back between Toro's legs - danger averted.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Toro preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Toro not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Garcia sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Toro's guard.
Toro is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Toro works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Toro is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Garcia throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Garcia drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Garcia jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Toro is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Garcia defends well.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Garcia thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Garcia looking to pass the guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Toro wants to sweep but no luck.
Toro is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Toro is trying to keep Garcia in close.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Aze Toro will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

A punch combination from Toro misses.
Toro lands a nice shot that snaps Garcia's head back.
Toro lands a body shot.
Garcia takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Toro throws a sloppy body shot
and Garcia counters with a stiff right hand.
Garcia loads up on a big right hand but Toro slips the punch.
Toro misses with a wild body shot.
Toro misses with a wild combination.
Toro checks a leg kick nicely.
Garcia throws a one two combo.
Garcia lands with an overhand left.
Toro throws a jab but it's blocked by Garcia.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Garcia lands a jab.
A slow jab from Toro misses its intended target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Toro has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Garcia finds it's way round the side to connect with Toro's head.
Garcia scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Toro doesn't seem bothered though.

Toro gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Toro avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Toro is trying to keep Garcia in close.

Garcia postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Toro is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Garcia, into his guard.
Toro pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Garcia is keeping the position for now.
Toro advances to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Toro looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Toro prevents Garcia from improving his position.

Toro is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Garcia actively working from the bottom here.
Garcia trying to control from the bottom.

Garcia actively working from the bottom here.
Toro thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Garcia's head.
Toro has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garcia holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Toro tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Garcia wants to control but Toro is having none of it.
Garcia regains half guard.
Toro trying to mount his opponent but Garcia defends it.

Toro is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Garcia is just riding it out for now. Toro eventually gives up the hold.

Toro seems to be looking for submissions.
Marcelo Garcia has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Garcia wants to control but Toro is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Toro thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Garcia's head.
Garcia wants to get back to full guard.

Toro is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Aze Toro is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Garcia is looking for a sweep. Toro is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Garcia punching from the bottom.

Garcia looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Toro is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Garcia!

Toro moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Garcia has worked his arm free - good work by Garcia!

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Marcelo Garcia.
Well Toro 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 28:29
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29

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