PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Byron Travis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Antonio Braga (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Travis
vs
Braga

181 cm
18
140 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

173 cm
18
135 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Enjoys gardening

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Byron Travis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Antonio Braga!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Thiago Cunha and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Travis is looking to clinch but Braga is avoiding it.
Travis tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Braga finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.

Braga closes the distance and clinches.
Braga blocks an elbow strike.
Braga blocks an elbow strike from Travis.

Travis has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Braga uses from the top position.
Braga trying to control the position from guard on top but Travis is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Travis preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Travis pulls Braga in close to his closed guard and prevents Braga from doing any damage or advancing position.
Travis really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Braga wants to control from the top but Travis keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Travis managing to control the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Travis throws a combination that misses
and Braga counters with a thumping low kick.
Braga changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Travis tries to avoid it but Braga manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Travis to the ground. Travis escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Travis tries to clinch but Braga moves out of range.
Braga shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Travis as he jumps to the side.
Braga shoots in and drives through. Travis sprawls well.
Byron Travis has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Antonio Braga.

Braga gets caught napping as Travis dives in and scores a takedown. Braga manages to retain guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Travis throws a big right hand that misses.
Travis in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Travis content to stall in guard here.

Braga throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Travis with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Travis has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Travis engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Travis with a flurry of punches that miss.
Travis in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Travis loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Braga has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Travis can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Travis throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Travis working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Travis stays in close to Braga's body and controls the position.
Braga wants to sweep here but Travis controlling him for the moment.
Braga is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Braga looks winded!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Travis controlling from the top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Byron Travis dominated that round.
That's time! Travis's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Travis checks a leg kick.
Braga swats away the attempt to clinch by Travis.
Braga dodges the punch combination from Travis.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Braga misses with a combination

and Travis counters by clinching up.
Travis will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Braga up against the cage.

Braga breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Travis takes the fight into the clinch.

Braga has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Travis uses from the top position.
Travis is looking to work some ground and pound but Braga has wrist control.
Travis scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Braga looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Travis stands up over Braga, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Braga looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Travis puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Travis sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Braga defending well though.
Travis working over Braga with some ground and pound. Braga looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Travis not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Nice strikes from Travis there.
Travis slips a nice elbow through Braga's hands, connecting with Braga's forehead.
Braga avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Travis.

Travis decides to stand up.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Braga looks for a takedown but Travis sprawls well.
Braga is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Travis is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Braga tries for a takedown but Travis circles away easily

and Travis moves into the clinch.
Braga wants a takedown but no success here.
Byron Travis has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Antonio Braga.

Travis has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Braga is trying to keep an underhook but Travis manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Travis performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

Travis is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Braga doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Travis.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Travis lands a nice short elbow.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Braga looking to force a kimura from the bottom here. He's concentrating on that move too much though and Travis pushes past his half guard into mount!
Travis raining down shots from the mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Byron Travis dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Travis is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Braga swats away the attempt to clinch by Travis.

Braga clinches up with Travis and pushes him back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Travis avoiding damage.
Braga blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Braga working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Travis wants to break the clinch but can't.
Travis blocks a body shot from Braga.
Braga wants to stall.
Travis throws a knee to the head but misses.
Come on Braga - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

Braga gets a trip takedown into half guard.

Travis looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Travis is not content to let Braga control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Travis is trying to stand.
Travis moves into full guard.
Braga must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Travis preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Braga with a nice head shot there.
Travis controlling Braga's posture.
Braga trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Braga wanted to stand there but Travis had control of the position.
Braga takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Travis looking to control.

Travis kicks Braga off and gets to his feet.

Braga pushes Travis up against the cage in a clinch.
Braga drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Travis gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Travis breaks the clinch.

Travis darts in and clinches Braga up against the cage.
Travis lands an elbow inside that Braga shrugs off.

Braga pulls guard effortlessly.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Travis is looking to work some ground and pound but Braga has wrist control.
Travis stands up over Braga, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Travis trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Travis postures up in Braga's guard and throws a big left but Braga blocks it.
Braga utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Travis thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Braga is looking to stand up but Travis isn't so interested in that idea.

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 Byron Travis.
Well Travis has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 30:27
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Byron Travis!