PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ike Hayden (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Armando Faso (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Hayden
vs
Faso

180 cm
18
177 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

180 cm
25
180 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ike Hayden!
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, Armando Faso!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Alexandre Firmino and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hayden keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Faso misses with a takedown attempt - Hayden sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Faso shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Ike Hayden has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Armando Faso.
Faso shoots for a double leg takedown but Hayden sprawls well. He's pushed Faso's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Faso pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

Hayden pushes Faso up against the cage in a clinch.

Faso breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Faso is defended easily by Hayden.
Faso shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Hayden counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hayden missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hayden thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Nice strikes from Hayden there.
Faso wants to get back to full guard but Hayden has passed into side control.
Hayden wants to control but Faso is keeping him busy.
Hayden connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Faso some visible discomfort.

Faso throws Hayden to one side and escapes!
Faso looks winded!
Faso tries to clinch but Hayden moves away

and Hayden counters with a takedown into side control.
Hayden working the head with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hayden working the ground and pound but Faso is defending the strikes.
Faso can't do much from the bottom here.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hayden throws an elbow but Faso slips to the side and avoids it well.
Faso struggling a bit here.
Faso taking a bit of punishment here - Hayden scoring with strikes.
You can see the frustration on Faso's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Hayden lands an elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Faso is looking to reverse the position.
Hayden working the ground and pound.
Faso managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Hayden.
Faso avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Hayden.

Hayden has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Faso misses with a low kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hayden darts in and clinches Faso up against the cage.

Hayden gets control of Faso's arms and successfully pulls guard. Hayden will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Faso looking to sit in guard and control but Hayden gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Hayden with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Faso trying to control the position.
Faso avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Hayden postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Faso swats away the attempt to clinch by Hayden.
Faso misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Faso closes the distance and clinches.
Hayden prevents a takedown attempt there.

Faso jumps into guard, dragging Hayden to the mat.
Hayden missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Faso striking off his back but it's not causing Hayden any problems.
Faso utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Faso is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Faso is breathing heavily.
Faso lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Hayden holds on and takes a little breather.
Hayden trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Faso tries to stand but Hayden is controlling from the bottom.
Faso in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Hayden looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Faso dives in for a single leg takedown but Hayden sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Hayden wants the takedown. Faso is fighting it off but Hayden persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Faso's guard against the cage.
Hayden landing with the ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Hayden accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Hayden missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Faso working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Hayden.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hayden with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Faso is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Faso isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Hayden stacks Faso 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 Hayden!
Faso parries the strikes from Hayden easily there. Hayden is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Faso to escape.
Hayden looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Faso is avoiding damage well.
Faso takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Hayden is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Faso can do to turn this around?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Faso's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Hayden is chipping away with strikes.
Hayden working the ground and pound but Faso is defending the strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Faso defending against the ground and pound.
Hayden in side control lands a decent elbow.
Hayden has control of an arm but Faso manages to advance to Hayden's back!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hayden looking very determined here, making life difficult for Faso.
Hayden is trying to break free.
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 Ike Hayden will probably get the nod.
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. This is the final round!

Hayden tries to clinch there but Faso circles away.
Faso throws a right hand that Hayden ducks under and follows up with a left that Hayden also avoids with ease.
Hayden stuffs the takedown.
Faso wants to clinch up but Hayden keeps it at a distance.
Faso looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Faso misses with a takedown

and Hayden counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Hayden.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Faso is leaning against Hayden and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Hayden tries for a takedown. No joy.
Faso is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Faso takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Faso is trying to pull guard but Hayden turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Ike Hayden has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Armando Faso.

Hayden pulls Faso into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Faso preventing the sweep.
Faso advances position into side control!
Faso working away.
Hayden is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Faso is trying to get an arm triangle but Hayden is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Faso goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Hayden has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Faso but great work by Hayden.

Hayden decides to stand back up.
Faso fails with a takedown attempt.
Faso shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Hayden decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Faso's guard.
Faso trying to strike off his back.
Hayden working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hayden distracts Faso with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Hayden is looking to work some ground and pound but Faso has wrist control.

Hayden stands up from Faso's guard - Hayden perhaps looking for a knockout.
Faso tries a head kick but it misses.
Faso avoids the head kick by Hayden.
Hayden wants to clinch.
Ike Hayden is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Faso ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Hayden moves away.
Ike Hayden is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Faso swats away the attempt to clinch by Hayden.
Faso closes this distance looking for a takedown but Hayden circles away.

Hayden closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hayden is trying to force a seperation but Faso has the dominant position.
Hayden is trying to pull guard but Faso turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Hayden gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Armando Faso has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ike Hayden is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Faso tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ike Hayden showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Hayden 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ike Hayden!