PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Kenneth Contreras (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gilberto Tavo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gilberto Tavo 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!

Contreras
vs
Tavo

151 cm
18
193 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

176 cm
18
192 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Kenneth Contreras!
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, Gilberto Tavo!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Leandro Rodrigues and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Tavo moves into the clinch.
Contreras could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Contreras has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Tavo clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Tavo manages to reverse the position and now he's in Contreras's guard. Nice work there by Tavo.
Tavo wants to control from the top but Contreras keeps moving.
Tavo postures up.
Contreras is really struggling to control Tavo but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Tavo wants to stand but Contreras has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Contreras holds on and takes a little breather.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tavo stands and steps away. Contreras gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Contreras tries to keep at a distance but Tavo has taken the fight into the clinch.
Tavo lands an elbow just above Contreras 's eye.

It looks like Kenneth Contreras has been cut.

Tavo jumps into guard, dragging Contreras to the mat.
Tavo preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Contreras is looking to work some ground and pound but Tavo has wrist control.
Tavo seems keen to control Contreras's posture.
Contreras trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Contreras lands a couple of decent looking shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Contreras with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Tavo wants to stand and escape but Contreras is having none of it.

Tavo has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Contreras is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.

Tavo pulls guard effortlessly.
Tavo working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Contreras.
Tavo preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tavo working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Contreras.
Tavo has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Contreras has passed into side control.
Contreras in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Tavo is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes there by Contreras.
Tavo takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Contreras lands a nice forearm strike.
Tavo tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Contreras wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Tavo looks winded!
Contreras lands an elbow.
Contreras working the body and head with strikes.
Contreras tries to score with some ground and pound. Tavo controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Contreras in side control, throwing shots but Tavo defends.
Contreras throws a strike aimed at the side of Tavo's head but Tavo avoids it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Contreras scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Tavo to see if he's OK.
Tavo tries to improve position but can't.
Tavo is trying to buck Contreras off.
Contreras landing strikes.
Contreras looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Tavo is avoiding damage well.
Tavo is trying to control Contreras's posture but Contreras avoids it.
Tavo is looking for a sweep.
Tavo takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kenneth Contreras dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Kenneth Contreras's cut.
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.

Tavo instigates a clinch.
Tavo is trying to maintain a safe position but Contreras gets an underhook and turns Tavo into the cage.

Tavo tightens his grip and picks Contreras up, before dumping him to the ground. Contreras manages to land in guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Contreras wants to sweep here but Tavo controlling him for the moment.
Contreras is working hard here to advance position.
Contreras controlling the position.
Contreras keeping moving, preventing Tavo from controlling successfully.
Contreras is pulling down on Tavo's head to control his posture.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Contreras wants to sweep but no luck.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Contreras takes one on the chin but seems OK.

Tavo clinches.
Tavo stops a takedown attempt from Contreras.
Contreras has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Tavo is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Tavo prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kenneth Contreras. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Contreras jumps guard but Tavo turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Contreras jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Tavo walks away with a smile on his face. Contreras gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Tavo buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Tavo throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Contreras's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Tavo dives in and scores a takedown into Contreras's guard.
Contreras looking for a sweep. Not yet Contreras, not yet.
Tavo trying to stand up but can't free himself from Contreras's guard.
Contreras looking for a sweep. Not yet Contreras, not yet.
Kenneth Contreras overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Tavo sitting in guard here, content to control.
Contreras working a defensive guard here.
Tavo in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Tavo stands up and waves to Contreras to follow him.
Tavo throws a nice head kick!
Tavo misses with a head kick.
Contreras appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Tavo throws a leg kick

and Contreras counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Tavo!
Contreras working the head and body with strikes.
Contreras working the ground and pound from side control.
Tavo is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Contreras's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tavo pushes Contreras off looking to stand but Contreras dives back in and keeps control.
Tavo gets full guard.
Contreras with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Contreras missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Tavo trying to keep a closed guard but Contreras is proving a slippery customer.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tavo wants to stand but Contreras is controlling the position.
Contreras in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gilberto Tavo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Kenneth Contreras's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Contreras moves into range and clinches up with Tavo.
Tavo landing knees to the head.
Contreras tries to pull guard but Tavo won't allow it.

Tavo manages to pull guard.
Contreras throws a big elbow that misses.
Tavo controls Contreras momentarily but Contreras frees himself.
Contreras with a nice head shot there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Contreras throwing strikes from guard but Tavo blocks nicely.
Contreras is looking to work some ground and pound but Tavo has wrist control.
Contreras throws a big elbow that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Contreras throws a big elbow that misses.
Contreras prevents Tavo from getting back to his feet.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Tavo has closed the distance and engaged Contreras in a clinch.
Contreras tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Tavo just stands there and leans against the cage.
Tavo is pressed up against the cage. Contreras has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Tavo down to the mat. Tavo avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kenneth Contreras. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Tavo throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Contreras was covering up waiting for the punch and Tavo finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Tavo wants to control from the top but Contreras keeps moving.
Contreras is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tavo tries to free his leg and advance position but Contreras is retaining full guard.
Tavo with a flurry of punches that miss.
Contreras not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Contreras looking for a sweep. Not yet Contreras, not yet.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Contreras throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Tavo misses with a kick to the body.
Contreras throws a counter high kick but Tavo was just alert enough to avoid it.
A head kick misses from Tavo.
Contreras was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.

Tavo darts in and clinches Contreras up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tavo is defending well against a takedown attempt.

Contreras has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Tavo uses from the top position.
Tavo tries to stand but Contreras is controlling from the bottom.
Tavo showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Contreras is adopting a defensive guard.
Contreras 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Contreras pulls Tavo in to control the position.
Contreras tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Contreras is trying to control the position but Tavo postures up.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Contreras is looking to clinch but Tavo is avoiding it.
Gilberto Tavo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Tavo moves into the clinch successfully.

Contreras's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Tavo lands with a shot to the body.

Tavo drives through with a takedown into guard.
Contreras is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gilberto Tavo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Tavo has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 28:29
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 28:29
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gilberto Tavo!