PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Viktor Tsoi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex Alvarez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tsoi comes to the cage accompanied by Zvezda po Imeni Solnce. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Tsoi
vs
Alvarez

169 cm
23
133 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

165 cm
22
146 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

Powerful takedowns
World class MT
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

GREEN!160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Viktor Tsoi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Alex Alvarez!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tsoi takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Alex Alvarez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Alvarez forces Tsoi back against the cage and clinches.
Tsoi trying to stall but Alvarez improves his position.
Alvarez working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
A nice left hand lands by Alvarez.
Nice body punch from Alvarez - that landed with a thud.
Alvarez blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Tsoi lands a right hand that snaps the head of Alvarez backwards.
Tsoi throws a punch but it's blocked by Alvarez.
Nice body punch from Alvarez - that landed with a thud.
A frustrated look appears on Tsoi's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Alvarez swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Tsoi blocks an uppercut.
Alvarez lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Tsoi tries a body shot but Alvarez blocks it.
Tsoi throws a head punch that misses.
Tsoi is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Alvarez avoiding damage as Tsoi throws knees to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Alvarez fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Alvarez can't get the takedown.
I was talking to Tsoi's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Alvarez blocks an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Alvarez fails to land.
Tsoi blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Tsoi tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A shot in the inside from Tsoi.
Alvarez keeps control of Tsoi as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Tsoi lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Tsoi blocks an uppercut.
A head punch on the inside from Alvarez fails to land.
Alvarez misses with some punches.
Tsoi gets through Alvarez's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Tsoi tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Alvarez throws a head punch that misses.
Tsoi prevents a body shot from Alvarez.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Tsoi.
Tsoi doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Alvarez tries to work over Tsoi's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Tsoi can't find room to land a body shot as Alvarez controls the action.
Tsoi throws a head punch that misses.
Alvarez goes for a takedown in the clinch but Tsoi prevents it.

Alvarez gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Alvarez accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Alvarez looking to pass the guard.

Tsoi working for a triangle but Alvarez defends it easily.

Tsoi looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Alvarez passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Tsoi struggling a bit here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.

Alvarez tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Tsoi sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Tsoi wants to control but Alvarez is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Alvarez looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Alvarez is thwarting Tsoi's attempts to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Alvarez wants to pass the guard but Tsoi is defending well.
Tsoi wants to improve his position but Alvarez is controlling well.
My spies in WHATprivate inform me that Alvarez has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!

Alvarez is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Tsoi is trying to control but Alvarez manages to pass to mount!
Tsoi regains half guard.
Alvarez trying to control from Tsoi's half guard. Tsoi has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Alvarez dominated that round.
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.

Alvarez throws a big shot that misses.
Tsoi explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Alvarez loads up on a big right hand but Tsoi slips the punch.
Tsoi ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Alvarez moves away.
Tsoi shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Alvarez sprawls well. Alvarez wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Tsoi gets slowly back to his feet.
Alvarez has a takedown stuffed.
Alvarez dives in for a single leg takedown but Tsoi sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Tsoi keeps Alvarez at a distance using the push kick.
Alvarez misses the jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tsoi throws a wild body kick that Alvarez sees coming a mile off.
Alvarez throws a body shot but no joy.
Alvarez misses with an uppercut.
Alvarez connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Tsoi's hands.
Tsoi gets cracked there but stands up to it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tsoi throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Alvarez tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Tsoi is in Alvarez's guard.
Tsoi wants to control from the top but Alvarez keeps moving.
Tsoi won't allow Alvarez to sweep him here.
Alvarez trying to keep a closed guard but Tsoi is proving a slippery customer.
Alvarez controlling the position.
Tsoi wants to control from the top but Alvarez keeps moving.
Alvarez controlling the position.
Alvarez lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tsoi is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Alvarez forces his way into half guard.
Tsoi is pressing down on Alvarez's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Tsoi trying to control the position.

Tsoi is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Tsoi keeping full guard, as Alvarez tries to pass.
Tsoi working a defensive guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez wants to pass the guard but Tsoi is keeping the position.
Alvarez throwing strikes but missing.

Tsoi looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Alvarez trying to control the position from guard on top but Tsoi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tsoi is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Tsoi misses with a body shot.
A looping hook to the body misses from Tsoi. Alvarez does a little dance to reset his feet.
Alvarez moves away from the strike by Tsoi.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Alvarez bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Tsoi's head.
Tsoi misses with a low kick.
Tsoi misses with a straight right.
Alvarez drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Tsoi defends it well.
Alvarez misses with a takedown
and Tsoi counters with a nice leg kick.
Viktor Tsoi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alex Alvarez.
Alvarez throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Alvarez throws an overhand right that lands on Tsoi's shoulder, as Tsoi tries to avoid the shot.
Alvarez wants to clinch.
Tsoi lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A slapping leg kick lands for Alvarez.
Tsoi misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Alvarez misses with a looping right.
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 Viktor Tsoi 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!

Alvarez tries to work over Tsoi's front leg with a kick but Tsoi checks it.
Tsoi is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Tsoi fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Alvarez on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Tsoi is looking to land body kicks.
Alvarez scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Alvarez lands with a good body shot.
Alvarez with a lazy takedown attempt
and Tsoi connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Tsoi scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
A telegraphed right hand from Alvarez misses the target.
Alvarez lands with a cross.
Tsoi moves away from the strike by Alvarez.
Tsoi lands a leg kick that knocks Alvarez off balance momentarily.
Alvarez keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Alvarez just misses with a punch to the body.
Alvarez connects with a solid leg kick.
A swing and a miss from Tsoi.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tsoi misses with the body kick

and Alvarez counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Tsoi!
Tsoi tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Alvarez wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Alvarez looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Tsoi is avoiding damage well.
Tsoi is not content to let Alvarez control the position.
Tsoi wants to control but Alvarez postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Alvarez throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Alex Alvarez has got the better of the ground game so far.
Tsoi manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

Alvarez is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Tsoi sees it coming and defends easily.
Tsoi wants to control but Alvarez is keeping busy and won't allow it.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Alvarez is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Alvarez sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Tsoi defending well though.
Tsoi is staying active underneath Alvarez, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Alvarez missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Alvarez is keen to just control but Tsoi is a slippery customer.
Tsoi wants to control but Alvarez is keeping busy and won't allow it.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.

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

Alvarez is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Tsoi defends it well.
Alvarez throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Tsoi controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
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.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Alvarez moves into full mount! Tsoi won't be happy about that!
Alvarez controlling from the full mount.
Alvarez scoring with strikes but Tsoi is staying in there.
Tsoi holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Alvarez tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Tsoi gets back to half guard.
Alvarez wants to pass the guard but Tsoi is defending well.
Tsoi slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alex Alvarez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Alvarez 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 28:29
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alex Alvarez!
Alex Alvarez 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.