PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Billy Joe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rodrigo Avelar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Joe
vs
Avelar

224 cm
21
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
21
198 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Billy Joe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rodrigo Avelar!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Ben Zyskovitsi and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Joe moves into the clinch successfully.
Avelar is trying to pull guard but Joe turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Avelar breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Joe avoids a punch combination nicely.
Avelar looks to clinch
and Joe counters with a series of strikes. Avelar will be more careful next time no doubt.
Joe shoots in and drives through. Avelar sprawls well.
Joe stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Joe wants it to stay on the feet.

Joe pushes Avelar up against the cage in a clinch.
Joe blocks an elbow strike from Avelar.
Joe throws an elbow but it misses.
Joe has Avelar pressed against the cage, preventing Avelar from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Joe tries for a takedown. No joy.
Avelar prevents Joe from breaking the clinch.
Joe misses with a knee to the head.
Joe has Avelar pressed against the cage, preventing Avelar from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Joe manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Avelar trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Avelar stopping the sweep attempt from Joe.
Joe wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Avelar wants to stand and escape but instead Joe has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Joe really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Joe controlling from the top position.

Joe stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Avelar throws a big shot that misses.
Joe dives in and grabs Avelar's left leg, looking for a takedown. Avelar pushes down on Joe's head and hops out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Billy Joe. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Joe drives through and clinches with Avelar against the cage.
Joe dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Joe goes for a takedown attempt but Avelar pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Avelar decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Avelar thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Joe's head.
Joe throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Avelar is looking to stall here but Joe recovers full guard.
Joe looking for a sweep. Not yet Joe, not yet.
Avelar really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Joe. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joe seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Joe has his takedown stuffed
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
and Avelar counters with a stiff right hand.
Joe throws a looping overhand right but Avelar ducks down to avoid it.

Joe clinches with his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Joe tries for a takedown but Avelar manages to get underhooks.
Avelar is trying to pull guard but Joe turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Joe is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

Avelar breaks from the clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Avelar looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Joe slaps away a takedown attempt from Avelar, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Avelar fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Joe avoids it really well and circles away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Avelar misses with a double jab.
Avelar throws a combination that misses

and Joe holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Billy Joe dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Joe.

Joe has managed to clinch.
Avelar jumps guard but Joe stands there with Avelar around his waist. Avelar gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Come on Avelar - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Avelar fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Avelar is trying to break the clinch but Joe is controlling him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Avelar manages to pull guard.
Avelar looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Joe working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joe throwing strikes from guard but Avelar blocks nicely.
Avelar trying to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Joe engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Joe is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Avelar can do to turn this around?

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Rodrigo Avelar seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Joe slips a jab and a cross from Avelar.

Avelar dives in and scores a takedown into Joe's guard.

Joe looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Joe has his foot on Avelar's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Avelar works his way back into a safe position though.
Joe is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Joe is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Joe tries to pass to full mount but Avelar defends it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joe thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Joe frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

Joe working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Avelar wants to hold on but Joe pushes him away.
Joe looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Joe working for a guillotine from mount but Avelar is in no mood to give up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Joe sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Joe misses with a head shot.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Poor strikes thrown by Joe there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Joe controlling the position easily from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Billy Joe dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Avelar is looking to clinch.
Avelar shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Joe pinned against the cage. Joe gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Joe tries to counter with a takedown but Avelar is quick to defend against it.
Joe swats away the attempt to clinch by Avelar.
Joe fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Avelar avoids it really well and circles away.
Joe doesn't manage to clinch there - Avelar circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Avelar blocks a leg kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Avelar looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Avelar tries to clinch but Joe is having none of it.
Avelar scores with a one two! Joe had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joe circles away from the clinch attempt.
Joe is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Avelar.
Avelar wants to clinch but Joe slips to the side
and Joe counters with a series of strikes. Avelar will be more careful next time no doubt.

Avelar closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Billy Joe overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Joe manages to get to full guard.
Joe wants to sweep here but Avelar controlling him for the moment.
Avelar trying to control but Joe is working from the bottom.

Joe is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Avelar defends well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Avelar trying to control but Joe is working from the bottom.

Joe throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Avelar looking to sit in guard and control but Joe gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joe controls from within his opponent's guard.
Joe postures up.
Joe seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Joe looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

That's four 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.
Avelar fails in his attempt to clinch.
Joe shoots in for a takedown but Avelar shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Joe instigates a clinch.
Avelar is working for takedown but Joe is calmly controlling the position for now.
Avelar is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

Joe gets control of Avelar's arms and successfully pulls guard. Joe will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Avelar wants to stand but Joe has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Avelar trying to control the position from guard on top but Joe is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Avelar takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Joe wants to sweep here but Avelar controlling him for the moment.

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 Billy Joe.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Joe, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight for Billy Joe!
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight for Billy Joe!
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight for Billy Joe!

Billy Joe wins by unanimous decision!