PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Marcos Almeida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Carlos Rebelva (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.

Almeida
vs
Rebelva

177 cm
25
142 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

176 cm
24
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Tends to cut

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Marcos Almeida!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Carlos Rebelva!
The judges for this bout are Peter Branson, Winston Alpacca and David Hoff.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rebelva scores with a nice body kick.
Almeida takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Almeida connects with a solid leg kick.

Rebelva pushes Almeida up against the cage in a clinch.
Almeida is trying to push Rebelva away but Rebelva has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Rebelva misses with an elbow over the top.

Rebelva jumps guard.

Rebelva working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Almeida doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Almeida manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Rebelva working a defensive guard here.
Rebelva throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

Rebelva breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Rebelva closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Rebelva has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Almeida uses from the top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rebelva is trying to keep Almeida in close.

Rebelva working for a triangle but Almeida defends it easily.
Rebelva is pulling down on Almeida's head. It's preventing any offense from Almeida, at least for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rebelva wants to sweep but no luck.

Rebelva scrambles and gets back to his feet.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rebelva is defended easily by Almeida.
Marcos Almeida is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Almeida tries to score with a low kick but Rebelva moves his leg out of the way.
Rebelva drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Almeida defends it well.
Jab, jab by Almeida - just one landing.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Almeida scores with a push kick.
No luck for Rebelva with that takedown attempt.
Almeida swats away the attempt to clinch by Rebelva.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rebelva moves into range and clinches up with Almeida.

Almeida manages to break the clinch.
Almeida throws a nice looking combination but Rebelva bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Rebelva unleashes a big counter combination but Almeida bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Rebelva shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Almeida as he jumps to the side.
Marcos Almeida has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Carlos Rebelva.
Almeida misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Almeida fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Rebelva has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Rebelva fails to land the takedown.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rebelva is defended easily by Almeida.
Rebelva looks winded!
Almeida looks to land a right hand but Rebelva moved out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Almeida keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Nice takedown defense from Almeida. No joy for Rebelva on that attempt.
Almeida fails with an attempt to clinch.

Almeida closes the distance and clinches.
Rebelva is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Rebelva leaning against his opponent.
Almeida wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Almeida has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Rebelva tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Almeida stops a takedown attempt from Rebelva.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Carlos Rebelva will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Almeida moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Rebelva dodges the punch combination from Almeida.
Rebelva steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Almeida.
Rebelva shoots for a double leg takedown but Almeida sprawls well. He's pushed Rebelva's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Almeida stuffs the takedown.
Almeida misses with a combination

and Rebelva counters by moving into the clinch.
Almeida is trying to break the clinch but Rebelva has him pressed against the cage.
Still in the clinch, Rebelva scores with a nice short uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Rebelva breaks the clinch.
Almeida throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Almeida misses with a double jab.
Almeida looks to score with a jab to the body but Rebelva is just out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Almeida swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Marcos Almeida seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Almeida finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Horrible takedown attempt by Rebelva or perhaps it was just good defense by Almeida, which made it look bad.
Marcos Almeida has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Carlos Rebelva.
Almeida swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

Almeida tries to keep at a distance but Rebelva has taken the fight into the clinch.

Rebelva breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Almeida misses with a body shot.
Almeida throws a series of strikes that have Rebelva backpedaling.
Rebelva moves out of range of the body kick from Almeida.
Rebelva tries to clinch up but Almeida circles away and keeps his distance.

Rebelva pushes Almeida up against the cage in a clinch.

Rebelva breaks from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rebelva tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rebelva misses with a jab, cross combination.
Almeida is looking to counter with head kicks.
Rebelva is looking to clinch but Almeida is avoiding it.

Rebelva clinches up against the cage.
Almeida is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Almeida is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Rebelva is keeping busy.
Maybe Almeida would be better served going for some more strikes rather than trying to control so much.
Almeida goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rebelva jumps guard but Almeida stands there with Rebelva around his waist. Rebelva gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Rebelva jumps guard but Almeida turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Almeida stalling in the clinch but Rebelva improves position.
Almeida wants to get back to striking at distance but Rebelva won't allow it.
Rebelva tries to score a body lock takedown but Almeida shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Rebelva jumps guard.
Rebelva is breathing heavily.
Rebelva preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Rebelva throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Almeida escapes and throws Rebelva's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Rebelva tries to strike but it doesn't land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Rebelva trying to control but Almeida flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!
Almeida is not going to allow Rebelva to sit and survive in this position.
Almeida lands a shot to the body.
Rebelva has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Almeida.
Almeida struggling to keep hold of the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Almeida misses with punches from the back.
Rebelva is defending well here and trying to improve his position.

Almeida looking for the choke from the back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcos Almeida dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rebelva is defended easily by Almeida.
Almeida connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Almeida misses with an uppercut. Rebelva saw that one coming.
Almeida throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rebelva.
Almeida works Rebelva's body with a nice hook.
Rebelva shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Almeida but Almeida pushes him off and we're back to square one.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rebelva looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Marcos Almeida has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Carlos Rebelva.
Decent striking displayed by Almeida there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rebelva shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rebelva takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Almeida rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Rebelva moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Rebelva chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Almeida can pounce on him.
Rebelva looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Sloppy strikes from Almeida. Those never looked like landing.
Almeida misses with a kick to the body.
Rebelva fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Almeida goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Almeida swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Sloppy strikes from Almeida. Those never looked like landing.
Marcos Almeida is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Almeida goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
No luck for Rebelva with that takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rebelva takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Almeida throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Almeida's corner calls for a 1-2. Almeida obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The fight stays on the outside here - Rebelva looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Almeida throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rebelva.
Almeida misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rebelva.
Almeida jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Almeida tries to land a front kick but Rebelva steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Rebelva wants to counter the offense by Almeida and move into the clinch position.

Rebelva clinches.

Rebelva's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Almeida misses with a body shot.
Rebelva dodges the punch combination from Almeida.
Rebelva fails in his attempt to clinch.
Almeida misses with a leg kick.
Rebelva goes for a double leg but Almeida avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Almeida continues to drive forward.
Almeida jabs at Rebelva's body.
Rebelva shoots for a takedown but Almeida saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
As Rebelva looks to move away, Almeida throws a big counter combo bu Rebelva just gets out of the way.
Almeida throws a right hand that Rebelva ducks under and follows up with a left that Rebelva also avoids with ease.
Almeida buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Almeida looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Rebelva tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Rebelva shoots in looking for a takedown but Almeida manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Rebelva's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Rebelva doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Almeida scores with a hook to the body. Rebelva takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Almeida feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Rebelvas jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Almeida is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Rebelva can do to turn this around?
Almeida thows a leg kick but Rebelva checks it

and Rebelva counters by clinching up.
Almeida prevents the takedown attempt.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Rebelva manages to break the clinch.
Marcos Almeida is winning the standup battle so far.
Rebelva shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Almeida pinned against the cage. Almeida gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Rebelva tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Almeida works over Rebelva's head and body with a nice combination.
Rebelva throws a head kick but Almeida moves out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marcos Almeida showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Almeida has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Peter Branson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Winston Alpacca scores the fight 29:28
Judge David Hoff scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marcos Almeida!