PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tom Araya (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Toni Saavedra (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Saavedra comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Cant be touched kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Araya
vs
Saavedra

200 cm
23
250 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

190 cm
22
250 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Tom Araya!
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, Toni Saavedra!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Leandro Rodrigues and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Saavedra scores with a takedown into Araya's guard.
Saavedra throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Araya looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Araya is looking to stand up but Saavedra isn't so interested in that idea.
Saavedra wanted to stand there but Araya had control of the position.

Saavedra stands up and waves to Araya to follow him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice shot by Araya.
Saavedra should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

Saavedra scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Saavedra is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Araya is trying to control but can't.

Saavedra gets to his feet - back to striking we go!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Araya scores with a jab.
Araya scores with a push kick.
Saavedra looks gassed!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Araya throws a head kick that misses.
Araya lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Araya throws a nice head kick!

It looks like Toni Saavedra has been cut.
Saavedra shoots in but Araya avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Araya lands a head kick. Saavedra smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Saavedra takes a kick to the side of the head.
Saavedra avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Tom Araya seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Araya uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Saavedra has time to react.
Saavedra takes one on the button.
Araya scores with a head kick.
Araya cracks Saavedra with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Araya lands a head kick!
A punch lands to the side of Saavedra 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Araya connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Araya lands with a slapping head kick.
Araya throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Araya throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Nice body kick from Araya.
Saavedra blocks a head kick by Araya.
Saavedra fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Araya manages to avoid it.
Saavedra pulls out of a head kick attempt.
The crowd cheers as Araya lands an impressive looking overhand right. Saavedra doesn't seem phased though.
The fight stays on the outside here - Saavedra looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Saavedra takes a swing at Araya's ribcage but misses.
Araya lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Saavedra takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Araya tries to clinch but Saavedra moves out of range.

Saavedra changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Araya looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
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!
Saavedra controls the position.

Araya throws Saavedra to one side and escapes!
Saavedra throws a lazy head kick
and Araya counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Araya throws a head kick that misses.
A head kick by Saavedra misses
and Araya counters with a left to the body.
Saavedra misses with a head kick.
Araya is looking to slow Saavedra down with leg kicks.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Saavedra shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Saavedra decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Araya dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Toni Saavedra's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Saavedra shoots for a double leg takedown but Araya sprawls well. He's pushed Saavedra's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Saavedra on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Araya lands a head kick!
A head kick by Saavedra misses
and Araya counters with a head kick.
Araya avoids the head kick by Saavedra.
Araya lands a head shot.
Toni Saavedra is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Araya fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Araya lands a head kick!
Saavedra takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Araya's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Araya duly obliges.
Saavedra takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Saavedra walks into a straight right hand from Araya.
A head kick from Araya lands but Saavedra takes it in his stride.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Saavedra closes the distance and clinches.

Saavedra works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Araya had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Saavedra is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Araya Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Saavedra's back instead.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saavedra is trying to stand back up.
Saavedra looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Araya trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Saavedra is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Will Araya go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Saavedra rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Well, if Araya is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Araya tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Saavedra scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Saavedra stands up out of the half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Araya dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Toni Saavedra's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Araya scoring well with a low kick there.
Araya lands the left hand.
Araya works Saavedra's body with a nice hook.
Araya lands with a thumping leg kick.
Araya wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Saavedra throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Araya counters with a big head kick but Saavedra shrugs it off.
Saavedra takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Tom Araya is winning the standup battle so far.
Araya plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Araya lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Saavedra backs up against the cage.
Araya avoids the head kick by Saavedra.

Saavedra feints and as Araya raises his hands in defense, Saavedra changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Araya not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Araya is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Araya is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saavedra controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Saavedra won't allow Araya to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Saavedra is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Araya working a defensive guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saavedra slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Let's hope that Saavedra has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Saavedra gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Saavedra closes the distance and clinches.
Araya wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Saavedra has him pressed against the cage.
Saavedra tries to land knees in the clinch but Araya avoids the damage to the body.
Araya wants to get back to striking at distance but Saavedra won't allow it.
Saavedra goes for a takedown in the clinch but Araya prevents it.
Saavedra managing to block the knees to the body from Araya.

Saavedra turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Araya is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Toni Saavedra has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tom Araya is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Saavedra misses with the ground and pound.

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 Tom Araya.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Araya, 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 30:27
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tom Araya!