PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Steve Squirrel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paulo Lovato (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Squirrel might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Bio Crisis - Delirio. Steve Squirrel has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Squirrel
vs
Lovato

195 cm
27
226 lbs
14 - 12 - 0

185 cm
28
215 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Steve Squirrel!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Paulo Lovato!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Kenichi Hosakawa and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Lovato pushes Squirrel up against the cage in a clinch.

Squirrel lands a takedown into guard.
Lovato thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Squirrel stays in close to Lovato's body and controls the position.

Lovato is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Squirrel is aware though and is defending well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Squirrel postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Lovato has an active guard here but Squirrel has managed to pass into half guard.

Squirrel stands up out of the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Squirrel closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Lovato to the mat! Lovato manages to get full guard.

Lovato looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Squirrel sitting in guard here, content to control.

Lovato looking for a guillotine here but Squirrel defends easily.
Lovato working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Squirrel.
Squirrel is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Lovato throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Squirrel wanted to stand there but Lovato had control of the position.
Squirrel controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Squirrel slips nicely into half guard.
Squirrel takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Squirrel passes to full mount!
Lovato is in all sorts of trouble here.
Squirrel controlling the pace for now.
Lovato regains half guard.
Squirrel lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Squirrel wants to stand up but Lovato has a hold of him and won't allow it.

Lovato is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Squirrel pulls his head out easily.
Lovato trying to control from the bottom.
Squirrel wants to stand up but Lovato is controlling the position.

Squirrel is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Lovato has managed to free his arm - good work.
Squirrel trying to control the pace.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Squirrel wants to free his trapped foot but Lovato is holding on for dear life with his legs.

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.
Squirrel is trying to control. Lovato wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Lovato actively working from the bottom here.
Squirrel is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Lovato wants to sweep but Squirrel has passed to side control!
Lovato wants to control but Squirrel postures up.
Lovato takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Squirrel in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Lovato takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Squirrel in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Lovato is looking to regain half guard here but Squirrel keeps moving and retains side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Squirrel wants to control but Lovato is keeping him busy.
Squirrel controlling the position from side mount.
Lovato is trying to control Squirrel's posture but Squirrel avoids it.

That's six 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.
Squirrel landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Squirrel lands an elbow.
Lovato manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Lovato is keen to just control but Squirrel is a slippery customer.
Squirrel has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Lovato is working away from the top position though.

Lovato is looking for a kimura but Squirrel is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Lovato to get the leverage.

Lovato is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Squirrel doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Lovato.
Lovato tries to stand but his arm is trapped.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Squirrel moves into full guard.

Squirrel looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Squirrel is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Lovato is looking to control Squirrel's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Lovato avoid being mounted?
Lovato looks like he's trying to stand up.
Squirrel is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Lovato manages to get to full guard.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Squirrel trying to control the position from guard on top but Lovato is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lovato wants to sweep but no luck.
Our spies down at at Tri-Force MMA inform us that Lovato has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?

Lovato looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Squirrel engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Squirrel is pushing down on Lovato's leg trying to pass to half guard. Lovato is fighting to maintain full guard but Squirrel has managed to sneak the leg through.
Lovato trying to control but Squirrel postures up.
Squirrel works his way into side control.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Lovato is looking to reverse the position.
Lovato sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Squirrel working the head and body with strikes.
Squirrel wants to lay and pray for a moment but Lovato keeps working.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Squirrel connects with a nice short shot to Lovato's temple.
Lovato misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Squirrel seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Lovato does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Squirrel wants to free his trapped foot but Lovato is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Squirrel seems to be looking for submissions.
Squirrel frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Squirrel dominated that round.
That's time! Squirrel's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Lovato tries to clinch but Squirrel moves out of range.
Squirrel shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Lovato tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.

Squirrel closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Lovato quickly recovers to half guard.
Lovato trying to control from the bottom.
Squirrel is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Lovato can do to turn this around?
Lovato is looking to improve his position.

Lovato actively working from the bottom here.

Lovato looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Lovato is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Squirrel pulls his head out easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Squirrel stalling.
Lovato is trying to control but Squirrel passes into side control!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Squirrel is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Lovato is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Lovato misses with a strike from the bottom.
Squirrel trying to control the action but Lovato is working from the bottom.
Squirrel tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Squirrel working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Lovato is looking to reverse the position.
Lovato is trying to control Squirrel's posture but Squirrel avoids it.
Steve Squirrel overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Squirrel controls the position from side control.
Lovato tries to buck Squirrel off but Squirrel is having none of it.
Squirrel working away.
Squirrel landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Squirrel grinds an elbow into Lovato's temple.
Lovato is letting Squirrel control him for a moment.
Lovato manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Squirrel keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Squirrel manages to get to full guard.
Lovato looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Squirrel lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Lovato can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Squirrel controls the pace.
Squirrel is in close to Lovato's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Squirrel stays in close to Lovato's body and controls the position.
Lovato wants to sweep here but Squirrel controlling him for the moment.
Squirrel pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lovato is keeping the position for now.
Lovato keeping moving, preventing Squirrel from controlling successfully.

Lovato escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Squirrel gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Squirrel decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Lovato has managed to clinch.

That's five minutes gone in the round.

Squirrel's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Lovato defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Squirrel.
Lovato tries to close the distance and clinch but Squirrel swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Lovato fails with an attempt to clinch.
Lovato is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Squirrel tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Lovato tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Squirrel paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Lovato is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Squirrel pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Lovato with the counter takedown but Squirrel avoids it easily.
Squirrel fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Steve Squirrel. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lovato tries to clinch up but Squirrel circles away and keeps his distance.
Lovato avoids a punch combination nicely.

Lovato takes the fight into the clinch.

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

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Squirrel tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Lovato swivels and escapes.
Lovato checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Lovato looks like he wants to counter punch here.

Squirrel drives through with a takedown into Lovato's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Lovato has his foot on Squirrel's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Squirrel works his way back into a safe position though.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Lovato is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Squirrel trying to control but Lovato is working from the bottom.

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

Lovato is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Squirrel defends well.
Lovato keeping moving, preventing Squirrel from controlling successfully.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.

Lovato working for submissions but it's allowed Squirrel to get to half guard.
Lovato is pressing down on Squirrel's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Squirrel advances position into side control!
Lovato takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
You can see the frustration on Lovato's face as Squirrel controls the position.
Lovato tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Squirrel in side control, just content to control the action for now.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Squirrel wants to lay and pray for a moment but Lovato keeps working.
Lovato is being controlled here.

Squirrel decides to stand back up. Squirrel steps back and let's Lovato get back to his feet.

Squirrel closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Lovato wants to get back to full guard.
Lovato makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Lovato.
Squirrel wants to control from the top but Lovato keeps moving.
Squirrel postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Squirrel stands up over Lovato, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Lovato had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Squirrel defends it easily.

Lovato is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Squirrel defends well.
Paulo Lovato has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Squirrel landing with the ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Lovato looking for a guillotine here but Squirrel defends easily.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
Steve Squirrel showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Squirrel 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 2 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight for Steve Squirrel!
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight for Steve Squirrel!
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight for Steve Squirrel!

Steve Squirrel wins by unanimous decision!
Steve Squirrel is the new light heavyweight champion!
During a confident post fight interview, Steve Squirrel thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.