PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between WhatA Surprise (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brandon Alves (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Brandon Alves will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Surprise
vs
Alves

170 cm
22
200 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

180 cm
18
198 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Solid chin

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, WhatA Surprise!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brandon Alves!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Thiago Cunha and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Surprise misses with a jab, cross combination.
Surprise rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Alves moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Alves tries to clinch but Surprise is having none of it.
Surprise wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
A lazy left from Alves finds it's target.
Alves tries to clinch up.
Surprise darts in trying to clinch
and Alves counters with a nice body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Alves showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Surprise.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alves uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Surprise.
Alves tries a head kick but it misses.
It looked like Surprise was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Alves misses with a two punch combination.
Alves throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Surprise.
Surprise with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Alves misses with a head kick.
Alves fails with an attempt to clinch.
Surprise throws a big counter combination but Alves scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alves throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Surprise swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Surprise really is a fat lump.

Alves has managed to clinch.
Surprise blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Surprise breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Alves changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Surprise tries to avoid it but Alves manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Surprise to the ground. Surprise escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
WhatA Surprise seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A combination from Surprise does no damage.
Alves looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.
Surprise pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Surprise closes the distance and pushes Alves back into the cage.

Alves's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Surprise throws a sloppy head kick

and Alves counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Alves.
Alves lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Surprise pushes off an throws an elbow but Alves leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Surprise's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Nice body punch from Surprise.
Alves lands a knee to the head.
Alves looks winded!
Surprise has had enough of the clinch but Alves keeps him there for the moment.
Surprise is trying to push Alves away but Alves has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Alves is trying to stall.
Surprise misses with a punch on the inside.
Alves swings wildly with an uppercut but Surprise uses good head movement to avoid it.
Alves keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Surprise's efforts to push away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Surprise breaks the clinch.

Alves tries to keep at a distance but Surprise has taken the fight into the clinch.
Surprise is looking to break free of the clinch but Alves has double underhooks.
Surprise looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Surprise tries to throw a body punch but Alves avoids it by throwing Surprise back against the cage.
Alves lands an uppercut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Surprise taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
A shot in the inside from Alves.
Alves throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Surprises head.
Surprise misses with a body punch.
Surprise wants to break the clinch but can't.
Alves scores with a knee to the head.
Alves blocks the elbow strike.
Alves is looking to take this one to the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brandon Alves 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.

Alves tries to clinch there but Surprise circles away.
WhatA Surprise is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Surprise tries to clinch there but Alves circles away.
Surprise fails with the takedown.

Surprise looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Surprise wants to control from the top but Alves keeps moving.
Alves really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Surprise. 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 one minute gone in the round.
Alves wants to stand and escape but Surprise is having none of it.
Alves is trying to keep Surprise in close.
We've been hearing that Surprise has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Alves keeping moving, preventing Surprise from controlling successfully.
Alves is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Surprise pushes down on Alves's leg and manages to get into half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
We've been informed that Alves has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.

That's two 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.
Alves is concentrating on defense, preventing Surprise from advancing position.

Surprise is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Surprise stalling.

Surprise seems to be working for a kimura but Alves defends the submission attempt.
Alves has hold of Surprise's hands but Surprise slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

Surprise is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Alves defends it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alves is positioning himself well to prevent Surprise advancing to mount.

Surprise is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Alves is just riding it out for now. Surprise eventually gives up the hold.
Surprise is keen to just control but Alves is a slippery customer.
Alves tries to roll over but Surprise keeps him under control.
Still in half guard, Surprise seems content to control.

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.
Alves trying to hold on to Surprise's head to control him but Surprise postures up.

Alves is defending against the submission attempts here by Surprise.
Surprise controlling the action here.
Alves is not content to let Surprise control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Surprise seems to be working for a kimura but Alves defends the submission attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

WhatA Surprise dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Surprise fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Alves, pushing him back against the cage.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Alves content to slow the pace in the clinch.

Surprise pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Surprise tries to clinch there but Alves circles away.
Surprise is looking to clinch but Alves is avoiding it.

Surprise has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Surprise pulls Alves into guard.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Surprise manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Surprise is looking for a takedown.
Alves lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Alves tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Surprise smiles and moves away.
Surprise fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Surprise gets a clinch.
Surprise tries a body shot but Alves blocks it.
Surprise drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for WhatA Surprise. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Surprise breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Surprise tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Alves manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Surprise tries to close the distance and clinch up but Alves swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Alves clinches up against the cage.
Alves slows down the pace here.
Surprise tries to work over Alves's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Alves working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Surprise landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Alves misses with a hook from the clinch.
Surprise tries to work over Alves's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A head punch on the inside from Alves fails to land.
Surprise tries to work over Alves's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Brandon Alves seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Surprise misses with a hook to the ribs.
Surprise is trying to force a seperation but Alves has the dominant position.
Surprise wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Alves has him pressed against the cage.
Alves misses with a short punch on the inside.
Alves is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Alves's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Alves takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Surprise forces Alves back against the cage and clinches.
Surprise tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Alves's elbow.
A head punch on the inside from Alves fails to land.
Surprise tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Surprise looking to stall.

Alves breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Sloppy strikes from Surprise. Those never looked like landing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Surprise tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Alves paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Surprise has managed to clinch.
Alves misses with a knee to the head.
Alves stalls.

Surprise breaks from the clinch.
Surprise misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Surprise closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Alves kicks Surprise off and gets back to his feet.
Brandon Alves seems to be getting the better of the standup.
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!
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Surprise shoots in for a double leg but Alves sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Alves wants to counter the offense by Surprise and move into the clinch position.

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 WhatA Surprise.
I think Surprise 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 29:28
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 29:28
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... WhatA Surprise!