PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Thiago Alves (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Neil Gilas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Gilas's choice of entrance music: Remember The Name - Fort Minor. This should be fireworks!

Alves
vs
Gilas

175 cm
26
180 lbs
6 - 7 - 0

176 cm
24
194 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Great elbows
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

On Tap (160Q & Laundry)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Thiago Alves!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Neil Gilas!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Marco Blurström and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gilas circles away from the clinch attempt.
Alves tries to clinch up but Gilas circles away and keeps his distance.
Gilas tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Alves moves to clinch but Gilas breaks away
and Gilas connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Gilas takes a body punch but keeps moving.
A bone on bone clash there as Gilas blocks the leg kick.
Alves takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

Alves has taken the fight to the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gilas has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Alves after a bit of a struggle.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Gilas creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Alves tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Gilas's coach down at SP ICON sucks donkey dick was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Gilas's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Gilas on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Alves with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Neil Gilas has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alves softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Alves lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Gilas swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Gilas misses with a short punch on the inside.
Gilas cracks Alves with a nice body shot.
Gilas managing to block the knees to the body from Alves.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Gilas breaks the clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Alves looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Good leg kick by Alves there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alves tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Gilas's jab looks to have found its range, popping Alves under the eye.
Gilas misses with an uppercut
and Alves counters with a low kick, right behind Gilas 's knee.

Alves moves into the clinch.
Alves misses with a body punch.
Gilas blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Alves missing with knees to the body.
Alves crunches a lovely knee into Gilas's ribcage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gilas content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Gilas lands on the inside with an uppercut.
A nice left hand lands by Gilas.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gilas circles away from the clinch attempt.
Alves backing away here, and Gilas unleashes a leg kick that just misses.

Alves gets a clinch.
Gilas on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Gilas managing to block the knees to the body from Alves.

Gilas wants the takedown. Alves is fighting it off but Gilas persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Alves's guard against the cage.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Gilas accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Alves trying to control the position.
Gilas is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Alves wants to sweep but no luck.
Alves has momentary wrist control but Gilas slips an elbow through the middle.
Gilas postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gilas looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Gilas is working Alves over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Alves controlling Gilas's posture.
Gilas working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Gilas with a nice head shot there.
Gilas is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Alves wants to sweep but no luck.
Gilas cracks Alves with a solid left hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Neil Gilas will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Neil Gilas's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

A slow jab from Gilas misses its intended target.
Alves feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Gilas steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Alves. That one must have hurt.
Alves tries to clinch there but Gilas circles away.
Alves tries to clinch but Gilas moves out of range.
Alves is looking to clinch.
Alves closes the distance looking to clinch
and Gilas counters with a leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Gilas fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Alves sprawls well initially but Gilas persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Gilas thows a huge punch but Alves dodges it nicely.
Gilas is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alves tries to roll over but Gilas keeps him under control.
Gilas throwing shots but Alves is blocking nicely.
Gilas perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Alves is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Alves on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Alves tries to get out of the position.
Gilas lands strikes from half guard.
Gilas keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Neil Gilas has got the better of the ground game so far.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Gilas lands a nice short elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Gilas throwing shots but Alves is blocking nicely.
Alves is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at World Combat Sports Academy, so we'll see if he gets out of it.
Gilas throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Gilas trying to control from half guard but Alves is working away.
Gilas stalling.
Alves blocking the ground and pound attempt from Gilas.
Alves taking some punishment here, with Gilas in his half guard.
Alves keeping hold of Gilas's head, controlling as best he can.
Gilas has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Alves keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gilas is just content to waste time from the top position. Alves takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Alves utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Gilas scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Gilas chips away with some ground and pound.
Gilas wants to control from the top but Alves keeps moving.
Gilas throws a big elbow that misses.
Gilas in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Gilas scoring with punches to the head and body.
Alves trying to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gilas lands a couple of decent looking shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gilas slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Alves trying to control the position.
Alves preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Thiago Alves is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Alves pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

Alves closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Alves pushes off an throws an elbow but Gilas leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Alves looking to stall.
Gilas scores with a shot to the side of Alves's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Neil Gilas showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Neil Gilas's cut.
That's time! Alves's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Gilas thows a leg kick but Alves checks it
and Alves counters with a nice low kick that buckles Gilas's knee momentarily.
Alves tries to clinch but Gilas is having none of it.
Gilas lands with a nice body punch.
Alves drops his hands momentarily and Gilas takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Gilas cracks Alves with a good jab.
Gilas checks the leg kick nicely there.
A big right from Gilas misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A swing and a miss from Gilas.
Alves tries to clinch but Gilas moves out of range.
Gilas now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Gilas circles away from the clinch attempt
and Gilas counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gilas throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Gilas throws a low kick, looking for Alves's leg but Alves calmly moves out of range.
Alves fails with an attempt to clinch.
Alves scores with a kick to the midsection.

Alves pushes Gilas up against the cage in a clinch.
A short right from Gilas on the inside.
Gilas is looking to break free of the clinch but Alves has double underhooks.
Alves missing with knees to the body.
Alves lands a nice shot to the body.
Thiago Alves has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Gilas blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Thiago Alves has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alves tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Alves struggles to land a body shot inside as Gilas controls his hands.
Gilas takes an elbow to the temple.
Still in the clinch, Gilas scores with a nice short uppercut.
Gilas blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Gilas is trying to break free.
Alves is looking to control Gilas's arms but Gilas gets an underhook and turns him. Now Alves has his back to the cage.
Alves taking a breather.
Neil Gilas is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Gilas managing to block the knees to the body from Alves.
Gilas blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Gilas as Alves tries to tie him up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gilas prevents a body shot from Alves.
Alves is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Alves misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Alves trying to stall but Gilas improves his position.
Alves just leaning against Gilas, taking a breather.
Alves tries to throw a body punch but Gilas avoids it by throwing Alves back against the cage.
Alves throws an elbow but it misses.
Alves throws a punch but it's blocked by Gilas.
Alves misses with a punch on the inside.
Alves tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Gilas's elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gilas avoiding damage as Alves throws knees to the body.
Alves looking to slow down the pace here.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Gilas.
Gilas blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Alves trying to land knees to the body.
Gilas tries for a takedown. No joy.
Alves lands a nice knee to the body.
Alves trying to stall but Gilas improves his position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Alves looking to stall.
Alves misses with the head strike.

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 Thiago Alves.
I think Gilas has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Neil Gilas!
Neil Gilas managed to slip a mention for his sponsors, VICIOUS FIGHT GEAR, into his post fight interview.