PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Thiago Alves (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shayne Tanaka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Shayne Tanaka will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Alves
vs
Tanaka

182 cm
22
178 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

195 cm
25
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Thiago Alves!
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, Shayne Tanaka!
The judges for this bout are Dirk Anderson, Michael Johnstone and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alves tries to clinch up
and Tanaka counters with a nice uppercut.
Tanaka shoots in looking for a takedown but Alves manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Tanaka's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Tanaka tries to score a power double leg takedown but Alves sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Tanaka somewhat.

Tanaka is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Alves's half guard.

Alves has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Tanaka is on him like a limpet, forcing Alves back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tanaka holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Tanaka has Alves pushed against the cage.
The crowd are getting on Tanaka's back here. They're not happy about his lack of aggression in the clinch.
Alves using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Tanaka has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Tanaka wants to break free but Alves has control.
Tanaka tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Alves smiles and moves away.
Thiago Alves has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shayne Tanaka.
Tanaka tries a head kick but it misses.
Alves displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Tanaka.
Alves throwing a counter right hand but Tanaka manages to avoid it.
Tanaka shoots in for a double leg but Alves sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Alves is looking to clinch but Tanaka is avoiding it.
Alves avoids the head kick by Tanaka.
Alves is looking to counter punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alves wants to clinch up but Tanaka keeps it at a distance.
Tanaka tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Alves swivels and escapes.
Tanaka shoots in and drives through. Alves sprawls well.
Tanaka is looking to clinch but Alves is avoiding it.
Alves is looking for a counter combo.
Alves jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Tanaka fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Alves avoids it really well and circles away.
Alves shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Tanaka gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Tanaka blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A short left from Tanaka.
A short right from Tanaka on the inside.
Tanaka drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Tanaka jumps guard but Alves stands there with Tanaka around his waist. Tanaka gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Still in the clinch, Tanaka scores with a nice short uppercut.

Alves manages to break the clinch.
Alves slaps away a takedown attempt from Tanaka, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Tanaka 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 four minutes gone in the round.
Alves is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Danga de danga de dang - Alves scores with a four punch combination!
Alves seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Alves misses with a double jab
enabling Tanaka to counter with a crisp jab.
Tanaka shoots in for a takedown but Alves shows good takedown defense.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Alves tries to circle away but Tanaka has him pinned against the cage.
Alves misses with some punches.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Tanaka fails to pull the fight into his guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Thiago Alves will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Tanaka blocks a head kick by Alves.
Tanaka moves in looking to clinch but Alves pushes him off.
Alves leaves Tanaka with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Tanaka throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Alves was covering up waiting for the punch and Tanaka finishes the takedown easily into guard.

Alves manages to escape and get back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Tanaka takes the fight into the clinch.
Alves keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Tanaka's efforts to push away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tanaka throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Alvess head.
Tanaka keeps control of Alves as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Tanaka tries to circle away but Alves has him pinned against the cage.
Tanaka goes for a takedown in the clinch but Alves prevents it.
Tanaka drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Alves gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Thiago Alves has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shayne Tanaka.
Alves being controlled against the cage.
Alves tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Tanaka just stands there and leans against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Tanaka goes for a takedown in the clinch but Alves prevents it.

Alves escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Tanaka shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Alves sprawls well. Alves wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Tanaka gets slowly back to his feet.
Alves is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Tanaka dives in for a single leg takedown but Alves sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Tanaka shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Tanaka shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Alves sprawls well. Alves wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Tanaka gets slowly back to his feet.
Alves appears to be looking for a counter takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka tries for a takedown but Alves sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
It looked like Alves was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Tanaka.
Alves misses with a double jab
and Tanaka counters with a one-two to the body.
Tanaka bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Alves's head backwards.
Alves shoots in but no luck this time.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Tanaka shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Alves sprawls well. Alves wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Tanaka gets slowly back to his feet.

Tanaka rushes Alves and presses him up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Alves to keep the fight standing.
Tanaka is struggling to control the position.
Alves looking for a takedown.
Tanaka fails to pull guard.
Alves keeps control of Tanaka as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Alves is pressed up against the cage. Tanaka has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Alves down to the mat. Alves avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tanaka throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Tanaka tries to close the distance and clinch up but Alves swats him away and circles back towards the center.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Thiago Alves will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Alves throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Tanaka scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Tanaka shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Tanaka tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Alves keeps the fight on the outside.
Tanaka avoids the head kick by Alves.
Alves defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Tanaka.
Tanaka fails with the takedown
and Alves counters with an outside leg kick.
Thiago Alves is winning the standup battle so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tanaka shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Thiago Alves has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shayne Tanaka.
Tanaka misses with a takedown attempt - Alves sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Alves throwing a counter right hand but Tanaka manages to avoid it.
Tanaka takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tanaka swats away the attempt to clinch by Alves.

Alves gets tackled into the cage by Tanaka. Tanaka maintains the clinch.
Shayne Tanaka seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Alves is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.

Alves pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Alves throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Tanaka counters with a two punch combo.
Tanaka tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Alves defends well and Tanaka ends up having to push Alves into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Tanaka clinches up with Alves and pushes him back against the cage.
Tanaka jumps guard but Alves stands there with Tanaka around his waist. Tanaka gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Alves manages to break the clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Tanaka is looking to control Alves's arms but Alves gets an underhook and turns him. Now Tanaka has his back to the cage.
Alves gets underhooks to prevent Tanaka's takedown attempt.
Tanaka is trying to force a seperation but Alves has the dominant position.

Alves pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Tanaka misses with a low kick as Alves jumps back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka throws a head kick but Alves moves out of range.

Tanaka gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Alves to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Tanaka wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Alves manages to pass to side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Tanaka is trying to control Alves's posture. Alves takes advantage of the lull and advances to side control. He also appears to have an arm triangle here! Uh oh, big trouble for Tanaka! Alves is rotating here... this could be the end... Tanaka is out! Alves has ended this one emphatically! Great submission!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:50 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Thiago Alves!