PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Julian Prieto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nivolumab Opdivo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Prieto
vs
Opdivo

180 cm
25
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent elbows
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Julian Prieto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Nivolumab Opdivo!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Alec Ball and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Prieto gets a double leg takedown into Opdivo's guard.
Prieto stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Opdivo swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Prieto trying to control the position from guard on top but Opdivo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Prieto pushes down on Opdivo's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Opdivo is looking for a sweep. Prieto is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Prieto tries to pass the half guard into mount. Opdivo knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Prieto is keen to just control but Opdivo is a slippery customer.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Opdivo is trying to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Opdivo is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Prieto's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Prieto's back!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Opdivo looking for the choke but no joy.
I really don't envy Prieto right now.

Opdivo working for a choke but Prieto is defending well.

Prieto defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.

Opdivo goes for a risky armbar from back mount and it's not paid off. Prieto escapes and is now in half guard on top.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Prieto lands strikes from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Prieto looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Opdivo is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Prieto's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Prieto's back!
Prieto is trying to stand back up.

Opdivo looking for the choke from the back.
Opdivo avoiding Prieto 's attempts to control his hands.

Opdivo is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Prieto has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.

Opdivo working for a choke but Prieto reverses nicely into Opdivo 's guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Prieto stays in close to Opdivo's body and controls the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Opdivo manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Prieto manages to get himself to full guard.

Opdivo stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Prieto swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Opdivo takes a decent strike to the side of the head.
Prieto pulls Opdivo in to control the position.

Prieto looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Opdivo stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Prieto swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Prieto seems keen to control Opdivo's posture.
Prieto continues to stall.
Opdivo passes Prieto's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Opdivo tries to pass the half guard into mount. Prieto knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Opdivo stops Prieto from getting back to his feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Opdivo is looking for a kimura here.

Opdivo is working for a kimura here but Prieto manages to reverse the position and he's now in Opdivo's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Nivolumab Opdivo will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Prieto moves in looking to clinch but Opdivo pushes him off.
A countering left hand to the body from Opdivo misses.
Prieto pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Julian Prieto is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Opdivo fails to land with a series of punches.
Opdivo lands with a cross.

Prieto manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Opdivo on his heels. He'll look to pass Opdivo's guard now, I'm sure.
Opdivo looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Prieto has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Opdivo keeps trying to improve his position.
Opdivo keeping moving, preventing Prieto from controlling successfully.
Prieto preventing the sweep.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Opdivo is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Opdivo is looking to advance position but Prieto won't allow it.
Prieto is looking for a sweep. Opdivo is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Prieto wants to control but Opdivo is keeping busy.
Prieto regains full guard. Nicely done.
Opdivo slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Prieto is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Opdivo off and has taken his back!
Opdivo breaks Prieto's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Opdivo is breathing heavily.
Opdivo is pushing down on Prieto's leg trying to pass to half guard. Prieto is fighting to maintain full guard but Opdivo has managed to sneak the leg through.
Prieto is in trouble now - Opdivo has advanced to mount!
Opdivo wants to take his opponent's back but he's not managed it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Opdivo goes for an armbar but Prieto turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Prieto.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Opdivo wants to sweep here but Prieto controlling him for the moment.
Prieto forces his way into half guard.
Opdivo manages to get to full guard.
Prieto 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.
Prieto won't allow Opdivo to sweep him here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Opdivo is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Prieto trying to control the position from guard on top but Opdivo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Prieto works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Opdivo is staying active underneath Prieto, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Opdivo works his way to full guard. Good work.
Opdivo has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Prieto has passed into side control.
Prieto in side control lands a decent elbow.
Opdivo is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Opdivo is being controlled here.
Prieto lands some shots froms side control.
Opdivo is looking to regain half guard here but Prieto keeps moving and retains side control.
Prieto in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Prieto wants to control but Opdivo is keeping him busy.

Prieto thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Opdivo is looking to reverse the position.
Opdivo trying to remain calm as Prieto controls from the top position.
Opdivo is looking to regain half guard here but Prieto keeps moving and retains side control.
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 Julian Prieto will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Opdivo circles away from the clinch attempt.
Prieto on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Opdivo throws a right hand that Prieto ducks under and follows up with a left that Prieto also avoids with ease.
Prieto throws a big counter combination but Opdivo scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Opdivo scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Prieto misses with a kick to the body.
Opdivo scores with a body shot.
Prieto takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Prieto looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Opdivo scores with the left hand. Prieto knows he should have avoided that one.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Prieto tries to bum rush Opdivo with a series of wild strikes but Opdivo uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Opdivo let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Prieto lands with a good body shot.
Opdivo is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Prieto rather than just go for the knockout.
Opdivo stuns Prieto with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Opdivo with a nice cross.
Opdivo throws a right hand that Prieto ducks under and follows up with a left that Prieto also avoids with ease.
It looked like Prieto was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Opdivo.
Opdivo takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Opdivo throws a right and a left that both miss.
Opdivo moves out of range of the body kick from Prieto.
Opdivo scores with a body shot.
Opdivo misses with a wild body shot.

Prieto looking to score a takedown here. Opdivo is defending well but Prieto drives through and ends up in Opdivo's guard.

Prieto thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Opdivo is striking off his back. Prieto thinks nothing of it though and passes easily into half guard.
Prieto controlling the pace.
Opdivo works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Opdivo wants to sweep here but Prieto controlling him for the moment.
Prieto passes into half guard under a barage of strikes.
Opdivo is looking for a sweep. Prieto is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Still in half guard, Prieto seems content to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Prieto prevents Opdivo from improving his position.
Opdivo trying to get back to full guard but Prieto takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Prieto looking to control and managing it successfully.
Prieto scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Opdivo?
Opdivo is in all sorts of trouble here.
Prieto controlling from the full mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Opdivo is in all sorts of trouble here.

Prieto is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Opdivo can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Opdivo tries to reverse the position but Prieto maintains control.
Prieto controlling the pace for now.
Opdivo slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Opdivo wants to improve his position but Prieto is controlling well.

Prieto is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Opdivo has managed to free his arm - good work.

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 Julian Prieto.
I think Prieto 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 Ian Loll scores the fight 29:29
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 30:27
Judge William Peck scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Julian Prieto!