PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Edgar Alves (ranked 9515 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Joe (ranked 5492 p4p, 0 weight class). Joe Joe has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Edgar Alves's chin.

Alves
vs
Joe

165 cm
25
151 lbs
5 - 6 - 0

170 cm
25
151 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Very quick

Powerful takedowns
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Edgar Alves!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Joe Joe!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Trevor Gratis and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Alves closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Joe quickly recovers to half guard.
Alves is trying to control the action in half guard but Joe is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Alves trying to mount his opponent but Joe defends it.
Alves wants to lay and pray for a moment but Joe keeps working.
Joe makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Joe.
Alves seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Alves cracks Joe with a solid left hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Alves loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Joe is on top in guard.

Alves managing to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alves looking to hit a scissor sweep but Joe is one step ahead there.
Alves preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Joe trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Joe stopping the sweep attempt from Alves.
Alves manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Joe manages to get himself to full guard.

Alves knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Joe on the ground.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Alves's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Joe is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Alves trying to control but Joe is working from the bottom.
Alves is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Joe is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Joe working a defensive guard here.
Alves has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Alves won't allow Joe to sweep him here.
Alves throws a big elbow that misses.
Joe is pulling down on Alves's head to control his posture.
Joe looking for a sweep. Not yet Joe, not yet.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joe defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Alves.
Joe checks a low kick from Alves.
A big left from Alves misses.
Joe avoids the head kick by Alves.
Alves backing away here, and Joe unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Alves will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Alves misses with a hook.
Alves uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Joe.
Joe swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Alves fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Joe manages to avoid it.
Joe misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Alves.
Joe Joe is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alves fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Joe avoids it really well and circles away.
Alves shoots for a takedown but Joe saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Joe shapes to counter with a head kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Edgar Alves. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Alves shoots in looking for a takedown. Joe tries to sprawl out of it but Alves keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Joe manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Alves shoots in for a takedown but Joe shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Joe looks to land a left hand but Alves moved out of range nicely.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Joe displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Alves.
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 Edgar Alves will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Joe looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Alves tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Joe was well out of range. Poor timing from Alves.
Alves waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Joe.
Alves shoots in for a double leg but Joe sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Alves fails to land the takedown.

Joe gets caught flat footed, as Alves shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Joe not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Joe might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Alves haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

Alves avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Alves trying to control but Joe is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joe looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Joe pulls Alves in close to his closed guard and prevents Alves from doing any damage or advancing position.
Alves trying to control but Joe is working from the bottom.
Alves with a flurry of punches that miss.

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.
Alves looking to sit in guard and control but Joe gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Alves pulls Joe in close to prevent any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Joe connects with a couple of short punches.
Joe postures up.
Joe won't allow Alves to get back to his feet.
Alves has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alves is trying to control the position but Joe postures up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
No luck for Alves with that takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Edgar Alves. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Alves looking to score a takedown here. Joe is defending well but Alves drives through and ends up in Joe's guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Joe wants to sweep but no luck.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Joe is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Joe had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Alves defends it easily.
Edgar Alves overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Alves is looking to work some ground and pound but Joe has wrist control.
Joe is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Alves trying to control the position from guard on top but Joe is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Joe is trying to control the position but Alves postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Joe Joe will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Alves tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Joe swivels and escapes.
Alves throws a body punch but Joe moves out of range.
Joe avoids the head kick by Alves.
Joe defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Alves.
Joe throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Alves throws a big shot that misses.
Alves fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Edgar Alves. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Alves shoots in for a takedown but Joe shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Alves shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Joe sprawls well. Joe wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Alves gets slowly back to his feet.
Joe now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alves finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Joe appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Joe. Alves does a little dance to reset his feet.
Joe misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Alves throws a sloppy head kick and Joe moves out of range easily.
Alves fails with the takedown.
Alves avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Joe misses with a looping left.

Alves shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Joe napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Joe is letting Alves control him for a moment.
Joe sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Joe works his way to full guard. Good work.
Alves throws a strike but Joe rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Alves looking for a sweep. Not yet Alves, not yet.
Joe chips away with some ground and pound.
Joe makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Joe trying to control but Alves is working from the bottom.
Alves controls Joe momentarily but Joe frees himself.
Joe is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joe wants to control from the top but Alves keeps moving.
Alves wants to sweep here but Joe controlling him for the moment.
Joe engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Alves looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Joe trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

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 misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Alves shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Joe as he jumps to the side.
Joe misses with a body kick.
Alves was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Alves is defended easily by Joe.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Joe blocks a jab.
Alves fails with a takedown attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joe Joe comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Joe 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 Yves DeLean scores the fight 28:29
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Edgar Alves!
In his post fight interview, Edgar Alves started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.