PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Thiago Alves (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Manel Pimpolho (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.

Alves
vs
Pimpolho

170 cm
21
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
20
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Solid 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 Rio de Janeiro, 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 Rio de Janeiro, Manel Pimpolho!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Seu Braga and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Alves shoots in and bounces Pimpolho off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Pimpolho trying to keep a closed guard but Alves is proving a slippery customer.
Alves trying to control but Pimpolho is working from the bottom.
Alves wants to get up but he can't break Pimpolho's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Alves is standing up over Pimpolho. Pimpolho looks to escape but Alves dives into side control.
Pimpolho is looking for a sweep.
Alves creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pimpolho taking punishment in the form of punches.
Pimpolho is looking to reverse the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pimpolho struggling a bit here.
Pimpolho is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Alves lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Alves is looking to take a break and control but Pimpolho is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Alves is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Pimpolho knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Pimpolho is trying to control Alves's posture but Alves avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Alves looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Pimpolho manages to get back to half guard.

Alves is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Alves is breathing heavily.
Pimpolho wants to control but Alves is keeping busy and won't allow it.
The fighters are battling for position here. Pimpolho manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Alves preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alves stops Pimpolho from standing up.

Alves thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pimpolho controls Alves momentarily but Alves frees himself.
Alves wants to control from the top but Pimpolho keeps moving.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Pimpolho is looking to clinch but Alves is avoiding it.
Pimpolho lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Alves fails with a takedown attempt.
Left hook, right uppercut from Pimpolho.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pimpolho throws a head kick that half lands.
Alves takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Alves shoots in for a double leg but Pimpolho sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Pimpolho gets the takedown into side control.
Alves tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Pimpolho presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Pimpolho really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Alves. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Alves is wriggling around here but as he tries to escape, Pimpolho has taken his back.
Pimpolho throwing strikes from the back - he gets a warning from the referee for striking the back of the head but all these shots are hurting Alves!

Alves is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Manel Pimpolho dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Pimpolho gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Alves sitting in guard here, content to control.
Alves missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Alves keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Pimpolho's head.
Alves wants to control from the top but Pimpolho keeps moving.
Alves is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Pimpolho is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pimpolho is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Alves is controlling him.
Alves with a flurry of punches that miss.

Pimpolho is looking for a triangle but Alves pushes his legs off easily.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Pimpolho keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Alves ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Pimpolho moves away.
Horrible takedown by Pimpolho or perhaps it was just good defense by Alves which made him look bad.
Donk. Alves catches Pimpolho right on the button with a cross.
Alves misses with a double jab

so Pimpolho counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alves working a defensive guard here.
Pimpolho tries to free his leg and advance position but Alves is retaining full guard.
Alves has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Pimpolho has passed into side control.
Alves tries to contro but end up mounted... ooooh, that's bad.
Pimpolho sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Alves regains half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alves is not content to let Pimpolho control the position.
Alves gets back to full guard.
Alves keeping moving, preventing Pimpolho from controlling successfully.
Thiago Alves overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Alves has a closed guard, preventing Pimpolho from standing up.
Pimpolho trying to control but Alves is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Alves has Pimpolho pulled in close to control his posture.

Pimpolho decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Pimpolho fails with an attempt to clinch.

Alves shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Alves thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
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.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Alves gets the takedown into side control.

Alves is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Pimpolho has escaped the position, nice work there.

Alves working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Alves wants to stand but Pimpolho is controlling his arm.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Pimpolho manages to get back to half guard.
Pimpolho is pressing down on Alves's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alves wants to control from the top but Pimpolho keeps moving.

Alves has a momentary lapse of concentration, allowing Pimpolho to throw up a leg and lock on what appears to be a pretty tight triangle! Alves is fighting it off but it's all too little too late - Pimpolho pulls down on the head and he's put Alves to sleep! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:25 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Manel Pimpolho!