PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bruno Xavier (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andre Holtz (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.

Xavier
vs
Holtz

190 cm
21
203 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight 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, Bruno Xavier!
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, Andre Holtz!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Felipe Paraventi and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Holtz closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Holtz tightens his grip and picks Xavier up, before dumping him to the ground. Xavier manages to land in guard.
Holtz with a nice head shot there.
Holtz must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Holtz is looking to work some ground and pound but Xavier has wrist control.

Xavier pushes Holtz off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Xavier tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Xavier throws a head kick but Holtz moves out of range.

Holtz instigates a clinch.

Holtz manages to break the clinch.
Nice sprawl there from Holtz as Xavier shoots in.
Xavier takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Xavier tries to clinch but Holtz moves away

and Holtz counters by clinching up.
Xavier scores with a hook to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Holtz wants the takedown. Xavier is fighting it off but Holtz persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Xavier's guard against the cage.
Holtz works over Xavier with some ground and pound from guard.
Holtz is in close to Xavier's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Xavier is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Xavier is breathing heavily.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Holtz accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Xavier doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Holtz distracts Xavier with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Holtz postures up in Xavier's guard and throws a big left but Xavier blocks it.
Holtz tries to free his leg and advance position but Xavier is retaining full guard.
Holtz with a flurry of punches that miss.
Holtz throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Xavier works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Holtz missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Holtz trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Holtz lands a couple of digs.
Xavier wants to sweep but no luck.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Holtz rushes Xavier and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Holtz has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Xavier is trying to keep an underhook but Holtz manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Xavier is trying to control but can't.
Holtz sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Xavier defending well though.
Holtz missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Xavier is trying to maintain the position but Holtz is very close to passing his half guard.

Xavier looking for submissions off his back.
Holtz working the head and body with strikes.
Holtz blocks the strikes from Xavier.
Holtz takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Holtz lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Holtz thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Xavier's head.
Holtz working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Holtz wants to stand up but Xavier is controlling the position.
Xavier trying to hold on to Holtz's head to control him but Holtz postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holtz missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Holtz throws a strike but Xavier avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Xavier is trying to keep Holtz in close.
Holtz pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Xavier is keeping the position for now.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Xavier tries to clinch

and Holtz counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Xavier is trying to control but can't.

Holtz wants to work for an arm triangle but Xavier is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Xavier is trying to get back to full guard.
Xavier keeping hold of Holtz's head, controlling as best he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holtz missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Holtz scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Xavier has his hands clasped together around Holtz's back. He's all about the action.
Xavier is trying to control but can't.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Holtz winds up and cracks Xavier with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Xavier taking some punishment here, with Holtz in his half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andre Holtz dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Xavier takes a head kick and keeps coming.

Holtz drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Sloppy strikes there by Holtz.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Xavier tries to bench press Holtz off him but Holtz keeps the position.

Holtz is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Xavier is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Holtz throwing strikes but Xavier manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Holtz is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Xavier wants to lay and pray for a moment but Holtz keeps working.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holtz sneaks back into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Xavier has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Holtz is working to get back to half guard.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Xavier cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Xavier looking to control but Holtz is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Holtz is in all sorts of trouble here.

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.
Xavier can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Holtz is looking to escape.
Holtz is looking to improve his position but Xavier isn't that keen on the idea.
Holtz is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Holtz flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Holtz is trying desperately to improve position.
Xavier controlling his opponent.
Holtz is working to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Xavier looking to control but Holtz is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Holtz flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Xavier is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Holtz is desperately trying to improve his position but Xavier has a good base and remains in mount.
Holtz wants to control but Xavier is having none of it.
Holtz is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Xavier blocks Holtz's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Holtz keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Holtz throwing hammer fists to the chest of Xavier. What's that going to do exactly?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Xavier tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Holtz is wriggling around trying to escape.
Xavier lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Holtz hang on?
Xavier avoids the attempt from Holtz to control.
Xavier raining down shots from the mount!
Holtz throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Xavier with the ground and pound from mount.
Holtz is trying to escape the mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andre Holtz showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Xavier gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Holtz lands a body shot.
Xavier is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Xavier misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Holtz.
Xavier looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Xavier prevents the takedown attempt.
Holtz goes for a takedown in the clinch but Xavier prevents it.

Holtz escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Xavier tries to close the distance and clinch up but Holtz swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Xavier tries to clinch there but Holtz circles away.
Bruno Xavier seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Holtz pushes Xavier up against the cage in a clinch.
Holtz tries for a takedown. No joy.
Bruno Xavier has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Andre Holtz.
Xavier throws an elbow but it misses.
Xavier goes for a takedown attempt but Holtz pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Holtz drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Holtz working the ground and pound from side control.
Holtz working the body and head with strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holtz connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Xavier some visible discomfort.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Xavier gets back to half guard.
Holtz missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Holtz sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Xavier defending well though.

Holtz seems to be looking for submissions.
Holtz working over Xavier with some ground and pound. Xavier looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Holtz throwing shots but Xavier is blocking nicely.
Xavier wants to control but Holtz is keeping busy.
Xavier is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Holtz scores with a couple of nice shots.
Holtz stops Xavier from getting back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Holtz instigates a clinch.
Holtz drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Xavier gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Xavier throws an elbow that misses.

Holtz works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Xavier is trying to control the position but Holtz postures up.
Xavier is pulling down on Holtz's head. It's preventing any offense from Holtz, at least for the moment.
Andre Holtz has got the better of the ground game so far.
Xavier avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Xavier is trying to control the position but Holtz postures up.
Holtz working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Holtz stands up over Xavier, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Holtz accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Holtz connects with a couple of short punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Xavier is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Holtz loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Xavier preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Xavier wants to sweep but no luck.
Xavier utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
A head kick by Xavier misses
and Holtz counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.

Holtz clinches up against the cage.

Holtz wants the takedown. Xavier is fighting it off but Holtz persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Xavier's guard against the cage.
Holtz won't allow Xavier to sweep him here.
Holtz working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Xavier wants to sweep here but Holtz controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holtz makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Xavier wants to sweep but no luck.
Holtz loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Xavier bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Holtz's guard.
Holtz tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Holtz tries to strike from the bottom.
Bruno Xavier has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Holtz looking to hit a scissor sweep but Xavier is one step ahead there.
Andre Holtz is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Xavier cracks Holtz with a solid left hand.

And that's the end of the fight!
Andre Holtz comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Holtz has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 27:30
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Andre Holtz!