PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Silvio Provenza (ranked 4907 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leonardo Florentino Ernesto Alvarez (ranked 2540 p4p, 0 weight class). Provenza kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Madreblu - Certamente. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Leonardo Florentino Ernesto Alvarez was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Provenza
vs
Florentino Ernesto Alvarez

182 cm
36
165 lbs
19 - 11 - 0

180 cm
46
166 lbs
33 - 15 - 1

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 19 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Silvio Provenza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 33 - 15 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Leonardo Florentino Ernesto Alvarez!
The judges for this bout are Stewart Dunkirk, Wesley Smith and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alvarez shoots in looking for a takedown but Provenza manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Alvarez's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Alvarez slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

Provenza closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Alvarez to the mat! Alvarez manages to get full guard.
Provenza preventing the sweep.
Alvarez avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Provenza trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Alvarez is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Provenza looking to pass the guard.
Provenza throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Alvarez avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Provenza is working Alvarez over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Provenza throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Alvarez works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Provenza works over Alvarez with some ground and pound from guard.
Alvarez wants to sweep here but Provenza controlling him for the moment.
Provenza is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Provenza wants to pass the guard but Alvarez is keeping the position.
Alvarez preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Provenza throwing strikes from guard but Alvarez blocks nicely.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Provenza looking to pass the guard.

Alvarez looking for a guillotine here but Provenza defends easily.
Provenza throwing strikes but missing.
Provenza is looking to work some ground and pound but Alvarez has wrist control.

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

Alvarez escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Provenza gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Provenza with a flurry of punches that miss.
Alvarez not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Provenza is working Alvarez over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Provenza throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Alvarez works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Alvarez had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Provenza defends it easily.
Provenza stopping the sweep attempt from Alvarez.
Alvarez wants to stand and escape but Provenza is having none of it.
Provenza postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Provenza missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Provenza stopping the sweep attempt from Alvarez.
Alvarez is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Provenza in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Provenza working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Provenza throws a big elbow that misses.
Provenza is looking to work some ground and pound but Alvarez has wrist control.
Provenza slips nicely into half guard.

Provenza is looking for a kimura but Alvarez is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Provenza to get the leverage.
Alvarez tries to roll over but Provenza keeps him under control.

Provenza is looking for a kimura but Alvarez is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Provenza to get the leverage.

Provenza is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Provenza seems to be trying to get a kimura but instead Alvarez has recovered full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Provenza sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Alvarez's guard.
Alvarez tries to roll over but Provenza keeps him under control.
Provenza scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Provenza is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Alvarez makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Alvarez.
Provenza pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Alvarez is keeping the position for now.
Provenza makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Provenza working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Provenza trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Silvio Provenza dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Alvarez drives through with a takedown into guard.
Alvarez trying to control but Provenza is working from the bottom.

Provenza has his foot on Alvarez's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Alvarez works his way back into a safe position though.

Provenza working for submissions but it's allowed Alvarez to get to half guard.
Silvio Provenza overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Provenza is looking to improve his position.
Alvarez drops an elbow to the side of Provenza's head.

Alvarez decides to return to a standing position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A slow jab from Provenza misses its intended target.
Alvarez changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Provenza tries to clinch there but Alvarez circles away.
Horrible takedown attempt by Alvarez or perhaps it was just good defense by Provenza, which made it look bad.
Alvarez will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Provenza is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Alvarez can do to turn this around?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Provenza's corner calls for a 1-2. Provenza obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.

Alvarez drives through with a takedown into guard.

Provenza looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Alvarez passes into side control.
Provenza is looking for a sweep.
Provenza manages to work his way to half guard, despite Alvarez's best efforts.
Provenza wants to get back to full guard but Alvarez has mounted him!
Provenza in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Provenza tries to hold on but Alvarez pushes him away.
Alvarez unloading with bombs!
Alvarez with the ground and pound from mount.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Alvarez can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Provenza is looking to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Provenza regains half guard.
Provenza wants to get back to his feet.
Alvarez trying to control from half guard but Provenza is working away.
Alvarez tries to pass the half guard into mount. Provenza knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Provenza trying to control from the bottom.

Provenza actively working from the bottom here.
Provenza has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Alvarez is working away from the top position though.
Provenza holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Alvarez is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Provenza has managed to free his arm - good work.
Alvarez looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Provenza with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Alvarez trying to control from half guard but Provenza is working away.
Alvarez working over Provenza with some ground and pound. Provenza looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Provenza wants to get back to full guard.
Alvarez works his way into full mount!
Provenza tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Provenza is working hard here to advance position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez raining down hammerfists from mount.
Provenza is looking to get to half guard.
Alvarez avoids the attempt from Provenza to control.
Provenza is trying to escape the mount.
Provenza regains half guard.
Provenza works his way to full guard. Good work.

Provenza is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Alvarez defends well.
Alvarez with a nice head shot there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leonardo Florentino Ernesto Alvarez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Provenza throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Alvarez.
Provenza shoots in looking for a takedown but Alvarez manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Provenza's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Provenza tries to sprawl but Alvarez drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Provenza slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Provenza working for a triangle but Alvarez defends it easily.

Provenza has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Alvarez is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Provenza.
Alvarez in side control lands a decent elbow.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Provenza manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Provenza is in trouble now - Alvarez has advanced to mount!
Provenza is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Provenza taking shots to the head.
Alvarez connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Alvarez working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Provenza gets back to half guard.

Alvarez moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Provenza.
Provenza takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Alvarez is working Provenza over with some ground and pound from side control.
Provenza gets back to half guard.
Provenza trying to hold on to Alvarez's head to control him but Alvarez postures up.
Provenza tries to roll over but Alvarez keeps him under control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez trying to control from half guard but Provenza is working away.
Provenza trying to control here.
Provenza is trying to stand.
Alvarez looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Alvarez lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Alvarez is keen to just control but Provenza is a slippery customer.
Provenza is trying to stand back up but Alvarez is controlling him
Provenza is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Provenza is looking for a sweep. Alvarez is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Alvarez seems to be looking for submissions.
Alvarez wants to control but Provenza is keeping him busy.

Provenza is working on a guillotine. He's managed to get to full guard and he's really squeezing tight! Alvarez is tapping! Great win for Provenza!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:31 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Silvio Provenza!
Silvio Provenza tried to hype himself up post fight but didn't word it too well and it ended up with him sounding like a bit of a tool.