PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Felipe Dante (ranked 3354 p4p, 3676 weight class) and Ivan Vladivich (ranked 388 p4p, 422 weight class). The key to victory for Felipe Dante has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Dante
vs
Vladivich

180 cm
25
190
0 - 1 - 0

177 cm
25
190
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Good chin

Good wrestler
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Felipe Dante!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ivan Vladivich!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Paulo Santos and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Vladivich moves into the clinch successfully.
Dante jumps guard but Vladivich turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Vladivich is trying to break the clinch but Dante has him pressed against the cage.

Dante pulls Vladivich into guard.
Dante is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Dante controls Vladivich momentarily but Vladivich frees himself.
Vladivich stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Dante swivels though and keeps the full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Dante working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Vladivich doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Vladivich manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Vladivich looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Vladivich gets to his feet - Dante follows without any prompting.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Dante.
Vladivich throws a body punch but Dante moves out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Dante looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Vladivich pushes Dante up against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vladivich wants to take the fight to the mat but Dante manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

Vladivich tightens his grip and picks Dante up, before dumping him to the ground. Dante manages to land in guard.

Vladivich decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Dante fails in his attempt to clinch.
Vladivich follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
Dante tries to clinch but Vladivich moves out of range.

Dante tries to keep at a distance but Vladivich has taken the fight into the clinch.
Dante blocks the elbow strike.
Dante trying to control the position but instead, Vladivich has worked for underhooks and has pushed Dante into the cage.
Dante tries to work over Vladivich's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Dante tries to break the clinch but Vladivich is controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vladivich jumps guard but Dante turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Dante softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Vladivich wants to take the fight to the mat but Dante manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Felipe Dante has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ivan Vladivich.
Dante is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Dante wants a takedown.
Dante is working for takedown but Vladivich is calmly controlling the position for now.
Dante tries to score a body lock takedown but Vladivich shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Dante is trying to break the clinch but Vladivich is controlling him.
Dante tries to pull guard but Vladivich holds him up against the cage and eventually Dante drops back down to his feet.
Dante has Vladivich pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Vladivich manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Dante is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Dante stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Dante gets control of Vladivich's arms and successfully pulls guard. Dante will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Vladivich not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Vladivich pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Dante is keeping the position for now.
Vladivich is looking to work some ground and pound but Dante has wrist control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Dante is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Vladivich passes Dante's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Dante wants to get back to full guard but Vladivich has passed into side control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Vladivich dominated that round.
That's time! Dante's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Vladivich fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Dante avoids it really well and circles away.
Vladivich misses with an attempted mid kick.

Vladivich darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Dante is trying to maintain the position but Vladivich is very close to passing his half guard.
Vladivich is looking to stall here but Dante recovers full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vladivich landing some decent shots from guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Vladivich stands and steps away. Dante gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Vladivich misses with a wild combination.
Dante is looking to clinch.
Vladivich has a takedown stuffed.
Dante lands a high kick!
Vladivich tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Dante was well out of range. Poor timing from Vladivich.
Felipe Dante is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Dante throws a lazy uppercut

and Vladivich counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vladivich blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Dante looking to stall.

Vladivich breaks the clinch.
Dante closes the distance looking to clinch

and Vladivich counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Vladivich stays in close to Dante's body and controls the position.
Dante tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Dante wants to get back to his feet but Vladivich is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Dante manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Vladivich manages to get himself to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dante trying to control but Vladivich is working from the bottom.
Vladivich has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Dante throwing strikes from guard but Vladivich blocks nicely.
Dante loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Dante is looking to stand up but Vladivich won't let him.
Vladivich has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Dante stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Vladivich swivels though and keeps the full guard.

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.
Dante trying to control the position from guard on top but Vladivich is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Vladivich looking to hit a scissor sweep but Dante is one step ahead there.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Dante connects with a high kick.

Vladivich moves into the clinch successfully.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ivan Vladivich will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Vladivich clinches.
Dante is looking to control Vladivich's arms but Vladivich gets an underhook and turns him. Now Dante has his back to the cage.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Dante tries to pull guard but Vladivich holds him up against the cage and eventually Dante drops back down to his feet.
Dante tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Dante tries to circle away but Vladivich has him pinned against the cage.

Dante pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Dante swings for the body but Vladivich moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dante displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Vladivich.

Vladivich takes the fight into the clinch.

Vladivich gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vladivich trying to control the pace.
My spies in Rio Grappling Club inform me that Vladivich has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Vladivich winds up and cracks Dante with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

Vladivich stands up and beckons Dante to join him on the feet.
Vladivich fails with the takedown.
Dante tries to close the distance and clinch but Vladivich swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Dante fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Felipe Dante. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Dante throws a quick inside leg kick.
Vladivich lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Dante throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Vladivich's head.
Vladivich uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Dante.
And Vladivich tries to counter it with a takedown but Dante pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Dante takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Dante shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Vladivich but Vladivich pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nice body kick there by Dante.

Vladivich takes the fight into the clinch.
Dante jumps guard but Vladivich turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vladivich has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Dante after a bit of a struggle.
Vladivich stalling against the cage.
Vladivich fails to pull guard.
Dante has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Vladivich is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Vladivich has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Dante clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
We've been hearing good reports from Dante's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Vladivich controls the action.

Vladivich seems to be going for a rear naked choke. He has an arm under Dante's chin but Dante turns very nicely into Vladivich's guard. Good BJJ skills being displayed there by Dante.
Ivan Vladivich has got the better of the ground game so far.
Dante trying to control the position from guard on top but Vladivich is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vladivich wants to sweep but no luck.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Vladivich can do anything to dispel that myth.

Vladivich is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Dante defends well.
Dante trying to control the position from guard on top but Vladivich is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Felipe Dante has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ivan Vladivich is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Vladivich throws his legs up looking for a submission but Dante uses it to pass to side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ivan Vladivich.
I've got Vladivich winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ivan Vladivich!