PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Israel Alvarado (ranked 4006 p4p, 4109 weight class) and Nardrick Thibodeaux (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Alvarado
vs
Thibodeaux

182 cm
20
175
3 - 1 - 0

182 cm
25
170
0 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Israel Alvarado!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nardrick Thibodeaux!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Timothy Bukovac and Percy O'Donnell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alvarado darts in looking for a takedown but Thibodeaux gets double underhooks and turns Alvarado into the cage.
Alvarado has Thibodeaux pressed against the cage, preventing Thibodeaux from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Thibodeaux gets underhooks to prevent Alvarado's takedown attempt.
Alvarado prevents Thibodeaux from breaking the clinch.
Alvarado goes for a takedown in the clinch but Thibodeaux prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Israel Alvarado. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Alvarado wants a takedown.
Alvarado wants a takedown but no success here.

Thibodeaux pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Alvarado shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Alvarado 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.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thibodeaux keeping moving, preventing Alvarado from controlling successfully.
Alvarado with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alvarado stays in close to Thibodeaux's body and controls the position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Thibodeaux can do anything to dispel that myth.
Alvarado postures up in Thibodeaux's guard and throws a big left but Thibodeaux blocks it.
Alvarado is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Alvarado won't allow Thibodeaux to get back to his feet.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Alvarado shoots for a takedown but Thibodeaux saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
It seemed like Thibodeaux was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Alvarado gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Thibodeaux cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Alvarado shoots for a double leg takedown but Thibodeaux sprawls well. He's pushed Alvarado's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Thibodeaux let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Alvarado gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Alvarado takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Nice sprawl there from Thibodeaux as Alvarado shoots in.
Thibodeaux has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Nice takedown defense from Thibodeaux. No joy for Alvarado on that attempt.
Thibodeaux scores with a punch to the head.
Nardrick Thibodeaux is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Alvarado shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Thibodeaux counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Alvarado looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Alvarado shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Thibodeaux counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Alvarado doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Thibodeaux counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alvarado shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Thibodeaux counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Alvarado closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Alvarado throwing shots but Thibodeaux is blocking nicely.
Alvarado controlling the pace.
Alvarado working over Thibodeaux with some ground and pound. Thibodeaux looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Alvarado controlling the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alvarado's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Alvarado has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Thibodeaux looks like he's trying to stand up.
Well, if Alvarado is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Alvarado has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Israel Alvarado seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Alvarado on the wrong end of a nice jab.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Nardrick Thibodeaux dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Thibodeaux cracks a nice hook into Alvarado's ribs.
Thibodeaux scores with a punch to the head.
Alvarado fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Thibodeaux looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Alvarado misses with a takedown attempt
letting Thibodeaux counter with a right hand.
Thibodeaux slaps away a takedown attempt from Alvarado, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Thibodeaux looks like he wants to counter punch here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Israel Alvarado. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Alvarado with a poor takedown
and Thibodeaux counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Alvarado fails with the takedown.
Alvarado shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Thibodeaux but Thibodeaux pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alvarado shoots in looking for a takedown. Thibodeaux tries to sprawl out of it but Alvarado keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Thibodeaux manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Thibodeaux looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Thibodeaux defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Alvarado.
Thibodeaux swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Thibodeaux.
Thibodeaux might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Alvarado fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
A jab from Thibodeaux finds it's way through Alvarado's defenses.
Alvarado doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Thibodeaux counters with a stiff right hand.
Nardrick Thibodeaux seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alvarado tries to score a power double leg takedown but Thibodeaux sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Alvarado somewhat.
A little jabbing left from Thibodeaux on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Alvarado gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Thibodeaux counters with a stiff right hand.
Thibodeaux stuffs the takedown attempt from Alvarado. Alvarado gets slowly back to his feet.
Thibodeaux tests Alvarado's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Alvarado doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Alvarado takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alvarado will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Alvarado goes for a double leg but Thibodeaux avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Thibodeaux continues to drive forward.
Alvarado is looking for a takedown.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Alvarado has Thibodeaux pressed against the cage, preventing Thibodeaux from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Thibodeaux is trying to break the clinch but Alvarado has him pressed against the cage.
Thibodeaux wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Alvarado has him pressed against the cage.
Thibodeaux wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Thibodeaux wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Thibodeaux wants to get back to striking at distance but Alvarado won't allow it.

Alvarado is trying to trip Thibodeaux. He has hold of a leg but Thibodeaux is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Alvarado persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Alvarado looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Alvarado seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Thibodeaux for as long as he can get away with.
Thibodeaux has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Thibodeaux keeping moving, preventing Alvarado from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alvarado is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Thibodeaux is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Alvarado is controlling him.
Thibodeaux being controlled here, momentarily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Thibodeaux keeping moving, preventing Alvarado from controlling successfully.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Nardrick Thibodeaux 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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Alvarado closes this distance looking for a takedown but Thibodeaux circles away.

Alvarado looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Alvarado controlling the action here.
Thibodeaux tries to kick Alvarado off but Alvarado keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Alvarado is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Further stalling from Alvarado.
If it seems like I'm not saying a lot, it's just because Alvarado is stinking the place up with his stalling.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Alvarado with a poor takedown
and Thibodeaux counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Thibodeaux keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Nardrick Thibodeaux is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Israel Alvarado. That's going to take a lot out of him.

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.
Alvarado with a lazy takedown attempt
and Thibodeaux cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Thibodeaux keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
It seemed like Thibodeaux was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Alvarado fails with the takedown
and Thibodeaux counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Alvarado shoots in for a double leg but Thibodeaux sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Thibodeaux! But no joy.
Alvarado with a poor takedown
and Thibodeaux counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Alvarado shoots for a double leg takedown but Thibodeaux sprawls well. He's pushed Alvarado's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Good standup being displayed there by Thibodeaux as he connects with a hook.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alvarado with a poor takedown
and Thibodeaux connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Alvarado has his takedown stuffed
and Thibodeaux counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Good shot there by Thibodeaux.
Alvarado tries for a takedown but Thibodeaux circles away easily
and Thibodeaux counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Thibodeaux scores with a hook to the body. Alvarado takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Thibodeaux lands with a right hand.
Alvarado fails with the takedown
and Thibodeaux counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Alvarado gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Thibodeaux counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thibodeaux paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Thibodeaux stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Thibodeaux wants it to stay on the feet.
Alvarado closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Alvarado misses with a takedown
and Alvarado takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Alvarado gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

Alvarado closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Alvarado lands in his opponent's guard.
Israel Alvarado has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Thibodeaux wants to stand but Alvarado is controlling the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nardrick Thibodeaux comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Thibodeaux 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nardrick Thibodeaux!