PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kari Byron (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Alvarez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kari Byron has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Byron
vs
Alvarez

190 cm
22
178 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

173 cm
22
165 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Improved boxing
Big right hand

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Granite 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, Kari Byron!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Michael Alvarez!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Matheus Silva and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Byron lands a nice looking body shot.

Alvarez closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Alvarez lands in his opponent's guard.
Byron is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Alvarez wants to pass the guard but Byron is keeping the position.
Byron tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Alvarez slips nicely into half guard.
Byron wants to control but Alvarez is keeping busy.
Byron is looking to improve his position.
Byron is pressing down on Alvarez's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Alvarez tries to free his leg and advance position but Byron is retaining full guard.
Byron looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Byron is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Alvarez tries to free his leg and advance position but Byron is retaining full guard.

Byron looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alvarez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Byron is keeping the position for now.

Byron is looking for a triangle but Alvarez pushes his legs off easily.
Alvarez wants to pass the guard but Byron is keeping the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Jab by Byron.
Byron digs a good hook to Alvarez's body.
Michael Alvarez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Byron waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Alvarez.
A punch combination from Byron misses.

Alvarez scores a takedown into full mount!
Byron throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.

Alvarez looking for a guillotine from mount but Byron is having none of it.
Alvarez looks gassed!

Alvarez is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Byron is surviving well by controlling Alvarez's body position as best he can.
Alvarez wants to take his opponent's back but Byron doesn't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Alvarez has control of Byron's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Byron regains control of the situation pretty easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Byron tries to hold on but Alvarez pushes him away.
Alvarez fails to move to back control.

Alvarez is working for a guillotine from mount but Byron frees his head quite easily.
Byron is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Byron manages to regain half guard. Good work.

Alvarez is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Byron doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Alvarez.

Alvarez wants to work for an arm triangle but Byron is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

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

Alvarez is working for a kimura but Byron is defending it quite comfortably.
Alvarez looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Byron is looking to control Alvarez's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Byron avoid being mounted?

Alvarez is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Byron defends it well.
Byron gets back to full guard.
Alvarez wants to pass the guard but Byron is keeping the position.
Alvarez is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's four 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.
Alvarez passes Byron's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

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

Byron looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Byron is defending against the submission attempts here by Alvarez.
Byron is trying to control but can't.
Alvarez tries to pass to full mount but Byron defends it.

Alvarez is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Alvarez seems to be looking for submissions.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Alvarez changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Byron looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Alvarez dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Byron will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Alvarez takes one on the button.
Byron smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Alvarez.
Byron struggling a bit here.
Byron tries to buck Alvarez off but Alvarez is having none of it.

Alvarez is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Byron knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Byron is looking for a sweep.

Alvarez is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Byron is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Byron sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Alvarez is pressing down on Byron's thigh, looking to free his foot. Byron is holding on for now.

Alvarez looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Byron trying to control but Alvarez postures up.

Alvarez is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Byron is just riding it out for now. Alvarez eventually gives up the hold.
Byron is trying to control but can't.
Byron moves into full guard.
Alvarez stopping the sweep attempt from Byron.

Alvarez thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Byron 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Alvarez forces his way into half guard.

Alvarez is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Byron gets full guard.
Byron will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Alvarez thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Alvarez drops back looking for a leg! Byron is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Byron manages to kick Alvarez off! Alvarez jumps back into Byron's guard.
Alvarez looking to pass the guard.
Alvarez passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Alvarez is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Byron knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Alvarez is working to tighten is grip on Byron's neck. He's isolated an arm and is working for an arm triangle. Byron has recognised the danger and is trying to turn with the submission but Alvarez is really squeezing tight and eventually Byron passes out! Alvarez breaks the hold and jumps onto the cage to celebrate! Submission of the night, I'd say!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:03 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Michael Alvarez!