PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gringo Spanish (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joao Pedro Miquelarena (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Joao Pedro Miquelarena will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Spanish
vs
Pedro Miquelarena

172 cm
18
225 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

200 cm
18
263 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Gringo Spanish!
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, Joao Pedro Miquelarena!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Felipe Paraventi and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Miquelarena tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Spanish clinches up with Miquelarena and pushes him back against the cage.
Spanish is trying to force a seperation but Miquelarena has the dominant position.
A right hand to the body from Miquelarena.
A frustrated look appears on Miquelarena's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Miquelarena has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Spanish uses from the top position.
Miquelarena wants to get back to his feet but Spanish is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Miquelarena tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Spanish tries to free his leg and advance position but Miquelarena is retaining full guard.
Spanish won't allow Miquelarena to sweep him here.
Spanish trying to control but Miquelarena is working from the bottom.
Spanish postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Spanish knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Miquelarena on the ground.

Miquelarena has his foot on Spanish's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Spanish works his way back into a safe position though.
Miquelarena trying to keep a closed guard but Spanish is proving a slippery customer.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Miquelarena is trying hard to land a takedown here. Spanish sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Spanish could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Spanish has Miquelarena up against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A right hook to the body lands for Miquelarena.
Spanish is breathing heavily.

Miquelarena breaks from the clinch.
Spanish on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.

It looks like Gringo Spanish has been cut.

Spanish shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Spanish was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Miquelarena tries to reverse the position but Spanish maintains control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Miquelarena wants to hold on but Spanish pushes him away.
Miquelarena is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Spanish controlling the position easily from mount.
Spanish looking to control but Miquelarena is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Miquelarena keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Miquelarena tries to hold on but Spanish pushes him away.
Spanish trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Miquelarena is in all sorts of trouble here.
Miquelarena is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Spanish controlling the position easily from mount.
Spanish can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Miquelarena is looking to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Miquelarena regains half guard.
Miquelarena is trying to stand up here but Spanish is controlling him well.
Miquelarena is trying to maintain the position but Spanish is very close to passing his half guard.

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.
Spanish wants to take a breather but Miquelarena is having none of it.
Spanish is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Miquelarena is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Spanish wants to stand but Miquelarena has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Miquelarena lands a couple of sideways elbows.
Miquelarena keeps control of the position for the meantime.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
A combination from Miquelarena does no damage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Miquelarena misses with a takedown attempt

and Spanish counters with a takedown into side control.

Spanish decides to stand up, so the ref orders Miquelarena to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joao Pedro Miquelarena dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Gringo Spanish's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Spanish with a nice cross.
Spanish misses with a double jab

and Miquelarena counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Spanish!
Miquelarena controlling the pace for now.

Miquelarena goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Spanish is on top in guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Spanish decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Miquelarena, up you get!

Spanish decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Spanish is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

Spanish decides to stand and escape the position.
Miquelarena fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Gringo Spanish is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The fighters circling - Spanish throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
The fight stays on the outside here - Spanish looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Miquelarena closes the distance and clinches.

Miquelarena breaks from the clinch.
Spanish fails with the takedown.
Miquelarena is looking to slow Spanish down with leg kicks.
Miquelarena throws a right and a left that both miss.
Miquelarena will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Miquelarena with a poor takedown

and Spanish counters with a takedown into side control.
Gringo Spanish has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joao Pedro Miquelarena.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Spanish decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Miquelarena tries a head kick but it misses.
Miquelarena has his takedown stuffed

and Spanish counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Spanish.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Miquelarena has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Spanish regains guard immediately.
Miquelarena is looking to stand up but Spanish won't let him.
Miquelarena throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Spanish works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Miquelarena working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Spanish tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Spanish is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Miquelarena is controlling him.
Spanish is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Spanish preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Miquelarena lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Miquelarena trying to control the position from guard on top but Spanish is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

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

and Spanish decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Miquelarena's guard.
Spanish has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Spanish won't allow Miquelarena to sweep him here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gringo Spanish dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Gringo Spanish's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Spanish is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Miquelarena scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Miquelarena trying to control from Spanish's half guard. Spanish has other ideas though and has regained full guard.

Spanish pushes Miquelarena off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Horrible takedown by Miquelarena or perhaps it was just good defense by Spanish which made him look bad.
Spanish misses with a shot to the body

and Miquelarena counters by clinching up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Miquelarena tries to circle away but Spanish has him pinned against the cage.
Miquelarena keeps control of Spanish as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Spanish tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Miquelarena just stands there and leans against the cage.

Miquelarena turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Miquelarena thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Miquelarena working the strikes but Spanish uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Spanish is holding on to half guard well.
Miquelarena is keen to just control but Spanish is a slippery customer.

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.
Spanish wants to get back to his feet.

Miquelarena gets to his feet - back to striking we go!

Miquelarena gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Miquelarena kicks Spanish off and gets to his feet.
Miquelarena with a poor takedown

and Spanish counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Spanish looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Spanish throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Spanish content to control rather than advance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spanish wants to stand up but Miquelarena is controlling the position.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Spanish has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Miquelarena wants to control but Spanish is keeping busy.
Spanish trying to pass the guard but Miquelarena defending well.
Spanish is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

That's four 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.
Spanish prevents Miquelarena from improving his position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Miquelarena tried to score with a low kick but Spanish checks it.

Miquelarena looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Gringo Spanish overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Miquelarena missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Miquelarena prevents Spanish from getting back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Gringo Spanish.
I think Spanish has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 29:28
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 29:29
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!