PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Paulo Tiago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Danilo Albuquerque (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Albuquerque has chosen Left Behind - Slipknot as his entrance music. There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Tiago
vs
Albuquerque

178 cm
25
166 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
19
166 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent elbows
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Counter striker
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Paulo Tiago!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Danilo Albuquerque!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Paulo Santos and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Tiago decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Albuquerque is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Tiago pulls his head out easily.
Tiago is taking a breather. Albuquerque says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Albuquerque is trying to get back to full guard.
Albuquerque trying to control from the bottom.
Albuquerque tries to roll over but Tiago keeps him under control.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Albuquerque regains full guard. Nicely done.
Albuquerque keeping moving, preventing Tiago from controlling successfully.
Albuquerque looking to control.
Albuquerque working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Tiago.
Albuquerque looking for a sweep. Not yet Albuquerque, not yet.
Tiago trying to control but Albuquerque is working from the bottom.

Albuquerque working for a triangle but Tiago defends it easily.
Albuquerque is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Albuquerque looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Albuquerque is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Tiago!

Albuquerque jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Tiago manages to avoid the submission attempt.

Albuquerque tries for a kimura but Tiago is defending well.

Albuquerque is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Tiago is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tiago is trying to buck Albuquerque off.
Tiago struggling a bit here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tiago manages to get back to half guard.
Albuquerque wants to pass to mount but Tiago is defending the position.
Tiago moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Tiago is looking for a triangle but Albuquerque pushes his legs off easily.

Tiago pushes Albuquerque off and gets back to his feet.
Paulo Tiago seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tiago misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Albuquerque shoots and misses

and Tiago decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Albuquerque's guard.
Albuquerque looking to hit a scissor sweep but Tiago is one step ahead there.
Tiago content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Tiago wants to control from the top but Albuquerque keeps moving.
Tiago pushes down on Albuquerque's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Albuquerque wants to improve his position but Tiago is controlling well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paulo Tiago dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Tiago clinches.
Albuquerque goes for a takedown attempt but Tiago pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Tiago swings for the body but Albuquerque moves out of range.

Tiago shoots in and gets a takedown into Albuquerque's guard.
Tiago is stalling in the full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Albuquerque looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Albuquerque is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Tiago is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Tiago stands up and waves to Albuquerque to follow him.

Albuquerque drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Albuquerque advances to half guard.
Albuquerque looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Albuquerque is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Tiago is just riding it out for now. Albuquerque eventually gives up the hold.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tiago misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Tiago trying to hold on to Albuquerque's head to control him but Albuquerque postures up.

Albuquerque 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.
Albuquerque trying to control from half guard but Tiago is working away.
Paulo Tiago overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tiago is looking to improve his position.

Albuquerque seems to be looking for submissions.
Tiago is looking to control Albuquerque's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Tiago avoid being mounted?

Albuquerque is looking for a kimura but Tiago is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Albuquerque to get the leverage.
Albuquerque works his way into full mount!
Albuquerque tries to control but Tiago wriggling away.
Tiago flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.

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

Albuquerque goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Tiago turns into him and now he's in Albuquerque's guard.
Tiago trying to stand up but can't free himself from Albuquerque's guard.
Tiago is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Albuquerque looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Tiago stands and throws Albuquerque's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Albuquerque tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Tiago wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Paulo Tiago will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Albuquerque takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Albuquerque misses with a takedown

and Tiago counters by moving into the clinch.

Tiago breaks from the clinch.
Albuquerque misses with a takedown attempt

and Tiago decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Albuquerque's guard.
Tiago postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Tiago showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Albuquerque throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Albuquerque tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Albuquerque is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Tiago is looking to work some ground and pound but Albuquerque has wrist control.
Tiago is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Tiago has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Paulo Tiago has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Tiago lands a jab.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Tiago is trying to trip Albuquerque. He has hold of a leg but Albuquerque is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Tiago persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Albuquerque manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Tiago manages to get himself to full guard.
Danilo Albuquerque has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Albuquerque drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Tiago manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Albuquerque has Tiago in his guard.
Tiago throwing strikes from guard but Albuquerque blocks nicely.

Albuquerque looking for a guillotine here but Tiago defends easily.
Tiago wants to control from the top but Albuquerque keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Albuquerque 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.
Tiago trying to control the position from guard on top but Albuquerque is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tiago not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Albuquerque looking to control.

Paulo Tiago has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Tiago rushes Albuquerque and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Tiago pulls Albuquerque into guard.
Albuquerque wants to pass the guard but Tiago is keeping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Tiago is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Albuquerque is aware though and is defending well.

Albuquerque has gone for a leg lock! Tiago slips out almost immediately though and dives into Albuquerque's guard.

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

Albuquerque working for a triangle but Tiago defends it easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paulo Tiago showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Tiago has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:28
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paulo Tiago!