PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Thiago Oxala (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sic Bastage (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Oxala
vs
Bastage

188 cm
22
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

187 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thiago Oxala!
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, Sic Bastage!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Luis Engracia and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Oxala throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Bastage tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Oxala paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Oxala tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Bastage drags the fight down to the ground.
Oxala pushes down on Bastage's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Oxala wants to control but Bastage is keeping him busy.
Oxala thows a huge punch but Bastage dodges it nicely.
Oxala is thwarting Bastage's attempts to control the position.

Oxala is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Oxala trying to control from half guard but Bastage is working away.
Oxala 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Bastage manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Bastage is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Oxala tries to free his leg and advance position but Bastage is retaining full guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Oxala shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Bastage as he avoids it easily.

Oxala drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Bastage is looking for a triangle but Oxala pushes his legs off easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bastage wants to stand but Oxala is controlling the position.
Oxala wants to control from the top but Bastage keeps moving.
Bastage wants to sweep here but Oxala controlling him for the moment.
Bastage looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Oxala is looking to work some ground and pound but Bastage has wrist control.
Bastage wants to stand up but Oxala is controlling him.
Bastage keeping full guard, as Oxala tries to pass.
Oxala trying to control the position from guard on top but Bastage is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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

Bastage drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Oxala trying to control the position.
Oxala throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Oxala wants to sweep here but Bastage controlling him for the moment.
Oxala is pulling down on Bastage's head. It's preventing any offense from Bastage, at least for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Oxala trying to strike off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Oxala keeping full guard, as Bastage tries to pass.
Bastage must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Oxala is looking for a triangle here but Bastage uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.

Bastage tries for a kimura but Oxala is defending well.
Oxala struggling a bit here.
Bastage is looking to take a break and control but Oxala is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Bastage decides to stand back up.

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.
Bastage lands with a hook. Oxala tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.

Bastage closes the distance and clinches.

Bastage gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Bastage wants to take a breather but Oxala is having none of it.
Oxala trying to control but Bastage postures up.
Oxala wants to get back to full guard.
Bastage really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Oxala. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Bastage tries to pass the half guard into mount. Oxala knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Oxala wants to get back to full guard.
Bastage lands with a punch from half guard.
Bastage is controlling the pace.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bastage wants to lay and pray for a moment but Oxala keeps working.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sic Bastage dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Bastage shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Oxala tries to reverse the position but Bastage maintains control.
Bastage tries to control but Oxala wriggling away.
Oxala tries to hold on but Bastage pushes him away.
Oxala is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Bastage looking to control but Oxala is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Bastage controlling his opponent.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Bastage fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Oxala gets back to half guard.
Bastage throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Oxala is looking to control Bastage's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Oxala avoid being mounted?
Bastage is keen to just control but Oxala is a slippery customer.
Oxala is trying to stand back up but Bastage is controlling him
Bastage is tying to control. Oxala wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Oxala is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Well, if Bastage 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.
Oxala blocking the ground and pound attempt from Bastage.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Oxala scores with a nice body kick.
Oxala tries to clinch but Bastage moves away

and Bastage counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Oxala gets back to full guard.
Oxala managing to control the position.
Oxala controls Bastage momentarily but Bastage frees himself.
Oxala is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Bastage is controlling him.
Oxala is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Oxala is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Bastage is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Oxala looking to hit a scissor sweep but Bastage is one step ahead there.
Oxala pulls Bastage in close to prevent any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Oxala is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Oxala falls off balance throwing a combination

and Bastage counters by clinching up.
Bastage throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Oxala makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Bastage is trying to break the clinch but Oxala has him pressed against the cage.

Oxala has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Bastage uses from the top position.
Oxala wants to stand but Bastage is controlling the position.

Oxala pushes Bastage off and scrambles back to his feet.

Bastage fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Oxala sprawls well initially but Bastage persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Oxala gets back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Oxala keeping full guard, as Bastage tries to pass.

Oxala working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Bastage doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Bastage manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Oxala bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Bastage's guard.
Bastage not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Sic Bastage has got the better of the ground game so far.

Bastage working for a triangle but Oxala defends it easily.
Bastage wants to stand up but Oxala is controlling him.
Oxala preventing the sweep.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sic Bastage showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Oxala drives through with a takedown into guard.
Oxala looking to sit in guard and control but Bastage gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Oxala tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Bastage looking to sit in guard and control but Oxala gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Bastage 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.
Oxala wants to control from the top but Bastage keeps moving.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Oxala utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Bastage controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Bastage working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Oxala wants to get back to his feet but Bastage is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Oxala wants to sweep but no luck.
Oxala manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Bastage manages to get himself to full guard.
Oxala trying to control the position from guard on top but Bastage is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Oxala decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Bastage, up you get!
Oxala will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Oxala closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Oxala landing a few strikes.
Bastage is being controlled here.
Oxala has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Oxala works to advance to full mount. Bastage defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Oxala scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Bastage?
Bastage regains half guard.
Bastage wants to improve his position but Oxala is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bastage wants to control but Oxala is keeping busy.
Bastage gets back to full guard.
Bastage is controlling Oxala's posture.
Oxala won't allow Bastage to get back to his feet.
Bastage trying to keep a closed guard but Oxala is proving a slippery customer.
Oxala won't allow Bastage to get back to his feet.
Bastage seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Oxala trying to control but Bastage is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Oxala is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Oxala pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Bastage is keeping the position for now.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Bastage shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Oxala pinned against the cage. Oxala gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Bastage takes a kick to the side of the head.
Bastage looks to throw a body kick

so Oxala counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Bastage keeping moving, preventing Oxala from controlling successfully.
Thiago Oxala has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Oxala drops back looking for a leg! Bastage is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Bastage manages to kick Oxala off! Oxala jumps back into Bastage's guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thiago Oxala showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Bastage has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 28:29
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sic Bastage!