PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Thiago Almer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Akaboshi Aida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Aida has chosen The Passenger - Iggy Pop as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Almer
vs
Aida

175 cm
22
177 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

185 cm
25
186 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good knees
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
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 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thiago Almer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Akaboshi Aida!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Felipe Paraventi and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Almer throws the kick towards the body but Aida avoids it.
Almer throws a right hand that misses
and Aida counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Almer misses with a hook to the body

and Aida counters with a takedown into side control.

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

Aida looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Aida is looking to take a break and control but Almer is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Almer tries to buck Aida off but Aida is having none of it.

Aida is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Almer has escaped the position, nice work there.
Aida tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aida trying to control the position but Almer is working away.

Aida wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Almer, who protects the arm well.
Aida tries to advance position but instead Almer slips a leg back in to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aida trying to pass the guard but Almer defending well.
Aida seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Almer does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Aida is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Almer is just riding it out for now. Aida eventually gives up the hold.
Aida is trying to control. Almer wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Akaboshi Aida dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Almer digs a good hook to Aida's body.
Almer ducks under a wild hook from Aida.
Aida takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Almer tries to clinch up but Aida circles away and keeps his distance.

Almer gets caught napping as Aida dives in and scores a takedown. Almer manages to retain guard.
Almer on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Almer tries to get out of the position.
Aida wants to pass the guard but Almer is keeping the position.
Aida trying to control but Almer is working from the bottom.
Aida tries to free his leg and advance position but Almer is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aida is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Aida advances position into side control!

Aida is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Almer has escaped the position, nice work there.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aida taking a breather here.
Almer looks to move to half guard but instead Aida has passed into mount! Damn!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aida throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Aida misses with a head shot.

Aida is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Almer has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Almer!
Almer wanted to stand there but Aida had control of the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Aida is looking for a triangle but Almer pushes his legs off easily.
Aida working a defensive guard here.

Aida looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Akaboshi Aida showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Almer jabs Aida to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Almer connects with a single shot there.
A big left from Almer misses.
Almer connects with a leg kick. Aida looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
A slapping leg kick lands for Almer.
Almer catches Aida with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
A big right from Aida misses.
Thiago Almer seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Almer misses with a body kick.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Almer.
Aida misses with a takedown attempt - Almer sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Almer throws a nice inside leg kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Aida displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Almer throws out the jab.
Almer throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Aida fails with the takedown.
Aida takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Almer stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Aida.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aida on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Aida moves forwards but Almer connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Almer scores with a spinning back kick!
Almer looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Almer lands a nice hook to Aida's body. Aida takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Almer moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Almer doesn't manage to clinch there - Aida circles away.
Almer lands a leg kick that knocks Aida off balance momentarily.
Almer scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Almer works the jab nicely.
Almer scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Almer throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Almer lands a nice leg kick that just misses Aida's sensitive parts.
Nice uppercut lands for Almer. That snapped Aida's head back.
Almer misses with an uppercut.
That kick from Almer tenderised Aida's leg. Aida is trying to keep his angry face on.
The fighters circle momentarily. Almer darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Almer misses with a body shot.
Aida takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Almer lands a high kick!
Both fighters circling a little - Almer finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Almer wants to clinch up but Aida keeps it at a distance.
Almer thows a body shot but no joy.
Almer blocks a low kick nicely.
Aida moves out of range as Almer throws a body kick.
Almer throws a jab when Aida was well out of range.
Aida drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Almer lands a leg kick that knocks Aida off balance momentarily.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Almer.
Aida takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Aida gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Aida keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Aida pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aida takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Almer fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Aida takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Donk. Almer catches Aida right on the button with a cross.
A slapping body kick lands there for Almer.
Aida shoots for a double leg takedown but Almer sprawls well. He's pushed Aida's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Thiago Almer has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Akaboshi Aida.
Almer lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Thiago Almer is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Almer thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Aida if he has to take too many more of those.
Almer fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Almer misses with an attempted mid kick.
Aida has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Almer.
Almer explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Aida stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Almer.
Almer tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Aida was well out of range. Poor timing from Almer.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
An inside leg kick lands from Almer.
Almer stuns Aida with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Almer looks for the body kick but Aida saw that one coming.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aida swats away the attempt to clinch by Almer.
Almer looks to score with a jab to the body but Aida is just out of range.
Thiago Almer has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Almer just misses with a punch to the body.
Aida fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Almer with a jab.
Almer throws a shot to the body.
Almer connects with a leg kick. Aida looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Almer avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Donk. Almer catches Aida right on the button with a cross.
Almer scores with a body shot.
Almer pulls out of a head kick attempt.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Almer fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Aida manages to avoid it.
Akaboshi Aida is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Almer moves out of range of the leg kick from Aida.
Almer moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Almer, right into the meat.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thiago Almer showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Aida 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 28:28
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 28:28
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 28:28

The fight is ruled a draw!