PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Neil Pargo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Victor Viriato (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Pargo
vs
Viriato

205 cm
18
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight 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, Neil Pargo!
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, Victor Viriato!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Thiago Cunha and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Viriato tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Pargo swivels and escapes.

Viriato takes the fight into the clinch.
Pargo is pressed up against the cage. Viriato has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Pargo down to the mat. Pargo avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Pargo has Viriato up against the cage in a clinch.
Viriato with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Pargo breaks from the clinch.
Pargo leaves Viriato with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Neil Pargo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Victor Viriato.
Pargo shoots in but no luck this time.
A punch combination from Viriato misses.
Viriato shoots in for a takedown but Pargo shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Pargo. Those never looked like landing.
A head kick misses from Pargo.
Viriato pivots, looking for a leg kick but Pargo is out of range and Viriato settles back down.
Pargo circles away from the clinch attempt.
Pargo circles away from the clinch attempt.
Viriato tries to close the distance and clinch but Pargo swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Pargo fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Viriato looks to clinch
and Pargo counters with a big head kick but Viriato shrugs it off.
Viriato shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Pargo as he jumps to the side.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pargo moves into the clinch.
Pargo is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Viriato is defending well for now.
Pargo tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Viriato smiles and moves away.
Pargo fails in his attempt to clinch.

Pargo moves into the clinch.

Viriato's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Pargo closes the distance looking to clinch

and Viriato counters with a shoot takedown. Pargo fights it but they end up in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Pargo doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Pargo is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Pargo really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Pargo holds on and takes a little breather.
Pargo looking to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Neil Pargo just wasn't active enough.
Viriato shoots in for a takedown but Pargo shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Viriato keeps the fight on the outside.
Viriato tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Pargo paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Viriato is looking to clinch but Pargo is avoiding it.
Pargo doesn't manage to clinch there - Viriato circles away.

Viriato moves into the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pargo goes for a takedown in the clinch but Viriato prevents it.
Pargo avoiding damage as Viriato throws knees to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Neil Pargo will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Pargo chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Viriato can pounce on him.

Pargo closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Viriato tries to break free but Pargo pushes him back against the cage.
Viriato is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Pargo tries to break free but Viriato pushes him back against the cage.
Viriato is looking for a takedown.
Pargo working hard to break the clinch.
Viriato goes for a takedown in the clinch but Pargo prevents it.
Pargo fails to pull guard.
Pargo tries for a takedown. No joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Viriato's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Pargo gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Pargo tries to pull guard but Viriato holds him up against the cage and eventually Pargo drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Neil Pargo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Viriato prevents Pargo from breaking the clinch.
Pargo goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Viriato lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Pargo tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Viriato smiles and moves away.

Viriato gets tackled into the cage by Pargo. Pargo maintains the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Viriato has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Pargo is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Viriato tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Pargo smiles and moves away.
Pargo fails with an attempt to clinch.
Viriato stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Pargo.

Pargo clinches.
Pargo tries to pull guard but Viriato won't allow it.
Viriato tries to pull guard but Pargo forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Viriato is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pargo fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Pargo landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Pargo fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Pargo tries to score a body lock takedown but Viriato shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Pargo has Viriato pressed against the cage, preventing Viriato from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Neil Pargo has scored more points in the clinch so far.

Viriato escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Pargo misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Pargo tries to clinch but Viriato moves away
and Viriato counters with a body kick that stops Pargo in his tracks momentarily.
Pargo throws a right and a left that both miss.
Pargo shoots for a takedown but Viriato saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Viriato shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Pargo as he jumps to the side.
Neil Pargo is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Viriato looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Pargo is fending him off so far but Viriato persists. Nope, Pargo circles away and we're back to standing.
Viriato lands with a kick to the temple. Pargo shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Pargo fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Pargo scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

It looks like Victor Viriato has been cut.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Viriato darts in trying to clinch

and Pargo counters by clinching up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Pargo lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Pargo throws a combination. Viriato tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Neil Pargo is winning the standup battle so far.
Viriato thumps Pargo with a low kick.
Viriato is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Viriato keeps the fight on the outside.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Viriato is defended easily by Pargo.
Pargo looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Viriato is fending him off so far but Pargo persists. Nope, Viriato circles away and we're back to standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pargo checks a leg kick nicely.
Pargo pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Pargo doesn't manage to clinch there - Viriato circles away.
A combination from Pargo does no damage.
Pargo tries to clinch but Viriato is having none of it.

Pargo gets a clinch.
Viriato stalling in the clinch but Pargo improves position.

Pargo's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pargo misses with a double jab.

Pargo has Viriato up against the cage in a clinch.
Viriato tries for a takedown. No joy.
Viriato takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Viriato slowing the pace effectively.
Pargo tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Viriato smiles and moves away.
Viriato is looking to score with low kicks.

Pargo darts in and clinches Viriato up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pargo drops down looking for an ankle pick but Viriato pulls his leg out and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Neil Pargo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Viriato fails with a takedown attempt.
Pargo is looking to clinch.
Pargo throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Viriato.
Pargo lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Viriato circles away quickly and effectively.

Pargo moves into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Pargo has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Viriato uses from the top position.
Pargo is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Pargo trying to control the position.
Viriato tries to stand but Pargo is controlling from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pargo not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Neil Pargo showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Pargo, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 30:28
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Neil Pargo!