PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jose Garciea (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Patricio Tavares (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tavares has chosen Armin van Buuren - Sail as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Garciea
vs
Tavares

176 cm
25
163 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

175 cm
26
155 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent knees
Very confident

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 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jose Garciea!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Patricio Tavares!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Bruno Lombardi and Columbo Gatti.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Garciea swats away the attempt to clinch by Tavares.
Patricio Tavares seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tavares is looking to clinch.
Tavares throws a nice looking combination but Garciea bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Tavares tries to clinch but Garciea is having none of it.
Garciea is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Tavares.

It looks like Jose Garciea has been cut.
Tavares misses with a wild combination.

Garciea scores a takedown into full mount!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Garciea working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Garciea lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Tavares hang on?
Garciea is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Tavares can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Garciea with the ground and pound from mount.

Garciea moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Tavares has worked his arm free - good work by Tavares!
You can see the frustration on Tavares's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Garciea goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Tavares rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Garciea's guard! Nice work there by Tavares!

Garciea uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Tavares fails in his attempt to clinch.
Tavares fails with an attempt to clinch.
Tavares wants to clinch.
Tavares misses with a wild combination.
Tavares is looking to clinch but Garciea is avoiding it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tavares tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Garciea paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Sloppy strikes from Tavares. Those never looked like landing.

Garciea shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Tavares is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Garciea pulls his head out easily.
Garciea is keen to just control but Tavares is a slippery customer.
Garciea throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Garciea missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Garciea is looking for a kimura but Tavares is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Garciea to get the leverage.
Garciea not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Tavares trying to control but Garciea postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Garciea 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.
Tavares slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Tavares working a defensive guard here.
Tavares wants to stand and escape but Garciea is having none of it.
Garciea with a nice head shot there.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Garciea accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Garciea stands up over Tavares, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Garciea postures up in Tavares's guard and throws a big left but Tavares blocks it.
Tavares lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Garciea!

Tavares is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Garciea has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Tavares wants to take Garciea's back but he can't do it this time.
Garciea is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

Tavares working for a guillotine from mount but Garciea is in no mood to give up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Garciea regains half guard.
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 Jose Garciea will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Jose Garciea's cut.
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.

Tavares is looking to clinch but Garciea is avoiding it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Tavares looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Tavares fails in his attempt to clinch.
Garciea throws out a leg kick but Tavares moves out of range and Garciea only half commits.
Tavares is looking to clinch.
Tavares tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Garciea paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Tavares throws a right and a left that both miss.
Tavares tries to clinch up but Garciea circles away and keeps his distance.
Garciea dodges the punch combination from Tavares.
Garciea shoots in for a double leg but Tavares sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Garciea looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Tavares is fending him off so far but Garciea persists. Nope, Tavares circles away and we're back to standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tavares lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Tavares tries to close the distance and clinch but Garciea swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Tavares has closed the distance and engaged Garciea in a clinch.
Tavares taking a breather.
Garciea is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Tavares gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jose Garciea. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tavares landing knees to the head.
Tavares is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Garciea is keeping busy.
Tavares misses with a knee strike.
Tavares connects with a knee to the head.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Tavares.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Garciea tries for a takedown but Tavares manages to get underhooks.
Tavares tries a knee to the head but Garciea blocks it.
Tavares using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Garciea has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tavares tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Tavares is trying to force a seperation but Garciea has the dominant position.
Tavares throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Garciea blocks it with crossed arms.
Tavares is breathing heavily.
Garciea has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Tavares avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Tavares looking to throw knees to the head but Garciea is blocking nicely.
Tavares with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Tavares is pushing Garciea up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Garciea tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tavares tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Garciea drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Tavares misses with a knee strike.
Garciea tries to pull guard but Tavares forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Tavares gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Garciea.
Tavares tries to stall but Garciea uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Tavares seems frustrated at his inability to get double underhooks.
Tavares is trying to slow the pace down but that's a couple of times in a row that he's tried to get underhooks and Garciea has denied him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tavares with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Tavares holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Garciea goes for a takedown in the clinch but Tavares prevents it.
A knee to the head by Tavares.
Tavares scores with a knee to the head.
Tavares tries to stall but Garciea uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Garciea being controlled against the cage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Patricio Tavares.

Garciea fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Tavares sprawls well initially but Garciea persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Patricio Tavares showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Jose Garciea's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Tavares wants to clinch.
A nice combination there by Tavares.
The fight stays on the outside here - Tavares looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Tavares misses with a wild combination.
Tavares tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Garciea paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Tavares tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Garciea paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Patricio Tavares seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Tavares tries to clinch there but Garciea circles away.

Garciea closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Garciea lands in his opponent's guard.
Tavares preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garciea wants to pass the guard but Tavares is keeping the position.

Garciea drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Tavares manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Garciea has Tavares in his guard.

Garciea is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Tavares wants to control from the top but Garciea keeps moving.

Garciea has an active guard here but Tavares has managed to pass into half guard.
Garciea is pressing down on Tavares's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Garciea has his foot on Tavares's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Tavares works his way back into a safe position though.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Tavares tries to free his leg and advance position but Garciea is retaining full guard.
Garciea is striking off his back. Tavares thinks nothing of it though and passes easily into half guard.
Tavares is keen to just control but Garciea is a slippery customer.
Garciea is trying to maintain the position but Tavares is very close to passing his half guard.

Tavares is looking for a kimura here.
Tavares trying to pass the guard but Garciea defending well.
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!

Garciea looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tavares missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Tavares wants to pass the guard but Garciea is defending well.
Tavares missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Tavares wants to stand up but Garciea has a hold of him and won't allow it.

Garciea actively working from the bottom here.
Garciea wants to improve his position but Tavares is controlling well.
Tavares looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tavares thows a huge punch but Garciea dodges it nicely.
Garciea is looking to improve his position.

Tavares seems to be working for a kimura but Garciea defends the submission attempt.
Garciea tries to roll over but Tavares keeps him under control.
Tavares wants to lay and pray for a moment but Garciea keeps working.
Garciea moves into full guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Garciea has his foot on Tavares's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Tavares works his way back into a safe position though.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Patricio Tavares.
I think Tavares 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 Russell Pearce scores the fight 29:28
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Patricio Tavares!
During a confident post fight interview, Patricio Tavares thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.