PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Matt Vbahi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ana Balestra (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Vbahi comes into the arena with Pregador Luo - Bate Pesadão blaring out of the sound system. Matt Vbahi had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Vbahi
vs
Balestra

175 cm
19
140 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

169 cm
25
130 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

Good wrestler
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Matt Vbahi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ana Balestra!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Alexandre Firmino and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Balestra throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Vbahi was covering up waiting for the punch and Balestra finishes the takedown easily into guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Vbahi is controlling Balestra's posture.
Vbahi keeping moving, preventing Balestra from controlling successfully.
Vbahi looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Balestra sitting in guard here, content to control.
Balestra looking to pass the guard.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Ana Balestra hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Balestra has a takedown stuffed.
Vbahi looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Balestra is fending him off so far but Vbahi persists. Nope, Balestra circles away and we're back to standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Balestra has managed to clinch.

Balestra manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Balestra is adopting a defensive guard.

Balestra looking for subs off his back but Vbahi has passed one foot through into half guard.

Balestra pushes Vbahi off and gets back to his feet.
Vbahi stuffs the takedown attempt from Balestra. Balestra gets slowly back to his feet.
Vbahi tries to close the distance and clinch but Balestra swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Balestra scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Balestra trying to control from half guard but Vbahi is working away.

Balestra decides to stand and escape the position.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Balestra takes a swing at Vbahi's ribcage but misses.
Vbahi fails in his attempt to clinch.
Balestra stuffs the takedown attempt from Vbahi. Vbahi gets slowly back to his feet.

Balestra bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
An elbow from Balestra crashes against the mat.
Balestra working the body and head with strikes.
Balestra trying to control the action but Vbahi is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vbahi pushes Balestra away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Balestra gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Vbahi is breathing heavily.
Balestra laying and praying for a moment but Vbahi takes advantage and regains half guard.

Balestra is actively looking for submissions here but good counter grappling here from Vbahi as he works his way to full guard.
Balestra scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Balestra trying to control the position from guard on top but Vbahi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vbahi keeping full guard, as Balestra tries to pass.
Balestra trying to control the position from guard on top but Vbahi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Ana Balestra hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Vbahi shoots in for a double leg but Balestra sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Vbahi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Balestra has taken the fight to the clinch.
Balestra looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Balestra decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Vbahi pushes Balestra off looking to stand but Balestra dives back in and keeps control.
Vbahi on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Vbahi tries to get out of the position.
Vbahi is looking for a sweep. Balestra is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Balestra looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Balestra is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Balestra lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Balestra works his way into side control.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Vbahi tries to bench press Balestra off him but Balestra keeps the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Balestra decides to stand back up.

Balestra decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Balestra is working for a submission of some sort.
Vbahi is not content to let Balestra control the position.
Vbahi pushes Balestra off looking to stand but Balestra dives back in and keeps control.
Balestra content to control rather than advance.
Vbahi is looking to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vbahi is working hard here to advance position.
Balestra works his way into full mount!
Balestra sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Balestra raining down shots from the mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balestra controlling the pace for now.
Vbahi tries to hold on but Balestra pushes him away.
Balestra trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Balestra working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Balestra trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Balestra scoring with strikes but Vbahi is staying in there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balestra looking to control and managing it successfully.
Balestra raining down hammerfists from mount.
Balestra controlling the position easily from mount.
Balestra postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Vbahi looks a forlorn figure.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Balestra controlling from the full mount.
Balestra lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ana Balestra 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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Nice takedown defense from Balestra. No joy for Vbahi on that attempt.
Balestra tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Vbahi is able to avoid easily.
Balestra tries to score a power double leg takedown but Vbahi sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Balestra somewhat.

Balestra closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Vbahi's guard.
Vbahi throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Balestra would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Balestra looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Balestra throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balestra trying to control but Vbahi is working from the bottom.
Vbahi trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Vbahi being controlled here, momentarily.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Ana Balestra wasn't active enough on the ground.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Vbahi.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Balestra fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Vbahi, pushing him back against the cage.
Vbahi is trying to pull guard but Balestra turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Vbahi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Balestra is defending well against a takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Balestra jumps guard.
Ana Balestra has got the better of the ground game so far.
Balestra tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Vbahi wants to control from the top but Balestra keeps moving.
Vbahi preventing the sweep.
Balestra wants to control the position but Vbahi says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.

Vbahi is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Balestra punching from the bottom.
Balestra slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Vbahi has a momentary lapse of concentration, allowing Balestra to throw up a leg and lock on what appears to be a pretty tight triangle! Vbahi is fighting it off but it's all too little too late - Balestra pulls down on the head and he's put Vbahi to sleep! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Ana Balestra!