PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Thomas Alan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cesar Sampaio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cesar Sampaio is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Alan
vs
Sampaio

183 cm
25
148 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

178 cm
21
145 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Thomas Alan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Cesar Sampaio!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Illya Tyunina and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A head kick misses from Sampaio.

Sampaio tries to keep at a distance but Alan has taken the fight into the clinch.
Alan lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Alan has a couple of punches blocked by Sampaio.
Alan lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Sampaio.

Alan breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Alan rushes Sampaio and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Alan lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Sampaio looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Alan really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Alan tries to pass to full mount but Sampaio defends it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Alan perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Sampaio has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Alan is working away from the top position though.
Alan prevents Sampaio from standing back up.
Alan with the ground and pound but Sampaio uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Sampaio being controlled here, momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sampaio working a defensive guard here.
Alan in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sampaio is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Alan takes the fight into the clinch.

Alan has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Sampaio clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
The referee is taking a good look at Sampaio as he is on the wrong end of some big shots from Alan!
Sampaio turns into Alan and is now in his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sampaio wants to pass the guard but Alan is keeping the position.
Sampaio won't allow Alan to get back to his feet.
Alan is controlling Sampaio's posture.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Sampaio drops back looking for a leg! Alan is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Alan manages to kick Sampaio off! Sampaio jumps back into Alan's guard.
Alan wants to sweep here but Sampaio controlling him for the moment.
Sampaio is fighting to break Alan's control of his arms but Alan is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Alan keeping moving, preventing Sampaio from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Sampaio pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Alan is keeping the position for now.

Sampaio has gone for a leg lock! Alan slips out almost immediately though and dives into Sampaio's guard.
Alan trying to control the position from guard on top but Sampaio is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Alan looking to pass the guard.
Sampaio being controlled here, momentarily.
Sampaio avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Sampaio misses with a body shot.
Sampaio displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Sampaio throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Alan.
Alan doesn't manage to clinch there - Sampaio circles away.
Sampaio lands a leg kick that knocks Alan off balance momentarily.
Sampaio throws a low kick but Alan moves out of range easily.

Alan moves into the clinch successfully.
Alan misses with a shot to the kidneys.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Alan turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Alan manages to end up in side control.
Alan wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sampaio keeps working.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sampaio trying to remain calm as Alan controls from the top position.
Sampaio is trying to get back to half guard.
Alan wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sampaio keeps working.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Alan dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Alan closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Sampaio quickly recovers to half guard.
Alan throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Alan not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Sampaio regains full guard. Nicely done.
Sampaio looking to control.
Thomas Alan overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Alan works over Sampaio with some ground and pound from guard.
Alan chips away with some ground and pound.
Sampaio looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Alan got a little sloppy there for a moment and Sampaio has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Alan has managed to get both his arms back between Sampaio's legs - danger averted.
Sampaio controls Alan momentarily but Alan frees himself.
Alan's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alan scoring with some ground and pound.
Alan is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Alan tries to free his leg and advance position but Sampaio is retaining full guard.
Sampaio is trying to control the position but Alan postures up.
Sampaio bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Alan's guard.
Sampaio slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Sampaio tries to move to mount but Alan blocks the move with his legs.
Alan is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Alan is trying to get back to full guard.
Sampaio not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alan is looking for a sweep. Sampaio is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Alan is defending against the submission attempts here by Sampaio.
Sampaio wants to free his trapped foot but Alan is holding on for dear life with his legs.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Alan gets back to full guard.
Sampaio preventing the sweep.
Sampaio throwing strikes from guard but Alan blocks nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sampaio passes Alan's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Alan tries to get to full guard but Sampaio has control of the leg.
Alan is controlling Sampaio's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Sampaio trying to control the action but Alan is working from the bottom.
Alan is looking to control Sampaio's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Alan avoid being mounted?
Alan moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Alan seems keen to control Sampaio's posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sampaio trying to control but Alan is working from the bottom.
Alan working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sampaio.
Sampaio trying to control but Alan is working from the bottom.
Alan wants to improve his position but instead Sampaio has moved into half guard.
Alan won't allow Sampaio to pass to mount.
Alan is in trouble now - Sampaio has advanced to mount!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sampaio fails to move to back control.
Sampaio punching from mount but Alan doing a good job of avoiding damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Thomas Alan will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Alan drives through with a takedown into guard.
Sampaio is trying to keep Alan in close.
Alan pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sampaio is keeping the position for now.
Alan stopping the sweep attempt from Sampaio.
Alan wants to control from the top but Sampaio keeps moving.
Sampaio is trying to control the position but Alan postures up.
Sampaio bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Alan's guard.
Alan on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Alan tries to get out of the position.

Sampaio drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Alan dives on top into guard.
Alan is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Sampaio is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alan sitting in guard here, content to control.
Sampaio tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Alan wants to pass the guard but Sampaio is keeping the position.

Alan avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Alan showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Alan tries to free his leg and advance position but Sampaio is retaining full guard.
Alan looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Thomas Alan just wasn't active enough.

Alan closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Sampaio quickly recovers to half guard.
Sampaio is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Alan controlling the action here.
Alan stops Sampaio from getting back to his feet.
Sampaio manages to get to full guard.
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!
Sampaio is trying to control the position but Alan postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sampaio 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.
Alan stays in close to Sampaio's body and controls the position.
Alan tries to free his leg and advance position but Sampaio is retaining full guard.
Alan passes into half guard.
Cesar Sampaio has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sampaio trying to control but Alan postures up.
Alan wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sampaio keeps working.
Alan working Sampaio over with strikes.
Alan works his way into side control.
Alan just content to control the position.
Thomas Alan is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alan's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Alan tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Sampaio regains half guard.
Sampaio looks like he's trying to stand up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sampaio is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sampaio wants to get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thomas Alan showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Alan, 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 Sergei Dronov scores the fight 30:28
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 30:27
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thomas Alan!