PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Anderson Tavarez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ender Wiggin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Tavarez
vs
Wiggin

175 cm
22
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

166 cm
18
144 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Anderson Tavarez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ender Wiggin!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Mauricio Rocha and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tavarez throws a front kick that sends Wiggin stumbling back into the cage.
Tavarez moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Wiggin avoids the head kick by Tavarez.
Tavarez throws a sloppy head kick and Wiggin moves out of range easily.
Tavarez tries a head kick but it misses.

Wiggin looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tavarez keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Wiggin connects with a nice short shot to Tavarez's temple.
Tavarez works his way to full guard. Good work.
Wiggin stopping the sweep attempt from Tavarez.
Wiggin seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Wiggin must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Wiggin distracts Tavarez with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Tavarez working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Wiggin doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Wiggin manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Wiggin lands a couple of decent looking shots.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wiggin is looking to work some ground and pound but Tavarez has wrist control.

Wiggin drops back looking for a leg! Tavarez is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Tavarez manages to kick Wiggin off! Wiggin jumps back into Tavarez's guard.
Wiggin with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Tavarez lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Wiggin!
Wiggin is in all sorts of trouble here.
Wiggin wants to control but Tavarez is having none of it.
Tavarez misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Wiggin really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

Tavarez jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Wiggin is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Wiggin and Tavarez has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wiggin sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Tavarez is breathing heavily.
Wiggin tries to roll over but Tavarez keeps him under control.
Wiggin is looking to control Tavarez's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Wiggin avoid being mounted?
Wiggin is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Wiggin works his way to full guard. Good work.

Wiggin looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Tavarez passes into side control.
Tavarez tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.

Tavarez tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tavarez tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Wiggin tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Tavarez wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Wiggin gets back to half guard.
Wiggin slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Wiggin is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Tavarez on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Wiggin looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Tavarez with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tavarez wants to get back to full guard.
Wiggin lands strikes from half guard.
Wiggin drops an elbow to the side of Tavarez's head.
Tavarez wants to get back to his feet.
Tavarez is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Wiggin working over Tavarez with some ground and pound. Tavarez looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Tavarez is trying to stand back up but Wiggin is controlling him
Tavarez is looking to control Wiggin's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Tavarez avoid being mounted?
Tavarez wants to get back to his feet.
Tavarez is looking to control Wiggin's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Tavarez avoid being mounted?

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Wiggin takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Anderson Tavarez is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Tavarez gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Tavarez has momentary wrist control but Wiggin slips an elbow through the middle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ender Wiggin dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Wiggin looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Wiggin is trying to control the action in half guard but Tavarez is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Wiggin moves into full mount! Tavarez won't be happy about that!
Tavarez manages to regain half guard. Good work.

Wiggin wants to work for an arm triangle but Tavarez is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Wiggin is working for a kimura but Tavarez is defending it quite comfortably.
Tavarez really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Tavarez makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Tavarez.
Wiggin tries to free his leg and advance position but Tavarez is retaining full guard.
Ender Wiggin has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tavarez is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Wiggin stopping the sweep attempt from Tavarez.
Wiggin is breathing heavily.

Tavarez had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Wiggin is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Tavarez Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Wiggin's back instead.
Tavarez misses with an elbow to the head.
Tavarez tries to get the hooks in deep but Wiggin pushed the leg off.
Tavarez doesn't have the hooks in and Wiggin manages to turn into his guard.
Tavarez keeping moving, preventing Wiggin from controlling successfully.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Wiggin blocks a head kick by Tavarez.
Wiggin misses with a takedown attempt - Tavarez sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Wiggin gets a takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wiggin lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Tavarez wants to get back to his feet.
Tavarez trying to control from the bottom.
Tavarez keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Tavarez wants to get back to his feet.
Tavarez wants to control but Wiggin is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Tavarez is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Tavarez is trying to stand back up but Wiggin is controlling him

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Wiggin takes a head kick and keeps coming.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tavarez throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Tavarez swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Tavarez misses with a series of wild punches.

Wiggin bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Wiggin is working Tavarez over with some ground and pound from side control.
Wiggin working the head with strikes.
Wiggin lands a few punches from side control.
Wiggin looks up at the clock and then as Tavarez takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Wiggin smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Tavarez is looking for a sweep.
Tavarez is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Wiggin working the ground and pound from side control.
Wiggin is working Tavarez over with some ground and pound from side control.
Wiggin in side control lands a decent elbow.
Wiggin is putting a hurting on Tavarez here, landing some big shots from side control.

Wiggin working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tavarez taking a bit of punishment here - Wiggin scoring with strikes.
Wiggin lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Tavarez pushes Wiggin away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Wiggin gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Wiggin working the ground and pound.
Tavarez is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Tavarez is trying to maintain the position but Wiggin is very close to passing his half guard.
Tavarez manages to get to full guard.
Wiggin prevents Tavarez from getting back to his feet.
Wiggin wants to control from the top but Tavarez keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ender Wiggin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Wiggin shoots in for a takedown but Tavarez shows good takedown defense.
Wiggin shoots in looking for a takedown. Tavarez tries to sprawl out of it but Wiggin keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Tavarez manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Tavarez throws a sloppy head kick and Wiggin moves out of range easily.
Anderson Tavarez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tavarez throws a nice head kick!
Wiggin shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Tavarez pinned against the cage. Tavarez gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Anderson Tavarez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ender Wiggin.
Tavarez lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Tavarez fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Tavarez misses with a two punch combination.
Wiggin takes a kick to the side of the head.
Ender Wiggin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Wiggin shoots in looking for a takedown. Tavarez tries to sprawl out of it but Wiggin keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Tavarez manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Tavarez pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Tavarez pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Tavarez throws a head kick but Wiggin moves out of range.

Wiggin scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wiggin prevents Tavarez from standing back up.

Tavarez actively working from the bottom here.
Tavarez works his way to full guard. Good work.
Tavarez wants to stand but Wiggin is controlling the position.

Tavarez looking for a guillotine here but Wiggin defends easily.
Wiggin showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Wiggin scoring with punches to the head and body.
Wiggin thows a big elbow that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Tavarez is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Wiggin is controlling him.
Wiggin landing some decent shots from guard.
Wiggin trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Wiggin trying to control but Tavarez is working from the bottom.
Tavarez wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Wiggin is now in half guard.
Wiggin drops an elbow to the side of Tavarez's head.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Wiggin connects with a nice short shot to Tavarez's temple.

Tavarez looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Tavarez wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tavarez trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Wiggin throwing shots but Tavarez is blocking nicely.
Wiggin stops Tavarez from getting back to his feet.
Tavarez gets back to full guard.
Wiggin lands a couple of elbows.
Wiggin landing with the ground and pound.
Wiggin postures up and lands a big shot to Tavarez's brow.
Wiggin showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Anderson Tavarez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tavarez wants to get back to his feet but Wiggin is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Wiggin scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tavarez not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Tavarez has his foot on Wiggin's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Wiggin works his way back into a safe position though.
Wiggin postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Tavarez has momentary wrist control but Wiggin slips an elbow through the middle.
Wiggin trying to control but Tavarez is working from the bottom.
Wiggin makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Wiggin chips away with some ground and pound.
Wiggin won't allow Tavarez to get back to his feet.
Wiggin scoring with some ground and pound.
Wiggin chips away with some ground and pound.
Wiggin looking to pass the guard.

Tavarez throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ender Wiggin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Wiggin winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 27:30
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ender Wiggin!