PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Gareth Wilcox (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jarik Belson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Wilcox
vs
Belson

185 cm
28
172 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

190 cm
20
174 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Good gas tank

Vandal Fight Boutique & Laundry

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Gareth Wilcox!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jarik Belson!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Seu Braga and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Wilcox thows a body shot but no joy.
A punch combination from Wilcox misses.
Wilcox moves in looking to clinch but Belson pushes him off.
Belson has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Wilcox looks to score with a jab to the body but Belson is just out of range.
Wilcox throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Belson looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Belson drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Belson jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Belson postures up in Wilcox's guard and throws a big left but Wilcox blocks it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Wilcox preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Belson advances position into side control!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Belson is looking to take a break and control but Wilcox is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Belson is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Wilcox knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

Wilcox avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Belson escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Wilcox gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Wilcox avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Belson working a defensive guard here.
Wilcox wants to control from the top but Belson keeps moving.
Belson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Belson looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Belson trying to control the position.
Wilcox knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Belson on the ground.
Belson has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wilcox stopping the sweep attempt from Belson.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Belson avoids the body shot from Wilcox.
Wilcox tries to clinch but Belson is having none of it.
Wilcox throws a nice looking combination but Belson bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Jarik Belson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Belson fails with a takedown attempt.
Belson throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Belson misses with a few strikes there.
Wilcox misses with a wild body shot.
Belson blocks the body kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jarik Belson dominated that round.
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.

Wilcox throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Belson throws an off balance right hand
and Wilcox counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Belson thinking.
Wilcox scores with a head kick. Belson tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Wilcox misses with a jab, cross combination.
Wilcox moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Wilcox pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Belson back to the cage. Wilcox follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.

Belson is rocked!
Belson tries to bum rush Wilcox with a series of wild strikes but Wilcox uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A looping hook to the body misses from Wilcox. Belson does a little dance to reset his feet.
Some wild striking there from Wilcox.
Wilcox misses with a low kick.
Wilcox fails with an attempt to clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A combination from Wilcox does no damage.
Wilcox's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Wilcox duly obliges.
Wilcox throws a half hearted mid kick.
Wilcox is looking to wear down Belson with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Belson takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Wilcox turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wilcox moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Wilcox tries to clinch but Belson moves out of range.
Wilcox uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Belson.

Belson decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Wilcox is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Belson is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Wilcox is just riding it out for now. Belson eventually gives up the hold.

Belson is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Belson is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Wilcox!

Belson jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Wilcox manages to avoid the submission attempt.

Belson thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Belson tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Belson has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Belson wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Wilcox, who protects the arm well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Belson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Wilcox keeps working.
Belson throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Belson throws a strike aimed at the side of Wilcox's head but Wilcox avoids it well.

Belson thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Belson tries for a kimura but Wilcox is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Belson misses with the ground and pound.

Belson tries for a kimura but Wilcox is defending well.

Belson goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Wilcox has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Belson but great work by Wilcox.
Wilcox in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Belson is looking to reverse the position.
Wilcox lands a decent elbow from side control.
Belson gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Jarik Belson will probably get the nod - 10:9.
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.

Belson swings for the body but Wilcox moves out of range.
No joy there for Wilcox, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Wilcox throws a series of punches but Belson moves out of range.
Wilcox moves out of range as Belson strikes.
Wilcox doesn't manage to clinch there - Belson circles away.
Wilcox ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Belson moves away.
Wilcox tries to clinch but Belson moves out of range.
A jab from Belson misses.
Wilcox tries to close the distance and clinch up but Belson swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Wilcox avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Belson drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Belson working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Belson scores with punches from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Belson tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Belson has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Belson working the ground and pound from side control.

Belson goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Wilcox rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Belson's guard! Nice work there by Wilcox!
Wilcox has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Wilcox won't allow Belson to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Belson throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Wilcox controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Wilcox is fighting to break Belson's control of his arms but Belson is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Wilcox postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Belson misses with a body shot.
Wilcox tries to clinch up.
Belson throws a lazy right hand but Wilcox sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Belson throws a one two combo.
Wilcox throws a solid leg kick but Belson takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Wilcox.
Belson throws a looping overhand right but Wilcox ducks down to avoid it.
Wilcox shoots for a takedown but Belson saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Belson misses with a series of wild punches.
Belson tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Wilcox was well out of range. Poor timing from Belson.
Wilcox slips under a jab from Belson.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Belson is defended easily by Wilcox.
A combination from Wilcox does no damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Belson. Those never looked like landing.
A telegraphed right hand from Belson misses the target.
Belson throws a right and a left that Wilcox avoids nicely.
Wilcox throws a head kick but Belson moves out of range.
Belson misses the shot to the body.
Belson shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Wilcox eats them both and turns towards Belson to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Gareth Wilcox is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Wilcox throws a leg kick that misses.
Belson thows a left - swing and a miss!
Wilcox tries to score with a low kick but Belson moves his leg out of the way.
Wilcox tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Belson was well out of range. Poor timing from Wilcox.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sloppy strikes from Belson. Those never looked like landing.
Belson takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Belson misses with a looping left.
Belson misses with a wild body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jarik Belson really dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Wilcox lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Belson showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Wilcox.
Wilcox uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Belson.
Belson checks a leg kick.
Gareth Wilcox is winning the standup battle so far.
Belson blocks a leg kick.
Wilcox bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Wilcox enables Belson to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Wilcox manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Belson trying to control but Wilcox is working from the bottom.
Wilcox is pulling down on Belson's head to control his posture.

Belson drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Wilcox dives on top into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Belson wants to sweep but no luck.
Belson keeping moving, preventing Wilcox from controlling successfully.
Belson 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.
Wilcox being controlled here momentarily.
Wilcox trying to control but Belson is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Belson wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Gareth Wilcox wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Belson cracks Wilcox with a good jab.
Belson throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Wilcox sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Belson thows a body shot but no joy.

Belson shoots in and gets a takedown into Wilcox's guard.
Wilcox controlling Belson's posture.
Wilcox 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.
Belson trying to control the position from guard on top but Wilcox is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Belson postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Wilcox is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Belson, into his guard.
Wilcox won't allow Belson to sweep him here.

Belson looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Belson can do anything to dispel that myth.
Belson is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wilcox trying to control the position from guard on top but Belson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Wilcox stopping the sweep attempt from Belson.

Belson is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Wilcox is aware though and is defending well.
Belson has Wilcox pulled in close to control his posture.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Belson keeping moving, preventing Wilcox from controlling successfully.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

Gareth Wilcox has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Belson throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jarik Belson dominated that fourth round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. 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.

Wilcox throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Wilcox throws a head kick but Belson moves out of range.
Nice jab there from Wilcox.

Wilcox gets caught napping as Belson dives in and scores a takedown. Wilcox manages to retain guard.

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

Belson is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Wilcox to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Wilcox shrugs it off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Belson thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.

Belson moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Wilcox has worked his arm free - good work by Wilcox!
Wilcox tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Belson staying calm.

Belson tries for a kimura but Wilcox is defending well.
Jarik Belson has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wilcox tries to bench press Belson off him but Belson keeps the position.

Belson is trying to get an arm triangle but Wilcox is defending well.
Belson trying to control the position but Wilcox is working away.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wilcox tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Belson looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Belson tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Gareth Wilcox has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Belson is pulling down on Wilcox's head to control his posture.
Wilcox trying to control the position from guard on top but Belson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Belson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Belson pulls Wilcox in to control the position.
Jarik Belson is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Wilcox with a flurry of punches that miss.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jarik Belson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Belson 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 46:49
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 45:50
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 45:50

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jarik Belson!
Jarik Belson is the new welterweight champion!