PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tyler Ray (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Christian Oliva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Christian Oliva will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Ray
vs
Oliva

185 cm
18
196 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

185 cm
22
190 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tyler Ray!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Christian Oliva!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Stewart Dunkirk and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Oliva throws a head kick but Ray moves out of range.
Ray tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A head kick by Ray misses
and Oliva counters with a nice low kick that buckles Ray's knee momentarily.
Oliva will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Ray closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Oliva is looking to control Ray's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Oliva avoid being mounted?
Ray tries to stand and escape but Oliva is controlling the position.
Oliva is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Ray tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Ray is breathing heavily.

Oliva looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ray trying to control from half guard but Oliva is working away.

Oliva looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

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

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

Oliva drops back looking for a leg! Ray is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Ray manages to kick Oliva off! Oliva jumps back into Ray's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ray manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Oliva fails with the takedown

and Ray counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Ray manages to break the clinch.
Ray moves in looking to clinch but Oliva pushes him off.
Ray throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Oliva tries for a takedown but Ray circles away easily

and Ray moves into the clinch.
Tyler Ray has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Christian Oliva.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ray breaks the clinch.
Ray tries to clinch up but Oliva circles away and keeps his distance.
Ray throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Oliva counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Ray!
Ray tries to lock up and control but Oliva gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Ray is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.

Oliva is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Ray can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Oliva working Ray over with strikes here.
Oliva lands a heavy elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ray is looking to get to half guard.
Ray is in a horrible position here. Oliva smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Oliva in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Ray tries to hold on but Oliva postures up.
Oliva breaks from Ray's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Oliva connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Oliva blocks Ray's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Oliva is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Ray has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Ray!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ray trying to control but Oliva is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Christian Oliva dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

A solid leg kick lands there for Oliva.
Nice takedown defense from Oliva. No joy for Ray on that attempt.
Oliva shoots and misses
and Ray counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Ray throws a sloppy head kick and Oliva moves out of range easily.

Oliva darts in and clinches Ray up against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ray lands a left hand.
Ray wants to break the clinch but can't.
Ray is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Oliva breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Oliva doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Oliva takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Oliva feints and as Ray raises his hands in defense, Oliva changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Ray is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Ray is looking to stand up but Oliva isn't so interested in that idea.
Oliva has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Oliva wants to control from the top but Ray keeps moving.

Ray is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Ray looking for a sweep. Not yet Ray, not yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ray wants to get back to his feet but Oliva is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Ray thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Oliva trying to control the position from guard on top but Ray is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Horrible takedown by Oliva or perhaps it was just good defense by Ray which made him look bad.
Tyler Ray has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Christian Oliva.
Ray closes the distance but Oliva moves to the side
and Oliva counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Oliva tries for a takedown but Ray circles away easily

and Ray counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ray decides to stand and escape the position.

Oliva closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Oliva winds up and cracks Ray with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Oliva is looking to take a break and control but Ray is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Ray is trying to escape back to his feet but Oliva uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Oliva wants to control for a moment but Ray uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Ray slows the pace down in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Oliva trying to control here.

Oliva looking for submissions off his back.
Ray knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Oliva on the ground.
Oliva wants to get back to full guard.
Oliva won't allow Ray to pass to mount.
Ray wants to stand up but Oliva has a hold of him and won't allow it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Oliva makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Oliva.
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 Tyler Ray will probably get the nod.
That's time! Ray's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Ray throws a series of punches but Oliva moves out of range.

Oliva fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Ray sprawls well initially but Oliva persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Oliva is looking for a kimura here.

Oliva is trying to work for a kimura but Ray is defending well.
Ray wants to control but Oliva is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Oliva passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Ray!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ray is in all sorts of trouble here.
Oliva has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Ray's face.
Ray gets back to half guard.
Ray tries to get to full guard but Oliva has control of the leg.
Ray pushes Oliva off but Oliva dives into side control.

Oliva swings around for an armbar but Ray sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Oliva's guard.

Oliva had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Ray is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Oliva Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Ray's back instead.

Ray manages to escape to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Oliva darts in and clinches Ray up against the cage.
Ray tries for a takedown. No joy.
Oliva wants to stall.
Ray wants to break the clinch but can't.
Oliva prevents the takedown attempt.

Ray works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.

Ray drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Oliva dives on top into guard.
Oliva trying to control but Ray is working from the bottom.

Ray working for a triangle but Oliva defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ray pushes Oliva off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Ray misses with a two punch combination.
Ray tries to clinch there but Oliva circles away.
Oliva misses with a takedown attempt

and Ray counters by clinching up.
Ray scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Ray prevents the takedown attempt.

Ray breaks from the clinch.
Ray throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Oliva counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ray shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Oliva wants to clinch.

Ray changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Oliva looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Oliva is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Oliva missing with punches from the bottom.

Ray is working for a kimura but Oliva is defending it quite comfortably.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Tyler Ray.
I think Ray has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 29:28
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 29:28
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tyler Ray!