PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Renaldo Slater (ranked 5300 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kai Alvarez (ranked 5993 p4p, 0 weight class). On his way into the cage it seems that Renaldo Slater has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Renaldo Slater seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Slater
vs
Alvarez

205 cm
24
162 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

174 cm
25
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Renaldo Slater!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kai Alvarez!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Arvi Lind and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alvarez swings for the body but Slater moves out of range.
Slater half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Alvarez shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Slater counters with a head kick. That will keep Alvarez thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
A head kick misses from Alvarez.
Slater tries to counter by clinching up but Alvarez breaks away and moves out of range.

Alvarez closes the distance and clinches.
Slater jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Alvarez walks away with a smile on his face. Slater gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Alvarez stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Alvarez wants it to stay on the feet.
Alvarez darts in looking for a takedown but Slater gets double underhooks and turns Alvarez into the cage.
Slater jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Alvarez misses with a wild body shot.
Slater tries to counter by clinching up but Alvarez breaks away and moves out of range.
Alvarez misses with a takedown attempt

and Slater counters by clinching up.
Renaldo Slater has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kai Alvarez.

Slater pulls guard.
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.
Slater seems keen to control Alvarez's posture.

Alvarez got a little sloppy there for a moment and Slater has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Alvarez has managed to get both his arms back between Slater's legs - danger averted.
Alvarez not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Let's hope that Alvarez has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Slater working a defensive guard here.
Alvarez is stalling in the full guard.
Slater pulls Alvarez in to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Alvarez won't allow Slater to get back to his feet.
Slater will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Slater looking for a sweep. Not yet Slater, not yet.
Slater really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Alvarez goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

It looks like Renaldo Slater has been cut.
Alvarez looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Slater is fending him off so far but Alvarez persists. Nope, Slater circles away and we're back to standing.
Alvarez shoots in but no luck this time.
Alvarez looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Slater is fending him off so far but Alvarez persists. Nope, Slater circles away and we're back to standing.
Slater takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Alvarez darts in looking for a takedown but Slater gets double underhooks and turns Alvarez into the cage.
Slater is looking to counter with head kicks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez has a takedown stuffed.
Alvarez looks winded!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Alvarez.

Slater moves into the clinch.
Alvarez is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Slater is defending well.
Alvarez is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Slater is defending well.
Alvarez looking for a takedown.

Slater manages to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Alvarez looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Alvarez shoots for a double leg takedown but Slater sprawls well. He's pushed Alvarez's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Alvarez misses with a takedown

and Slater counters with a single leg into guard. Alvarez didn't expect that.
Slater works over Alvarez with some ground and pound from guard.
Slater in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Slater makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Slater throwing strikes from guard but Alvarez blocks nicely.
Slater postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Slater content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Renaldo Slater dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Renaldo Slater's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

A head kick from Slater lands but Alvarez takes it in his stride.
Alvarez scores with a body shot.
Alvarez misses with a head kick.
Alvarez stuffs the takedown.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Alvarez gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Slater.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Slater tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Alvarez just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Renaldo Slater. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Slater decides to pull guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alvarez wants to control from the top but Slater keeps moving.

Slater throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Slater is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Slater being controlled here, momentarily.
Alvarez won't allow Slater to sweep him here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Slater avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Slater looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Alvarez trying to control the position from guard on top but Slater is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Slater is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Alvarez can do to turn this around?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Alvarez stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Alvarez has his takedown stuffed

and Slater counters with a shoot takedown. Alvarez fights it but they end up in guard.

Alvarez scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Renaldo Slater is winning the standup battle so far.
Slater looks for a takedown but Alvarez sprawls well.
Alvarez scores with a jab to the head.
Alvarez throws a leg kick that is checked

and Slater counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Slater.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Slater with a nice head shot there.
Slater with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Slater chips away with some ground and pound.
Slater is looking to stand up but Alvarez won't let him.
Renaldo Slater overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Slater with a flurry of punches that miss.
Alvarez working a defensive guard here.
Slater has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Alvarez looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Slater stands up over Alvarez, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Alvarez wants to stand up but Slater is controlling him.

Alvarez looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Alvarez is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Slater postures up and lands a big shot to Alvarez's brow.
Alvarez controlling the position.
Slater scoring with some ground and pound.
Slater throws a strike but Alvarez rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Slater controlling Alvarez's posture.
Alvarez wants to control from the top but Slater keeps moving.
Slater looking for a sweep. Not yet Slater, not yet.
Alvarez trying to control the position from guard on top but Slater is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Kai Alvarez will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Renaldo Slater's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Slater moves out of range of the leg kick from Alvarez.
Alvarez looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Slater is looking to counter the offense by Alvarez and move into the clinch.

Slater fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Alvarez to the ground. Slater is now in Alvarez's guard.
Slater throws a big elbow that misses.
Slater working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Alvarez is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Slater loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Slater postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Alvarez looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Slater landing some decent shots from guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Slater stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Alvarez shoots for a takedown but Slater saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Alvarez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Slater goes for a double leg but Alvarez avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Alvarez continues to drive forward.
Alvarez looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Alvarez tries to close the distance and clinch but Slater swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Alvarez fails to land the takedown.
Slater has a takedown stuffed.
Kai Alvarez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez misses with a takedown

and Slater counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Renaldo Slater has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kai Alvarez.
Slater lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
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. Slater connects with a nice short shot to Alvarez's temple.
Alvarez tries to roll over but Slater keeps him under control.
Slater seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Slater lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Slater landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Slater looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Alvarez with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Ground and pound from Slater.
Alvarez regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Slater.
Slater scoring with punches to the head and body.
Slater makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Slater with a flurry of punches that miss.
Slater lands a couple of elbows.
Slater throws a big elbow that misses.
Slater working some strikes from top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Slater working some strikes from top position.
Slater scoring with some ground and pound.
Slater throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Slater lands a couple of digs.
Slater scoring with some ground and pound.
Slater postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Slater throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Alvarez preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Slater is looking to work some ground and pound but Alvarez has wrist control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Slater loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Alvarez wants to sweep here but Slater controlling him for the moment.
Slater with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

And that's the end of the fight!
Renaldo Slater showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Slater 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:28
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 30:27
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Renaldo Slater!