PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Steve Paige (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paulo Luciano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Steve Paige has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Paige
vs
Luciano

172 cm
20
205 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

188 cm
22
195 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Steve Paige!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Paulo Luciano!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Gwen Towbar and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Paige plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Luciano blocks a head kick by Paige.

Paige drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Paige throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Luciano is trying to get back to half guard.

Paige working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Paige tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Luciano is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Luciano looks gassed!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Luciano looking for submissions off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Paige is keen to just control but Luciano is a slippery customer.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Paige misses with a body kick.
Paige tries a head kick but it misses.
Paige throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Some wild striking there from Paige.
Paige throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Paige tries a head kick but it misses.
Paige pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Paige tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Paige scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Paige is taking a breather. Luciano says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Paige could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Luciano is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Paige decides to stand and escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paige fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Luciano manages to avoid it.
Paige misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Paige drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Luciano tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Paige is pushing down on Luciano's leg trying to pass to half guard. Luciano is fighting to maintain full guard but Paige has managed to sneak the leg through.
Paige lands with a punch from half guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Luciano on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Luciano is staying active underneath Paige, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Luciano wants to improve his position but Paige is controlling well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Paige throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Paige throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Luciano keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Luciano wants to control but Paige passes into side.

Paige is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Luciano knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Paige dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Paige fakes the leg kick and cracks Luciano in the body.

Paige gets the takedown into side control.
Luciano tries to buck Paige off but Paige is having none of it.
Paige misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.

Paige working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Luciano is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The ground and pound from Paige seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.

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

Paige is trying to get an arm triangle but Luciano is defending well.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Luciano with a poor takedown

and Paige counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Luciano looking to hit a scissor sweep but Paige is one step ahead there.
Paige trying to control but Luciano is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Paige decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Paige gets a clinch.
A right handed body shot lands from Paige.

Paige pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Paige throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Paige goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Paige throws a head kick that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paige fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Luciano blocks a head kick by Paige.
Paige takes a swing at Luciano's ribcage but misses.

Paige fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Luciano sprawls well initially but Paige persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Luciano is looking for a sweep. Paige is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Luciano avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Paige.
Paige missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Luciano manages to get to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Paige with a flurry of punches that miss.
Paige trying to control but Luciano is working from the bottom.
Steve Paige overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Luciano is looking for a triangle here but Paige uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.

Paige tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Paige has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Luciano is trying to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Paige dominated that second 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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Paige misses with a head kick.

Paige scores with a takedown into Luciano's guard.
Paige not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Paige passes Luciano's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Paige is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Luciano has managed to free his arm - good work.
Luciano manages to get to full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Luciano wants to sweep but no luck.
Paige cracks Luciano with a solid left hand.
Paige trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Paige forces his way into half guard.
Luciano tries to roll over but Paige keeps him under control.

Paige looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Luciano slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Luciano looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Luciano wants to sweep but no luck.
Paige is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Luciano throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Luciano has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Paige is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Luciano.
Luciano tries to buck Paige off but Paige is having none of it.

That's four 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.
Luciano on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Paige passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Luciano!
Luciano tries to reverse the position but Paige maintains control.
Luciano sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Luciano tries to roll over but Paige keeps him under control.
Paulo Luciano has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Steve Paige is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Luciano throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Steve Paige showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Paige has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 30:27
Judge George Francis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steve Paige!