PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Serj Tankyan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vinicius Carvalho (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tankyan's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Sugar . The crowd seem to be enjoying Carvalho's choice of entrance music: No Rest For The Wicked by Cage The Elephant. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Tankyan
vs
Carvalho

196 cm
21
255 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

180 cm
24
265 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Serj Tankyan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Vinicius Carvalho!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Alec Ball and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Carvalho circles away from the clinch attempt.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Tankyan is defended easily by Carvalho.

Tankyan shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Carvalho keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Carvalho wants to control but Tankyan is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Tankyan sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Carvalho defending well though.
Tankyan thows a huge punch but Carvalho dodges it nicely.
Carvalho is pressing down on Tankyan's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Tankyan will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Tankyan throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Carvalho looking for a sweep. Not yet Carvalho, not yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tankyan distracts Carvalho with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Carvalho seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Carvalho should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tankyan throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Tankyan throwing strikes but missing.
Tankyan is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Carvalho trying to keep a closed guard but Tankyan is proving a slippery customer.
Carvalho looks gassed!
Tankyan scoring with punches to the head and body.
Tankyan landing some decent shots from guard.
Tankyan looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Carvalho looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carvalho has momentary wrist control but Tankyan slips an elbow through the middle.
Tankyan postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Tankyan scoring with some ground and pound.
Tankyan lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Tankyan landing some decent shots from guard.
Tankyan postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Tankyan in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Tankyan cracks Carvalho with a solid left hand.
Carvalho preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Tankyan distracts Carvalho with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Tankyan is in close to Carvalho's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Tankyan is looking to stand up but Carvalho won't let him.
Tankyan tries to free his leg and advance position but Carvalho is retaining full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carvalho looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Carvalho has a closed guard, preventing Tankyan from standing up.
Tankyan has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Tankyan working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Carvalho working for a triangle but Tankyan defends it easily.
Tankyan stands up over Carvalho, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Carvalho looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Carvalho has eaten all the pies!

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Tankyan tries to clinch but Carvalho moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Tankyan feints and as Carvalho raises his hands in defense, Tankyan changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Tankyan thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Tankyan distracts Carvalho with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Tankyan wants to control from the top but Carvalho keeps moving.
Tankyan is working Carvalho over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Tankyan postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Tankyan throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Tankyan with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Carvalho is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Tankyan working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Carvalho's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Serj Tankyan dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Tankyan throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Carvalho.
Tankyan tries to close the distance and clinch but Carvalho swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Tankyan dives in and grabs Carvalho's left leg, looking for a takedown. Carvalho pushes down on Tankyan's head and hops out.
Carvalho lands a nice shot that snaps Tankyan's head back.
Tankyan shoots in but Carvalho avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Carvalho shoots in and drives through. Tankyan sprawls well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tankyan throws a low kick, looking for Carvalho's leg but Carvalho calmly moves out of range.
Carvalho is breathing heavily.
Carvalho stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Serj Tankyan. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Carvalho fails with the takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tankyan tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Tankyan moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

It looks like Vinicius Carvalho has been cut.
Tankyan has a takedown stuffed.
Carvalho jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Tankyan throws a series of punches but Carvalho avoids them all with ease.
Carvalho displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Tankyan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Tankyan as Carvalho shoots in.
Some wild striking there from Tankyan.
The fight stays on the outside here - Tankyan looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Tankyan takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Tankyan misses with a low kick.
Carvalho throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carvalho checks a leg kick nicely.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Tankyan is defended easily by Carvalho.
Tankyan shoots for a double leg takedown but Carvalho sprawls well. He's pushed Tankyan's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Carvalho shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Tankyan gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Carvalho counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Carvalho postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Tankyan wants to sweep but no luck.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tankyan is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Carvalho slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Tankyan throwing strikes from guard but Carvalho blocks nicely.
Tankyan throwing strikes from guard but Carvalho blocks nicely.
Tankyan stopping the sweep attempt from Carvalho.
Tankyan lands a couple of elbows.
Tankyan makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vinicius Carvalho showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Vinicius Carvalho's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Tankyan fails with a takedown attempt.

Tankyan drives through with a takedown into guard.
Tankyan working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Carvalho's head.
Tankyan throws a big right hand that misses.
Tankyan working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Carvalho's head.
Tankyan tries to free his leg and advance position but Carvalho is retaining full guard.

Carvalho had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Tankyan is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Carvalho Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Tankyan's back instead.
Carvalho is not going to allow Tankyan to sit and survive in this position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Tankyan tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Serj Tankyan overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tankyan throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Tankyan is desperately trying to improve his position but Carvalho has a good base and remains in mount.
Tankyan is working hard here to advance position.
Tankyan is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Tankyan swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Tankyan can't escape the position.
Carvalho working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Carvalho scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Carvalho misses with a head shot.

Carvalho looking to secure an arm triangle but Tankyan defends it well.
Tankyan is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tankyan is desperately trying to improve his position but Carvalho has a good base and remains in mount.

Carvalho is working for a guillotine from mount but Tankyan frees his head quite easily.
Tankyan is looking to improve his position but Carvalho isn't that keen on the idea.
Carvalho lands a big shot there that rocks Tankyan but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

That's four 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.
Tankyan wants to control but Carvalho is having none of it.
Tankyan is wriggling around trying to escape.
Carvalho blocks Tankyan's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Tankyan is in all sorts of trouble here.
Tankyan regains half guard.
Carvalho seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Tankyan does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Tankyan is looking to improve his position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Tankyan keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Carvalho is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Tankyan doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Carvalho.

And that's the end of the fight!
Serj Tankyan showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Tankyan 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 Elvis Blanc scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 29:28
Judge William Peck scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Serj Tankyan!