PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Alvaro Basurto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eric Stewart (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Basurto comes to the cage accompanied by Ozzy Osbourne - No More Tears. Alvaro Basurto has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Basurto
vs
Stewart

172 cm
18
135 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

160 cm
22
139 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Alvaro Basurto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Eric Stewart!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Trevor Gratis and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Basurto scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Basurto is controlling the pace.

Basurto wants to work for an arm triangle but Stewart is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Stewart is trying to control but can't.
Stewart is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Stewart trying to hold on to Basurto's head to control him but Basurto postures up.
Stewart is trying to stand.
Basurto wants to pass to mount but Stewart is defending the position.
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.
Basurto takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Stewart has his takedown stuffed

so Basurto counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Stewart is trying to keep Basurto in close.
Basurto missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Basurto gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Basurto shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Basurto not doing much here.

Stewart looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stewart makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Stewart.
Basurto with a flurry of punches that miss.
Stewart working a defensive guard here.
Stewart looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Basurto seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Stewart is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Basurto is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stewart is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Basurto looking to pass the guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Basurto takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Stewart fakes the leg kick and cracks Basurto in the body.
Stewart fails with an attempt to clinch.

Stewart gets caught flat footed, as Basurto shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Stewart controls Basurto momentarily but Basurto frees himself.
Basurto preventing the sweep.
Basurto slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Basurto missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Stewart can't keep his opponent in guard - Basurto advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Stewart wants to improve his position but Basurto is controlling well.
Stewart is looking to control Basurto's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Stewart avoid being mounted?
Basurto will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Basurto tries to pass the half guard into mount. Stewart knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Stewart tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Basurto throws a head kick but Stewart moves out of range.
Stewart dodges the punch combination from Basurto.
Basurto looks for the body kick but Stewart saw that one coming.
Stewart with a poor takedown

and Basurto counters with a shoot takedown. Stewart fights it but they end up in guard.

Stewart working for submissions but it's allowed Basurto to get to half guard.
Stewart tries to get to full guard but Basurto has control of the leg.
Stewart slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Basurto stopping the sweep attempt from Stewart.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Basurto pushing down on Stewart's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Stewart slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Basurto looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Stewart looking for a sweep. Not yet Stewart, not yet.
Stewart controls Basurto momentarily but Basurto frees himself.
Stewart seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

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.

Stewart had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Basurto is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Stewart Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Basurto's back instead.
Basurto staying busy and making it hard for Stewart to control.
Stewart misses with an elbow to the head.
Stewart is controlling the position but Basurto somehow manages to roll and ends up with half guard.

Stewart is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Basurto is refusing to be controlled, as Stewart sits in half guard.
Alvaro Basurto overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Basurto is controlling Stewart's trapped leg to prevent Stewart from advancing to side control.
Stewart wants to lay and pray for a moment but Basurto keeps working.

Stewart is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

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

Basurto closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Stewart to the mat! Stewart manages to get full guard.
Basurto tries to free his leg and advance position but Stewart is retaining full guard.
Stewart wants to stand but Basurto is controlling the position.
Stewart can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Basurto controls the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Basurto gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Stewart misses with a low kick.
Basurto throws a low kick but it's checked well by Stewart.
Stewart pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Stewart shoots and misses

and Basurto counters with a nice double leg into side control. Stewart won't be happy with that.

Basurto tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Basurto advances to full mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alvaro Basurto dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Basurto scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Basurto postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.

Basurto wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Stewart, who protects the arm well.
Stewart tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Stewart being controlled for a moment.

Basurto is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Stewart has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stewart can't do much from the bottom here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Stewart shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Basurto counters with a nice double leg into side control. Stewart won't be happy with that.
Stewart struggling a bit here.

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

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stewart is looking to regain half guard here but Basurto keeps moving and retains side control.
Basurto staying calm.
Basurto scores with a couple of short elbows.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Basurto tries to move into full mount but can't pass Stewart's legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stewart gets back to half guard.
Stewart is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Basurto's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Basurto's back!
Basurto avoids the strikes from Stewart.
Stewart throwing sloppy strikes.
Stewart somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Basurto trying to control but not successfully.
Basurto is trying to break free.
Basurto tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Stewart looking to control but Basurto is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Basurto prevents any damage by holding on tight.
Basurto sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Basurto is refusing to be controlled, as Stewart sits in half guard.
Stewart wants to get back to his feet.
Basurto is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Basurto flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alvaro Basurto showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Basurto, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Yves DeLean scores the fight 30:27
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alvaro Basurto!