PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jose Pinto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nino Cavalero (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nino Cavalero has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Pinto
vs
Cavalero

171 cm
23
155 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

172 cm
18
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

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 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jose Pinto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nino Cavalero!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Alan Glass and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cavalero shoots in for a takedown but Pinto shows good takedown defense.

Pinto throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Cavalero was covering up waiting for the punch and Pinto finishes the takedown easily into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pinto passes Cavalero's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Pinto sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Cavalero defending well though.
Cavalero wants to get back to full guard.
Still in half guard, Pinto seems content to control.
Pinto is pressing down on Cavalero's thigh, looking to free his foot. Cavalero is holding on for now.
Pinto works his foot free and advances to mount.
Cavalero tries to hold on but Pinto postures up.
Pinto controlling from mount.
Cavalero throwing hammer fists to the chest of Pinto. What's that going to do exactly?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pinto landing strikes from the mount.
Cavalero wants to hold on but Pinto pushes him away.
Pinto prevents Cavalero from getting the reversal.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Cavalero is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Pinto trying to control but Cavalero is having none of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pinto looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Cavalero is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Cavalero swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Pinto postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Cavalero looks a forlorn figure.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pinto tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Cavalero keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Pinto postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Cavalero looks a forlorn figure.
Pinto punishing his opponent with strikes.
Cavalero in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Cavalero is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Pinto lands with some strikes.
Pinto wants to control the pace but Cavalero is squirming around nicely.
Pinto 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.
Cavalero tries to hold on but Pinto postures up.
Cavalero looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cavalero is bucking up trying to escape but Pinto cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Cavalero wants to hold on but Pinto pushes him away.
Pinto connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Pinto working Cavalero over with strikes here.
Pinto punishing his opponent with strikes.

Pinto looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Pinto avoids the attempt from Cavalero to control.
Cavalero flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Pinto with good strikes from the mount here!
Cavalero wants to hold on but Pinto pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cavalero flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Cavalero tries to lock up and control but Pinto gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Cavalero slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Pinto drops an elbow to the side of Cavalero's head.
Cavalero missing with punches from the bottom.
Still in half guard, Pinto seems content to control.
Cavalero really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Pinto. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Cavalero manages to get to full guard.
Pinto trying to control the position from guard on top but Cavalero is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Cavalero with a poor takedown

and Pinto counters with a single leg into guard. Cavalero didn't expect that.

Cavalero throws his legs up looking for a submission but Pinto uses it to pass to side control.

Pinto thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Cavalero is not content to let Pinto control the position.
Pinto working away.
Pinto lands a decent elbow from side control.
Pinto tries to move into full mount but can't pass Cavalero's legs.
Pinto working away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pinto landing a few strikes.
Cavalero is trying to control Pinto's posture but Pinto avoids it.

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

and Pinto counters with a takedown into side control.
Pinto avoids the strikes from the bottom by Cavalero.
Pinto cracks Cavalero with a big right hand but Cavalero just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Pinto working away.
Cavalero tries to bench press Pinto off him but Pinto keeps the position.
Pinto throws an elbow but Cavalero slips to the side and avoids it well.
Pinto lands some shots froms side control.
Pinto working away.
Pinto fails to land a wild elbow strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Cavalero gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Pinto counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Cavalero's guard now.
Jose Pinto has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nino Cavalero.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Pinto postures up in Cavalero's guard and throws a big left but Cavalero blocks it.
Cavalero managing to control the position.
Pinto is working Cavalero over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Pinto loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Pinto postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Pinto is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Cavalero thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pinto looking to pass the guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Cavalero misses with a takedown

and Pinto counters with a shoot takedown. Cavalero fights it but they end up in guard.

Cavalero is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Cavalero is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Cavalero looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Cavalero working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Pinto has passed into half guard!
Cavalero works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pinto sitting in guard here, content to control.
Pinto trying to control the position from guard on top but Cavalero is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cavalero trying to keep a closed guard but Pinto is proving a slippery customer.
Cavalero looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Cavalero is trying to control the position but Pinto postures up.
Pinto trying to control but Cavalero is working from the bottom.
Pinto passes easily into side control. Nice work.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cavalero can't do much from the bottom here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Pinto dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Cavalero misses with a takedown

and Pinto counters with a single leg into guard. Cavalero didn't expect that.
Pinto postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Pinto looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Cavalero working a defensive guard here.

Cavalero has his foot on Pinto's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Pinto works his way back into a safe position though.

Cavalero had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Pinto defends it easily.
Pinto lands a couple of elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cavalero has control of Pinto's left arm, preventing Pinto from doing any damage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Pinto lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Cavalero looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Pinto fails with a takedown attempt.

Cavalero darts in and clinches Pinto up against the cage.
Pinto wants a takedown.

Pinto lands a takedown into guard.
Cavalero preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Cavalero working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Pinto doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Pinto manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Cavalero is wriggling around but Pinto manages to pass to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cavalero moves into full guard.
Pinto missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Jose Pinto overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Pinto is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Pinto postures up.

Pinto got a little sloppy there for a moment and Cavalero has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Pinto has managed to get both his arms back between Cavalero's legs - danger averted.
Pinto is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cavalero pulls Pinto in close to prevent any damage.
Pinto lands a couple of elbows.
Pinto wants to control from the top but Cavalero keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Pinto shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Cavalero defends it nicely.
Jose Pinto is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jose Pinto. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Pinto fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Cavalero sprawls well initially but Pinto persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Pinto throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Pinto wants to control but Cavalero is keeping him busy.
Pinto is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Cavalero can do to turn this around?
Cavalero misses with some strikes from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cavalero is trying to stand.
Cavalero is trying to control but can't.
Pinto wants to lay and pray for a moment but Cavalero keeps working.
Cavalero trying to control from the bottom.

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

and Pinto counters with a single leg into guard. Cavalero didn't expect that.

Cavalero looking for a guillotine here but Pinto defends easily.
Pinto trying to control but Cavalero is working from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jose Pinto showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Pinto, 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 George Francis scores the fight 30:26
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 30:27
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jose Pinto!