PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Viktieu Esprit (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andre Oliveira (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Esprit
vs
Oliveira

170 cm
18
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
169 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Viktieu Esprit!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Andre Oliveira!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Ivan Kurochkin and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Danga de danga de dang - Oliveira scores with a four punch combination!

Oliveira shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Oliveira showed some decent athleticism there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Oliveira is thwarting Esprit's attempts to control the position.
Esprit is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Esprit is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Oliveira's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Oliveira's back!

Esprit working for a choke but Oliveira is defending well.
Esprit trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Oliveira is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Esprit is trying to stick to Oliveira's back but Oliveira is turning into Esprit. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Esprit's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Oliveira.
Esprit looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Oliveira trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Oliveira working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Esprit's head.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Oliveira fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Esprit avoids it really well and circles away.
Oliveira jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.

That's two 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.
Oliveira with a body punch. A glancing blow.

Esprit gets caught flat footed, as Oliveira shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Esprit trying to control the position.
Esprit is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Oliveira won't allow Esprit to sweep him here.
Esprit is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Esprit is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Esprit knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Oliveira on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Esprit tries to strike from the bottom.
Oliveira postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Esprit wants to get back to his feet but Oliveira is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

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

Esprit decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Esprit controlling the action here.
Esprit is trying to control. Oliveira wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Oliveira missing with punches from the bottom.
Oliveira has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Esprit is working away from the top position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Oliveira is looking to improve his position.
Oliveira looks gassed!
Esprit wants to stand but Oliveira has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Esprit wants to control but Oliveira is keeping him busy.
Esprit content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

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

Oliveira scores a takedown into full mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andre Oliveira dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Esprit darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Esprit trying to control the action but Oliveira is working from the bottom.
Esprit missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Esprit seems to be working for a kimura but Oliveira defends the submission attempt.
Oliveira is looking for a sweep. Esprit is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Oliveira is looking to control Esprit's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Oliveira avoid being mounted?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Esprit prevents Oliveira from improving his position.
Oliveira is breathing heavily.
Oliveira works his way to full guard. Good work.
Esprit trying to control the position from guard on top but Oliveira is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Esprit has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

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

Esprit looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Esprit trying to control from half guard but Oliveira is working away.
Oliveira moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Esprit wants to pass the guard but Oliveira is keeping the position.
Esprit postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Esprit accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Esprit cracks Oliveira with a solid left hand.
Esprit is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Esprit wants to control from the top but Oliveira keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Esprit stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Oliveira swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Esprit trying to control but Oliveira is working from the bottom.
Oliveira is trying to control the position but Esprit postures up.
Esprit trying to control the position from guard on top but Oliveira is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Oliveira is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Esprit is in close to Oliveira's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Esprit avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Oliveira gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Esprit counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Esprit.

Esprit has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Oliveira regains guard immediately.
Esprit pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Oliveira is keeping the position for now.
Oliveira keeping moving, preventing Esprit from controlling successfully.
Oliveira looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Esprit working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Viktieu Esprit dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Esprit throws a head kick that misses.
Oliveira tries for a takedown but Esprit circles away easily

and Esprit counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Oliveira!
Oliveira is desperately trying to improve his position but Esprit has a good base and remains in mount.
Esprit wants to control the pace but Oliveira is squirming around nicely.
Esprit lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

Esprit has hold of Oliveira's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Oliveira manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Esprit tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Oliveira takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Esprit working Oliveira over with strikes here.
Esprit scoring with strikes but Oliveira is staying in there.
Esprit is stalling here but it's allowed Oliveira to get half guard.
Esprit is keen to just control but Oliveira is a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Esprit 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.
Oliveira tries to get to full guard but Esprit has control of the leg.
Esprit trying to control from half guard but Oliveira is working away.
Oliveira moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Oliveira keeping moving, preventing Esprit from controlling successfully.
Esprit is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Oliveira is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Oliveira is looking to chop away at Esprit's legs.

Esprit closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Esprit is trying to control. Oliveira wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Oliveira trying to hold on to Esprit's head to control him but Esprit postures up.

Oliveira looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Oliveira wants to control but Esprit is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Oliveira taking some punishment here, with Esprit in his half guard.
Oliveira is refusing to be controlled, as Esprit sits in half guard.
Esprit tries to pass the half guard into mount. Oliveira knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Viktieu Esprit showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Esprit 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 Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Viktieu Esprit!