PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Josh Alvarez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and thyago fitch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Alvarez kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is The Enemy by Godsmack. fitch has chosen tema dos guerreiro as his entrance music. thyago fitch has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Josh Alvarez's chin.

Alvarez
vs
fitch

180 cm
22
180 lbs
6 - 9 - 0

173 cm
18
195 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 9 - 0, fighting out of New York, Josh Alvarez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, thyago fitch!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, Alyssa Summers and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
fitch shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Alvarez pinned against the cage. Alvarez gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
fitch shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Alvarez sprawls well. Alvarez wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. fitch gets slowly back to his feet.
Alvarez swinging wildly here.

Alvarez shoots in and bounces fitch off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
fitch trying to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
fitch wants to control but Alvarez passes easily into half guard.

Alvarez escapes and gets back to his feet.
Alvarez fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Some wild striking there from Alvarez.
fitch misses with a takedown attempt

and Alvarez counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in fitch's guard now.
Josh Alvarez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of thyago fitch.
fitch doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
fitch working a defensive guard here.
fitch might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Alvarez kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
fitch is pulling down on Alvarez's head to control his posture.
fitch working a defensive guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
fitch wants to stand and escape but Alvarez is having none of it.
Alvarez postures up.
fitch bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Alvarez's guard.
fitch is looking to work some ground and pound but Alvarez has wrist control.

That's four 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.
fitch trying to control but Alvarez is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
fitch missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

fitch is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Alvarez is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Alvarez has escaped and now he's on top!
fitch looks gassed!

fitch looking for a guillotine here but Alvarez defends easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Alvarez dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Alvarez misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Alvarez throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Alvarez drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

fitch is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Alvarez is aware though and is defending well.

Alvarez stands up from guard. Let's bang!
fitch misses with a takedown

and Alvarez counters with a shoot takedown. fitch fights it but they end up in guard.
fitch is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alvarez postures up.

Alvarez stands and steps away. fitch gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
fitch takes a jab right on the kisser.
Donk. Alvarez catches fitch right on the button with a cross.
Alvarez throws a combination but it was largely blocked by fitch.
Alvarez will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Good exchange - Alvarez coming out on top.
fitch misses with a takedown

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
fitch is trying to get back to half guard.

Alvarez has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
fitch misses with a takedown
and Alvarez connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Josh Alvarez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of thyago fitch.
Alvarez throws a series of punches but fitch avoids them all with ease.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Good shot there by Alvarez.
fitch has his takedown stuffed
and Alvarez counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Alvarez throws a sloppy head kick and fitch moves out of range easily.
fitch avoids a punch combination nicely.
Alvarez throws a right and a left that both miss.
fitch with a poor takedown
and Alvarez counters with a one-two to the body.
Alvarez lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but fitch circles away quickly and effectively.
fitch showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Alvarez.
fitch looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Alvarez is fending him off so far but fitch persists. Nope, Alvarez circles away and we're back to standing.
Josh Alvarez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
fitch shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Alvarez counters with a nice uppercut.
Josh Alvarez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Alvarez drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
You can see the frustration on fitch's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Alvarez 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!

fitch steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Alvarez.
Alvarez throws a nice looking combination but fitch bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A combination from Alvarez does no damage.
fitch has his takedown stuffed

and Alvarez counters with a nice double leg into side control. fitch won't be happy with that.
Alvarez knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for fitch on the ground.
fitch tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Alvarez wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
fitch is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Josh Alvarez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
fitch is trying to control but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alvarez seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
fitch moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

fitch throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Alvarez escapes and throws fitch's legs to the side, diving into side control!
A control attempt from fitch but he's now mounted!
Josh Alvarez is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Alvarez is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that fitch can do to turn this around?

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.
fitch flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
fitch is trying desperately to improve position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Alvarez get's back to his feet.
fitch with a poor takedown
and Alvarez counters with a two punch combo.
Alvarez is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
fitch with a poor takedown
and Alvarez counters with a series of strikes. fitch will be more careful next time no doubt.
Josh Alvarez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of thyago fitch.
fitch takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Alvarez misses with a two punch combination.
Alvarez scores with a sloppy right hand. fitch should have avoided that one.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez tries to clinch up but fitch circles away and keeps his distance.
Alvarez moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
fitch with a poor takedown

and Alvarez counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in fitch's guard now.
Alvarez would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
fitch wants to improve his position but instead Alvarez has moved into half guard.
Alvarez is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

And that's the end of the fight!
Josh Alvarez showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Alvarez 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 Chad Campbell scores the fight 30:26
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 30:26
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Josh Alvarez!