PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Eddie Alvarez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mauricio Ricardo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Alvarez
vs
Ricardo

185 cm
23
155 lbs
6 - 0 - 0

180 cm
24
160 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

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 6 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Eddie Alvarez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Mauricio Ricardo!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Wagner Zegers and Radbod Blank.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alvarez fails to land with a series of punches.

Alvarez gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Alvarez being controlled here, momentarily.
Ricardo must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Ricardo trying to control the position from guard on top but Alvarez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ricardo is stalling in the full guard.
Ricardo wants to control from the top but Alvarez keeps moving.
Alvarez can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Ricardo controls the pace.

Ricardo avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ricardo wants to stand and escape but instead Alvarez has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Alvarez is looking to stand up but Ricardo won't let him.

Alvarez drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Ricardo manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Alvarez has Ricardo in his guard.
Alvarez is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Ricardo is controlling him.
Ricardo controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Alvarez is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's two 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.
Ricardo trying to control the position from guard on top but Alvarez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ricardo is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Despite being in the dominant position, Mauricio Ricardo just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Alvarez uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Ricardo.
Ricardo is looking to clinch.

Ricardo closes the distance and pushes Alvarez back into the ropes.
Ricardo displaying some good clinch control by pressing Alvarez up against the ropes.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Alvarez trying to stall but Ricardo improves his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ricardo's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Alvarez thows a body shot but no joy.
Alvarez really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Alvarez fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Ricardo staying out of range there.
Alvarez lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Mauricio Ricardo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nice defenses there by Alvarez.
Ricardo blocks a jab.
Alvarez scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Alvarez lands with a shot to the body.
Ricardo throws a combination that misses
and Alvarez counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Alvarez lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Alvarez lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Ricardo circles away quickly and effectively.
Ricardo throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Alvarez counters with a nice uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ricardo on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Ricardo shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Alvarez counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Ricardo bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Alvarez is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Ricardo is controlling him well.
Ricardo just content to control the position.
Alvarez is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Alvarez is looking to reverse the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Mauricio Ricardo will probably get the nod.
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.

Ricardo misses with a combination
and Alvarez counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Ricardo doesn't manage to clinch there - Alvarez circles away.
Ricardo is looking to clinch but Alvarez is avoiding it.
Ricardo shoots in for a double leg but Alvarez sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Ricardo throws a right and a left that both miss.
Ricardo shoots in for a takedown but Alvarez shows good takedown defense.
Alvarez throws a right and a left that both miss.
Ricardo falls off balance throwing a combination
and Alvarez counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Ricardo clobbers Alvarez with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.

Alvarez shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Ricardo napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Alvarez is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Ricardo knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Ricardo is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ricardo 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.
Ricardo is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Ricardo is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

Alvarez decides to stand back up.
Ricardo swings for the body but Alvarez moves out of range.
Ricardo misses with a straight right.
Alvarez lands a nice shot that snaps Ricardo's head back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ricardo looks for a takedown but Alvarez sprawls well.
Eddie Alvarez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mauricio Ricardo.
Ricardo doesn't manage to clinch there - Alvarez circles away.
Ricardo keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Ricardo just misses with a punch to the body.
Alvarez looks to land a combination but Ricardo avoids it well.
Ricardo slips a jab and a cross from Alvarez.
Alvarez cracks Ricardo with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Alvarez showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Ricardo.
Ricardo looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's four 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.
Ricardo throws a body punch but Alvarez moves out of range.
A shot to the body from Ricardo misses
and Alvarez counters with a nice uppercut.
Ricardo fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Alvarez throws a looping overhand right but Ricardo ducks down to avoid it.
Alvarez cracks Ricardo with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Ricardo drops his hands momentarily and Alvarez takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Alvarez throws a right and a left that Ricardo avoids nicely.
Alvarez takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Ricardo jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Alvarez with a jab.
Alvarez tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Ricardo swivels and escapes.
Alvarez throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eddie 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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Alvarez just misses with a punch to the body.
Ricardo throws a combination that misses
and Alvarez cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Alvarez lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Ricardo circles away quickly and effectively.
Ricardo is trying hard to land a takedown here. Alvarez sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Ricardo misses with a body punch
enabling Alvarez to counter with a crisp jab.
Ricardo avoids a punch combination nicely.
Alvarez moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Ricardo throws a predictable looking body shot
and Alvarez counters with a right hand to the body.
Alvarez fails with a takedown attempt.
Alvarez digs a good body shot into Ricardo's ribs.
Ricardo takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Alvarez keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alvarez looks for a takedown but Ricardo sprawls well.
Alvarez displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Ricardo.
Alvarez misses the jab.
Ricardo is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Alvarez rather than just go for the knockout.
Ricardo swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Alvarez counters with a left to the body.
Alvarez lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Ricardo backs up against the ropes.
Alvarez lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Alvarez.
No joy there for Ricardo, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Alvarez scores with a jab to the body.
Ricardo takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Ricardo takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez ducks under a wild hook from Ricardo.
Alvarez goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Alvarez darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
A nice combination there by Alvarez.
Good standup being displayed there by Alvarez as he connects with a hook.
Alvarez lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Ricardo circles away quickly and effectively.
Alvarez misses with a series of wild punches.
No joy there for Alvarez, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Alvarez has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eddie Alvarez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ricardo misses with a straight left.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Alvarez with a hook.
Alvarez avoids the body shot from Ricardo.
Alvarez lands a jab-cross combination.
Alvarez goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Eddie Alvarez is winning the standup battle so far.
Alvarez is pinned up against the ropes taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Alvarez scores with a jab.
Alvarez looks to score with a jab to the body but Ricardo is just out of range.
Ricardo misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Alvarez lands a nice shot that snaps Ricardo's head back.
Ricardo has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Ricardo misses with a looping left.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez circles away from the clinch attempt.
A left and a right from Alvarez both land. Nice combination.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ricardo looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Alvarez swings for the body but Ricardo moves out of range.
Mauricio Ricardo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ricardo misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Alvarez comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Alvarez cracks Ricardo with a right hand to the side of the head.
Alvarez misses the shot to the body.
Alvarez thuds his right hand into Ricardo's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Alvarez scores with a jab to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eddie Alvarez showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Alvarez 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 Daniel Blasius scores the fight for Eddie Alvarez!
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight for Eddie Alvarez!
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight for Eddie Alvarez!

Eddie Alvarez wins by unanimous decision!