PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Antonio Margarito (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thiago Alves (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Antonio Margarito is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Margarito
vs
Alves

195 cm
25
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
25
205 lbs
4 - 9 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Antonio Margarito!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Thiago Alves!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Hogan, Eliza Hachem and Damien Edna.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Margarito shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Alves pinned against the cage. Alves gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Margarito lands with a nice combination. Alves backs away looking to recover.

Margarito moves into the clinch successfully.
Alves takes an elbow to the temple.
Alves is trying to break free.

Margarito is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Alves can't fight it off and eventually Margarito manages to take the fight to the floor. Alves looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Margarito is standing up over Alves. Alves looks to escape but Margarito dives into side control.
Margarito just content to control the position.
Alves is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

Margarito decides to stand back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Margarito tries to close the distance and clinch but Alves swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Alves throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Margarito tries to clinch up but Alves circles away and keeps his distance.
Alves with a lazy takedown attempt

and Margarito counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Margarito is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Margarito postures up and lands a big shot to Alves's brow.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Alves is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Margarito is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Alves is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Margarito is controlling him.
Alves looks gassed!
Margarito looking to pass the guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Margarito is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Margarito has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alves keeping full guard, as Margarito tries to pass.
Margarito trying to control but Alves is working from the bottom.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Margarito prevents Alves from getting back to his feet.
Margarito sitting in guard here, content to control.
Alves wants to stand and escape but Margarito is having none of it.
Margarito passes Alves's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Margarito stops Alves from getting back to his feet.

Margarito stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Alves avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Margarito gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Margarito working Alves over with knees to the body.
Alves being controlled against the cage.

Margarito jumps guard.

Margarito pushes Alves off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

Margarito rushes Alves and presses him up against the cage.
Margarito tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Margarito ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Margarito no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Margarito pulls Alves in close to prevent any damage.
Margarito looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Alves wants to stand but Margarito has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Margarito pulls Alves in to control the position.
Alves wanted to stand there but Margarito had control of the position.

Margarito had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Alves defends it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Margarito moves into the clinch.
Alves tries to break the clinch but Margarito is controlling the position.

Margarito breaks the clinch.
Alves throws a leg kick

and Margarito counters with a nice double leg into side control. Alves won't be happy with that.
Margarito trying to control the position but Alves is working away.
Margarito tries to move into full mount but can't pass Alves's legs.
Alves wants to get back to his feet but Margarito drags him back down.
Alves is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Alves trying to remain calm as Margarito controls from the top position.
Alves is pushing Margarito's head away, looking to escape. Margarito manages to hold on to the position though.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Margarito scoring with punches and elbows.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Margarito lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

Margarito shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Alves's guard.
Margarito won't allow Alves to get back to his feet.
Margarito is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Margarito slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
You can see the frustration on Alves's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Alves wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alves bucks up and tries to throw Margarito off but instead Margarito has got his back!
Alves has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
Alves is trapped and Margarito is scoring with shots to the head and body.
Alves has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
Alves is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Margarito.
Alves holding both Margarito 's hands and preventing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Margarito trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Alves doesn't escape.
Margarito knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Alves on the ground.

Margarito working for the choke.
Alves trying to get back to his feet but Margarito is in full control for now.
Alves takes a big shot to the side of the head.

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.
Margarito lands shots from the back.
Alves trying to get back to his feet but Margarito is in full control for now.

Margarito working for the choke.
Alves wants to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antonio Margarito dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Margarito wants to clinch.
Margarito avoids the head kick by Alves.
Margarito fails in his attempt to clinch.

Margarito looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Margarito not doing much here.
Alves is trying to stand back up but Margarito is controlling him
Margarito lands strikes from half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Margarito perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Alves has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Margarito is working away from the top position though.

Margarito stands up out of the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Margarito closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Alves is trying to buck Margarito off.

Margarito decides to stand back up.
Margarito is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Alves can do to turn this around?
Margarito throws a right hand that Alves ducks under and follows up with a left that Alves also avoids with ease.
Alves throws a good cross that connects.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Margarito tries to bum rush Alves with a series of wild strikes but Alves uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Margarito fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Alves.
Margarito slips under a jab from Alves.
Alves throws a head kick that misses.
Antonio Margarito is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Margarito tries to clinch but Alves is having none of it.
Margarito shoots in for a takedown but Alves shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Alves goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Alves throws a head kick that misses

and Margarito counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Margarito is pressing down on Alves's thigh, looking to free his foot. Alves is holding on for now.
Margarito working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Margarito with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Margarito stops Alves from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alves tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Margarito manages to move to mount!
Alves trying desperately to get to his feet.

Margarito is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Alves is surviving well by controlling Margarito's body position as best he can.
Margarito wants to control the pace but Alves is squirming around nicely.
Alves trying desperately to get to his feet.
Antonio Margarito overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Margarito scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Alves is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.

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.
Alves has given up his back, trying to stand up. Not clever.
Alves controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.

Alves is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Alves controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
Margarito is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Alves up.
Alves is trying to stand back up.
Thiago Alves has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Antonio Margarito is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

And that's the end of the fight!
Antonio Margarito showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Margarito 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 Bruno Hogan scores the fight 30:26
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 30:26
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Antonio Margarito!