PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Paulo Thiago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Doel James Laguda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Thiago
vs
James Laguda

180 cm
21
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

175 cm
18
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite 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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Paulo Thiago!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Doel James Laguda!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Edson Gomes and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thiago tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Laguda closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Thiago struggling a bit here.
Thiago is trying to improve his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thiago wants to control but Laguda postures up.
Thiago gets back to half guard.
Laguda is thwarting Thiago's attempts to control the position.
Laguda missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laguda looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
I looks like Laguda might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Thiago trying to hold on to Laguda's head to control him but Laguda postures up.
Laguda takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Thiago has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Laguda is working away from the top position though.
Laguda really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Thiago. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Thiago tries to get to full guard but Laguda has control of the leg.
Thiago is trying to control but can't.

That's two 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.

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

Laguda clinches up with Thiago and pushes him back against the cage.

Laguda breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Laguda rushes Thiago and presses him up against the cage.
Laguda stalls.
Thiago gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Laguda.
Thiago with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Laguda tightens his grip and picks Thiago up, before dumping him to the ground. Thiago manages to land in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thiago tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Thiago looking to control.
Laguda trying to control the position from guard on top but Thiago is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Laguda looks gassed!
Thiago working a defensive guard here.
Laguda trying to control but Thiago is working from the bottom.
Thiago is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Thiago doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Thiago throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Thiago darts in trying to clinch

and Laguda holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Thiago has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Laguda avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Laguda blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Thiago pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Laguda shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Thiago as he avoids it easily.
Thiago wants to clinch

and Laguda counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Thiago is trying to control the position from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Thiago moves in looking to clinch but Laguda pushes him off.
Laguda lands with a right hand.
Laguda shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Thiago sprawls well. Thiago wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Laguda gets slowly back to his feet.
Laguda tries to bum rush Thiago with a series of wild strikes but Thiago uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Thiago scores with a decent looking hook.
Thiago shoots in but no luck this time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thiago tries for a takedown but Laguda circles away easily

and Laguda counters with a single leg into guard. Thiago didn't expect that.
Laguda looking to sit in guard and control but Thiago gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Laguda wants to get back to his feet but Thiago is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thiago trying to control the position from guard on top but Laguda is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Laguda wants to control the position but Thiago says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Laguda wants to sweep but Thiago has passed to side control!
Thiago trying to control the action but Laguda is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Laguda trying his best to control but Thiago has mounted him.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thiago wants to control the pace but Laguda is squirming around nicely.
Thiago dominating with strikes here.
Thiago with shots to the head and body - Laguda looks very uncomfortable down there.
Laguda really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thiago lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Thiago looking to control but Laguda is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Thiago is working for a guillotine from mount but Laguda frees his head quite easily.
Laguda has given up his back - I don’t know if this is a deliberate ploy to try and escape or if he is just struggling down there.
Thiago is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Laguda up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Laguda is keeping busy.
Laguda is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Laguda staying busy and making it hard for Thiago to control.
Laguda tries to escape but Thiago has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Thiago struggling to keep hold of the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Paulo Thiago will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Thiago tries for a takedown but Laguda circles away easily

and Laguda counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Thiago wants to control but Laguda is keeping busy.
Thiago flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Laguda is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Thiago wants to control but Laguda is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Thiago is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Laguda is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Thiago pushes Laguda off looking to stand but Laguda dives back in and keeps control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thiago has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Laguda is working away from the top position though.
Laguda keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Thiago shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Laguda defends it nicely.
Laguda keeps the fight on the outside.
Thiago shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Laguda as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Paulo Thiago. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Laguda listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Laguda goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

Laguda feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

Thiago had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Laguda defends it easily.
Laguda throws a big right hand that misses.
Laguda trying to control the position from guard on top but Thiago is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Laguda must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Laguda has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Thiago is proving hard to escape from.
Thiago trying to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thiago looking to hit a scissor sweep but Laguda is one step ahead there.
Thiago throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Doel James Laguda has got the better of the ground game so far.
Thiago not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Laguda tries to clinch but Thiago moves out of range.
Thiago closes the distance but Laguda moves to the side

and Laguda counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Thiago's guard now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Laguda wanted to stand there but Thiago had control of the position.

Laguda is posturing up here but Thiago has hold of an arm and he's gone for an armbar! Laguda tries to roll out but it's too tight and Laguda has to tap! Slick submission there by Thiago!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:34 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Paulo Thiago!