PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Joseph Goss (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thiago Alves (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Goss kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Sybreed: Emma-0. Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the fighters buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Goss
vs
Alves

180 cm
28
180 lbs
12 - 10 - 0

180 cm
24
181 lbs
8 - 6 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Good knees
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Excellent boxer
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 12 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Joseph Goss!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Thiago Alves !
The judges for this bout are Donatello Bradman, Eliza Hachem and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alves shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Goss sprawls well. Goss wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Alves gets slowly back to his feet.
A jab lands there for Alves .
Goss darts in trying to clinch
and Alves counters with a two punch combo.
Goss wants to clinch
and Alves counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Goss tries a head kick but it misses.
Goss shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Alves sprawls well. Alves wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Goss gets slowly back to his feet.
Alves avoids the head kick by Goss.
Alves misses the body punch
and Goss counters with a low kick, right behind Alves 's knee.
Goss moves to clinch but Alves breaks away

and Alves counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Goss wants to sweep but no luck.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Goss is working hard here to advance position.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Alves 's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alves trying to control but Goss is working from the bottom.
Alves tries to free his leg and advance position but Goss is retaining full guard.

Goss working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Alves doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Alves manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Goss has momentary wrist control but Alves slips an elbow through the middle.
Alves is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

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

Alves got a little sloppy there for a moment and Goss has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Alves has managed to get both his arms back between Goss's legs - danger averted.

Goss has his foot on Alves 's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Alves works his way back into a safe position though.
Alves controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Alves trying to control the position from guard on top but Goss is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Goss throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Alves escapes and throws Goss's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Goss taking a bit of punishment here - Alves scoring with strikes.
Goss is not content to let Alves control the position.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Alves lands a few punches from side control.
Alves wants to lay and pray for a moment but Goss keeps working.
Alves advances nicely into full mount.
Goss really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alves is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Goss can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Alves lands a nice shot to the head.
Alves raining down hammerfists from mount.
Alves scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Goss tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Alves can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Goss is looking to escape.
Goss throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Alves has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Goss's face.
Goss is desperately trying to improve his position but Alves has a good base and remains in mount.
Alves has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Alves cracks Goss with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Goss is looking to improve his position but Alves isn't that keen on the idea.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alves takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Goss is desperately trying to improve his position but Alves has a good base and remains in mount.
Alves lands a big elbow.
Alves has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Goss's face.
Goss is in all sorts of trouble here.
Alves lands with some strikes.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Alves wants to control the pace but Goss is squirming around nicely.
Alves in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Alves lands a big elbow.
Goss throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Alves fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Goss throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Alves 's head.
Alves swings widly with a right hand

and Goss counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Alves 's guard now.
Goss missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Alves is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Alves avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Goss working some strikes from top position.
Alves 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.
Alves working a defensive guard here.
Goss with a flurry of punches that miss.
Alves wants to sweep here but Goss controlling him for the moment.
Alves is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Alves looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alves looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Goss throws a big right hand that misses.
Goss throws a strike but Alves rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Alves works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Goss is striking from the bottom but he's now found himself mounted! Oh dear - not enough focus on defense there.
Alves scoring with strikes but Goss is staying in there.
Alves dominating with strikes here.
Goss tries to reverse the position but Alves maintains control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Goss throwing hammer fists to the chest of Alves . What's that going to do exactly?
Goss is bucking up trying to escape but Alves cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Goss really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Alves lands a heavy elbow.
Alves raining down hammerfists from mount.
Goss is in all sorts of trouble here.
Goss throwing hammer fists to the chest of Alves . What's that going to do exactly?
Goss tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Thiago Alves has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alves connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Goss tries to reverse the position but Alves maintains control.
Alves controlling from mount.
Goss is trying to escape the mount.
Alves scoring with strikes but Goss is staying in there.
Goss throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Goss is working to get back to half guard.
Alves is landing with some decent strikes but Goss is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alves landing punches.
Alves connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Alves pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Goss is working to get back to half guard.
Alves landing strikes, looking to finish!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Alves controlling his opponent.
BOOM! Alves connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Alves prevents Goss from getting the reversal.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
BOOM! Alves connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Alves lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Alves raining down hammerfists from mount.
Alves connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Alves showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Goss drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Goss working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Goss creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Alves sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Alves is trying to get back to half guard.
Alves sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Goss sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Alves defending well though.
Alves moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Goss won't allow Alves to sweep him here.
Goss has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Goss loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Alves is trying to control the position but Goss postures up.
Alves has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Goss scoring with some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alves working a defensive guard here.
Goss is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

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

Goss working for submissions but it's allowed Alves to get to half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Alves content to control rather than advance.
Goss wants to get back to full guard but Alves has passed into side control.
Alves lands a few punches from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Goss is not content to let Alves control the position.
Goss is looking to regain half guard here but Alves keeps moving and retains side control.
Alves trying to control the action but Goss is working from the bottom.
Alves working the head and body with strikes.
Goss is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Alves working the ground and pound.
Goss striking from the bottom but nothing landed.
Alves looks up at the clock and then as Goss takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Alves smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alves taking a break here but Goss is having none of it and regains half guard.
Goss moves into full guard.
Alves lands a couple of elbows.
Goss wants to sweep but no luck.

Goss isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Alves stacks Goss on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Alves !
Alves wants to control but Goss is keeping him busy.
Goss is looking for a sweep.
Alves in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Alves grinds an elbow into Goss's temple.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Goss tries to bench press Alves off him but Alves keeps the position.
Goss manages to get back to half guard.
Alves lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Goss is refusing to be controlled, as Alves sits in half guard.
Goss regains full guard. Nicely done.
Thiago Alves is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Alves chips away with some ground and pound.
Goss looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Goss looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Alves has picked Goss up and slammed him! Goss can't keep hold of the triangle and Alves manages to pass to side control!
Goss tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Alves presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Alves is landing with some decent strikes but Goss is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Alves trying to control but Goss is having none of it.
Joseph Goss has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Alves looking to finish Goss with some ground and pound. This is bad for Goss!

And that's the end of the fight!
Thiago Alves comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Alves has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Donatello Bradman scores the fight 27:30
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 27:30
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thiago Alves !