PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Robert Sylvia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matheus Alves (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Robert Sylvia has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Sylvia
vs
Alves

187 cm
25
180 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

182 cm
23
178 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big right hand

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Heavy handed

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, Robert Sylvia!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Matheus Alves!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Paulo Santos and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sylvia shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Alves but Alves pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Sylvia shoots in but Alves avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Alves throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Sylvia counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Sylvia 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!
Alves with a flurry of punches that miss.
Alves is standing up over Sylvia. Sylvia looks to escape but Alves dives into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
A lull in the action here as Alves stalls from top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alves prevents Sylvia from escaping the position.

Alves decides to stand back up.
Alves displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Sylvia.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Robert Sylvia. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sylvia shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Alves as he avoids it easily.
Alves throws a combination that misses

and Sylvia counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Sylvia.

Alves pushes Sylvia off and scrambles back to his feet.
Alves throws a left and a right that both miss

and Sylvia counters with a single leg into guard. Alves didn't expect that.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alves tries to clinch there but Sylvia circles away.
Alves rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Sylvia counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Sylvia throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Sylvia trying to work for an americana but Alves has managed to regain full guard.

Alves kicks Sylvia off and gets to his feet.
Alves misses with a combination

and Sylvia counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Alves kicks off Sylvia and gets to his feet.
Alves falls off balance throwing a combination

and Sylvia counters with a single leg into guard. Alves didn't expect that.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alves avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Sylvia drops back, looking for a kneebar! Alves looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Alves looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Alves!
Alves throws an elbow but Sylvia slips to the side and avoids it well.
Sylvia wants to get back to his feet.

Alves has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Alves slaps away a takedown attempt from Sylvia, before circling back to the center of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alves throws a combination that misses

and Sylvia counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Sylvia wants to stand but his hand is trapped. Alves uses the opportunity to regain full guard.

Alves pushes Sylvia off and scrambles back to his feet.
A head kick by Alves misses

and Sylvia decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Alves's guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Alves has his feet on Sylvia's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Alves misses with a left hand

and Sylvia counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Alves pushes Sylvia off and gets back to his feet.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Alves misses with a combination

and Sylvia decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Alves's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Robert Sylvia dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Alves tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Alves throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Sylvia counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Sylvia thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Alves's head.

Sylvia is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Sylvia is working for an americana but Alves has been sneaky and has managed to get back to half guard, whilst Sylvia was thinking about the submission.

Alves wriggles free and stands up.
Alves darts in trying to clinch

and Sylvia counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Alves kicks off Sylvia and gets to his feet.
Alves throws a combination that misses

and Sylvia decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Alves's guard.
Sylvia throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Alves works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Alves keeping full guard, as Sylvia tries to pass.

Alves is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Sylvia is trying to stall.
Sylvia keeps control of Alves as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sylvia breaks the clinch.
Robert Sylvia is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Alves throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Sylvia counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Sylvia is working for a submission of some sort.

Alves manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sylvia fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Alves throws a left and a right that both miss

and Sylvia counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Alves scrambles and gets back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alves throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Sylvia counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Alves avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Sylvia.
Alves won't allow Sylvia to pass to mount.
Sylvia wants to stand up but Alves has a hold of him and won't allow it.

Alves kicks Sylvia off and gets back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sylvia shoots in for a double leg but Alves sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Alves misses with a double jab

and Sylvia counters with a takedown into side control.
Sylvia working the strikes but Alves uses the opportunity to regain half guard.

Alves makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Alves throws a left and a right that both miss

and Sylvia decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Alves's guard.
Sylvia is looking to stand up but Alves won't let him.
Robert Sylvia overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Alves wriggles free and stands up.
Alves tries to clinch but Sylvia moves out of range.
Sylvia tries to score a power double leg takedown but Alves sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Sylvia somewhat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Robert Sylvia. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Alves swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Sylvia counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Sylvia throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Alves works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Sylvia trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Alves wriggles free and stands up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Robert Sylvia dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Alves throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Sylvia counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Alves!
Alves is trying to stand.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sylvia unloads with some shots from mount but Alves bucks and avoids them well.

Alves somehow manages to escape the mount and get back to his feet!
Sylvia shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Alves pinned against the cage. Alves gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Alves misses with a left hand

and Sylvia counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Alves has his feet on Sylvia's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Alves paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Alves takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alves throws a combination that misses

and Sylvia counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Sylvia working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Alves has his feet on Sylvia's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Sylvia will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Alves throws a left and a right that both miss

and Sylvia counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Alves!
Alves is trying to stand up.
Sylvia unloads with some shots from mount but Alves bucks and avoids them well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alves squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Sylvia sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!

Sylvia goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Alves is on top in guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Sylvia is looking to stand up but Alves isn't so interested in that idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Alves decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Sylvia, up you get!
Alves falls off balance throwing a combination

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

Alves explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Alves falls off balance throwing a combination

and Sylvia counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Alves!
Sylvia misses with a head shot.
Sylvia sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alves wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Sylvia throwing strikes here but Alves is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Sylvia is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Alves can do to turn this around?
Alves is in a horrible position here. Sylvia smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Sylvia goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Alves is on top in guard.
Alves stops Sylvia from standing up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Robert Sylvia showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Sylvia, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Robert Sylvia!