PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Helio Ali (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sergio Morais (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Morais is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Apaga mas não bate . Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Ali
vs
Morais

185 cm
25
194 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

185 cm
25
185 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Very quick

Good takedowns
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Helio Ali!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sergio Morais!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Anni Minnemäki and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Morais shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Ali counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Morais!
Morais wants to hold on but Ali pushes him away.
Morais is desperately trying to improve his position but Ali has a good base and remains in mount.
Ali wants to control the pace but Morais is squirming around nicely.
Morais sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Morais tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Ali has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Morais is working to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ali takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Morais is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Morais is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Morais is squirming around, avoiding Ali's attempts to control the action.
Ali controlling from mount.
Ali looking to control but Morais is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Morais tries to lock up and control but Ali gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Ali prevents Morais from getting the reversal.
Ali sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Ali forces the positional change into back control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morais breaks Ali's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Morais trying to control but Ali is working from the bottom.

Ali has his foot on Morais's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Morais works his way back into a safe position though.

Ali is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Morais content to stall in guard here.

Ali throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Morais trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Morais trying to control but Ali is working from the bottom.
Ali looking to control.
Morais preventing the sweep.

Ali is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Morais defends well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ali keeping full guard, as Morais tries to pass.
Morais looking to sit in guard and control but Ali gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Morais is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Helio Ali 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.

Morais shoots and misses

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

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

Ali avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Ali working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Ali is stalling in the full guard.
Ali trying to control but Morais is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ali passes Morais's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Ali is looking to take a break and control but Morais is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Morais tries to get to full guard but Ali has control of the leg.
Ali wants to lay and pray for a moment but Morais keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Ali controlling the action here.
Ali thows a huge punch but Morais dodges it nicely.
Morais is trying to maintain the position but Ali is very close to passing his half guard.
Ali is looking to stall here but Morais recovers full guard.
Morais is trying to keep Ali in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ali wants to control from the top but Morais keeps moving.
Ali forces his way into half guard.
Ali not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Morais is looking to control Ali's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Morais avoid being mounted?
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ali wants to lay and pray for a moment but Morais keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Ali is looking to pass Morais's guard but actually Morais recovers to full guard.
Morais wants to sweep but no luck.
Ali advances to half guard.
Ali seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Morais actively working from the bottom here.
Ali seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Helio Ali dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Ali shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Ali was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
BOOM! Ali connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Ali tries to control but Morais wriggling away.
Ali is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Morais is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Morais tries to improve his position but instead Ali has taken his back!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ali is looking to finish with some ground and pound!
Morais trying to control the position but Ali manages to sink in the hooks.
I would not like to be Morais right now.
Ali is trying to stick to Morais's back but Morais is turning into Ali. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Ali's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Morais.
Ali looking to hit a scissor sweep but Morais is one step ahead there.
Morais advances position into side control!
Morais is looking to take a break and control but Ali is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ali manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Morais wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ali keeps working.
Morais passes to full mount!
Ali is trying to escape the mount.
Morais can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Ali is looking to escape.
Morais avoids the attempt from Ali to control.
Ali can't escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ali defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Morais.
Ali tries to hold on but Morais pushes him away.
Ali can't escape the position.
Ali is working hard here to advance position.
Ali wants to control but Morais is having none of it.
Morais looking to control but Ali is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

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.
Ali slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Morais stalling away here and it's allowed Ali to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Ali looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Morais controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Morais slips nicely into half guard.
Ali wants to control but Morais is keeping busy.
Sergio Morais has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Morais passes to side control.
Helio Ali is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Morais tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Morais has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Helio Ali.
Well Ali 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Helio Ali!