PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Sahraim Alib (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Astolfo de Mello (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Astolfo de Mello has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Sahraim Alib's chin.

Alib
vs
de Mello

170 cm
25
170 lbs
11 - 5 - 0

183 cm
23
177 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
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 11 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Sahraim Alib!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Astolfo de Mello!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Daniel Cesar and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alib swats away the attempt to clinch by de Mello.
A big left from Alib misses.
Astolfo de Mello seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
de Mello shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Alib pinned against the cage. Alib gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
de Mello doesn't manage to clinch there - Alib circles away.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Alib, as that shot connected.
Nice defenses there by Alib.
de Mello thows a leg kick but Alib checks it

and Alib counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Alib.

Alib has dropped down and is working for a takedown. de Mello is trying to keep an underhook but Alib manages to get the takedown into half guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
de Mello wants to get back to his feet.
Alib thows a huge punch but de Mello dodges it nicely.
Alib is looking to take a break and control but de Mello is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Alib is stalling here. de Mello is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Alib seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and de Mello has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Alib has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's one minute gone in the round.
de Mello happy to just control the position for now.
Alib can't do much from the bottom here.
Alib tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but de Mello wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Alib trying to remain calm as de Mello controls from the top position.
Alib might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Alib is trying to improve his position.
de Mello working away.
Alib tries to buck de Mello off but de Mello is having none of it.
de Mello remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Alib throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
de Mello tries to close the distance and clinch up but Alib swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A lazy body kick from de Mello

and Alib counters with a nice double leg into side control. de Mello won't be happy with that.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Alib sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but de Mello is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
de Mello tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Alib wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
de Mello takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
de Mello defending against the ground and pound.
de Mello tries to improve position but can't.
de Mello sneaks back into half guard.
Alib has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Alib cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alib raining down shots from the mount!
Alib throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Alib throws a sloppy strike and de Mello uses the opportunity to reverse the position! A bit of a scramble here and de Mello has ended up in Alib's guard.
Alib has control of de Mello's left arm, preventing de Mello from doing any damage.
de Mello trying to control but Alib is working from the bottom.
de Mello wants to stand but Alib is controlling his posture from full guard.
de Mello slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alib is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A combination from Alib does no damage.
A combination from Alib does no damage.
de Mello doesn't manage to clinch there - Alib circles away.
de Mello misses with a low kick.
de Mello stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Alib lands a nice leg kick that just misses de Mello's sensitive parts.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
de Mello misses with a head kick.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Alib tries to clinch there but de Mello circles away.
de Mello pulls out of a head kick attempt.
de Mello tries to land a front kick but Alib steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Alib misses with a body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sahraim Alib dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Alib jabs de Mello to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Alib has a takedown stuffed.
Alib with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
de Mello misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Alib.
de Mello tries to close the distance and clinch but Alib swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Alib staying out of range there.
de Mello thuds his right hand into Alib's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
de Mello lands a jab to Alib's midsection.
de Mello on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Alib blocks the body kick.
Alib swats away the attempt to clinch by de Mello.
Alib throws a shot from downtown. de Mello moves away and avoids it.
de Mello slips under a jab from Alib.
de Mello catches Alib with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

That's one minute gone in the round.
de Mello throws a series of punches but Alib moves out of range.
de Mello walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Alib checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Alib has a takedown stuffed.
Alib swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
de Mello showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Alib.

de Mello instigates a clinch.
de Mello is trying to pull guard but Alib turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Alib.
A short left from de Mello.
Alib is pressed up against the cage. de Mello has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Alib down to the mat. Alib avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Alib avoids a low kick by using good footwork.

de Mello has Alib up against the cage in a clinch.
de Mello tries to break free but Alib pushes him back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
de Mello goes for a takedown attempt but Alib pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Sahraim Alib has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Astolfo de Mello.

Alib has managed to clinch.
de Mello is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
de Mello drops down looking for an ankle pick but Alib pulls his leg out and moves away.
Alib dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
de Mello fails with an attempt to clinch.

Alib has taken the fight to the clinch.

Alib breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
de Mello tries to clinch
and Alib counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
de Mello keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
de Mello changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Alib tries to avoid it but de Mello manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Alib to the ground. Alib escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
de Mello pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

Alib closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Alib looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
de Mello is trying to stand up here but Alib is controlling him well.
Alib wants to take a breather but de Mello is having none of it.
Alib throwing shots but de Mello is blocking nicely.
Alib passes to full mount!
Alib is landing with some decent strikes but de Mello is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
de Mello is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Alib sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
de Mello's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A nice elbow there by Alib.
de Mello's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
de Mello is breathing heavily.
Alib has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of de Mello's face.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Alib with shots to the head and body - de Mello looks very uncomfortable down there.
Alib with a couple of short strikes.
Alib looking to finish de Mello with some ground and pound. This is bad for de Mello!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sahraim Alib dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Alib throws a hook but de Mello blocks it.
Alib throws a right and a left that both miss.
Alib wants to clinch.

de Mello instigates a clinch.

Alib lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Alib is looking to take a break and control but de Mello is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

de Mello kicks Alib off and gets back to his feet.
de Mello tries to clinch up but Alib circles away and keeps his distance.

de Mello shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
de Mello wants to control the pace but Alib is squirming around nicely.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alib wants to hold on but de Mello pushes him away.
Alib can't escape the position.
Alib tries to hold on but de Mello postures up.
de Mello controlling the position easily from mount.
de Mello can't control as he wanted to and Alib manages to get the fight back to his half guard.
Alib is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of de Mello's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take de Mello's back!
Alib lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns de Mello.
de Mello grimaces as he takes a shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alib landing with strikes.
de Mello is trying to get back to his feet but Alib has full control of the position and if anything, de Mello has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Alib controlling well, preventing de Mello from escaping the position.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Alib is working for the choke. He's slipped one arm under the chin. de Mello has to defend the other arm for all he's worth... but Alib has managed to get that arm free too and he's tightening the choke! de Mello taps out and looks absolutely disgusted with himself. Alib doesn't care though - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:34 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Sahraim Alib!