PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mano Thao (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Garrido Reia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Thao might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Sabotage. Reia has chosen Moacir Santos - Coisa Nº4 as his entrance music. Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Thao
vs
Reia

197 cm
25
215 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

183 cm
25
199 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Dangerous knees
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight 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, Mano Thao!
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, Garrido Reia!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Thiago Cunha and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Reia misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Reia closes the distance and clinches.
Thao is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Thao with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Thao prevents a takedown attempt there.
Reia working hard to break the clinch.
Reia wants a takedown but no success here.
Thao is trying to break free.

Reia pulls guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thao wanted to stand there but Reia had control of the position.

Reia looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Reia working for a triangle but Thao defends it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reia trying to control the position here.
Reia 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reia lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Thao!
Reia thowing shots but they're missing.

Reia looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.

Reia working for a submission but Thao is keeping him at bay.
Reia misses with a head shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reia throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Reia looking to finish with strikes here!
Thao is squirming around, avoiding Reia's attempts to control the action.
Poor strikes thrown by Reia there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!

Thao defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Reia.

Reia is working for a guillotine from mount but Thao frees his head quite easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Reia unloads with some shots from mount but Thao bucks and avoids them well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Reia wants to control the pace but Thao is squirming around nicely.
Reia has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Thao wants to hold on but Reia pushes him away.
Reia misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Reia trying to control but Thao is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Garrido Reia dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Thao throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Reia moves into range and clinches up with Thao.
Reia scores with a shot to the side of Thao's head.

Reia pulls guard successfully.
Reia bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Thao's guard.

Reia drops back looking for a leg! Thao is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Thao manages to kick Reia off! Reia jumps back into Thao's guard.
Reia wants to pass the guard but Thao is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Reia is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Reia missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Reia postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Reia looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Reia stands and steps away. Thao gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reia lands a jab-cross combination.
Garrido Reia is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Reia circles away from the clinch attempt
and Reia cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Thao throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

Reia clinches up with Thao and pushes him back against the cage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Reia throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Thao wants to stall.
Thao is looking to break free of the clinch but Reia has double underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reia blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Reia wants a takedown.
Thao wants to break free but Reia has control.
Thao is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Thao throws a knee to the head but misses.
Reia has Thao pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Thao manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Nice body punch from Reia.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Reia. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.

Reia drags the fight down to the ground.

Reia throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Thao wants to control from the top but Reia keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thao won't allow Reia to sweep him here.
Thao has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Thao trying to control but Reia is working from the bottom.

Reia is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Thao is aware though and is defending well.
Reia tries to strike from the bottom.
Thao knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Reia on the ground.

Reia has his foot on Thao's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Thao works his way back into a safe position though.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Reia is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Thao is aware though and is defending well.

Thao got a little sloppy there for a moment and Reia has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Thao has managed to get both his arms back between Reia's legs - danger averted.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Garrido Reia showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Nice takedown defense from Thao. No joy for Reia on that attempt.
Thao tries a head kick but it misses.
A head kick misses from Thao.
Garrido Reia seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Horrible takedown by Reia or perhaps it was just good defense by Thao which made him look bad.
Reia shoots in looking for a takedown. Thao tries to sprawl out of it but Reia keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Thao manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Mano Thao has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Garrido Reia.
Thao doesn't manage to clinch there - Reia circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reia fails with the takedown.
Reia misses with a takedown attempt - Thao sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Thao tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Thao misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Thao tries to close the distance and clinch up but Reia swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Reia takes the fight into the clinch.
Reia goes for a takedown attempt but Thao pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Reia shoots for a takedown but Thao saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thao tried to score with a low kick but Reia checks it.
Thao tries to clinch there but Reia circles away.
Nice straight punches there by Reia. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Reia.
Reia closes this distance looking for a takedown but Thao circles away.
Thao wants to clinch

and Reia holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Reia is working for takedown but Thao is calmly controlling the position for now.
Reia wants a takedown.
Reia takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thao wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Thao wants to break the clinch but can't.
Thao using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Reia has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Reia blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Reia lands a left hand that snaps the head of Thao backwards.
Thao trying to land knees to the body.
Thao wants to get back to striking at distance but Reia won't allow it.
Thao tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Reia changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Thao fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Sloppy strikes from Reia. Those never looked like landing.
Reia looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Thao lands a big head kick that sends Reia tumbling to the mat! Thao takes a step backwards and waves Reia back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Reia is rocked!

It looks like Garrido Reia has been cut.
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!
Reia fails with a takedown attempt.

Reia clinches.
Mano Thao has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Thao misses with a knee strike.
Reia is trying to pull guard but Thao turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Thao throws a knee to the head but misses.
Reia lands a shoulder strike.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Reia ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Reia no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Thao trying to control the position from guard on top but Reia is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Garrido Reia is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Reia holds on and takes a little breather.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mano Thao showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Reia has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Garrido Reia!
Garrido Reia seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.