PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jorge Arbusto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thiago Almeida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thiago Almeida looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Arbusto
vs
Almeida

193 cm
20
212 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
20
205 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Very confident

Boomerang! Nutrition and Development Center

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, Jorge Arbusto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thiago Almeida!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Daniel Cesar and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Arbusto will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Arbusto looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Arbusto throwing shots but Almeida is blocking nicely.
Arbusto is thwarting Almeida's attempts to control the position.
Arbusto is trying to control the action in half guard but Almeida is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Almeida kicks Arbusto off and gets back to his feet.
Arbusto closes the distance and clinches up with Almeida, looking for a takedown. Arbusto pushes Almeida against the cage but Almeida circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Arbusto blocks a jab.
Arbusto misses with a jab, cross combination.

Arbusto clinches up with Almeida and pushes him back against the cage.
Almeida has Arbusto pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Arbusto manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Arbusto breaks the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arbusto stuns Almeida with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Almeida looks gassed!
Arbusto lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Arbusto scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Arbusto lands a jab to the nose.
Almeida throws a right hand that Arbusto ducks under and follows up with a left that Arbusto also avoids with ease.
Almeida is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Arbusto fails with an attempt to clinch.
Arbusto blocks a leg kick.
Arbusto throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Arbusto throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Almeida avoids the head kick by Arbusto.
Almeida displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Arbusto throws out the jab.
Almeida should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Almeida wants to clinch
and Arbusto cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Almeida rushes Arbusto and presses him up against the cage.
Arbusto is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Stalling in the clinch from Arbusto.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Arbusto creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Almeida blocking some punches.
Arbusto lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Almeida jumps guard but Arbusto stands there with Almeida around his waist. Almeida gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Arbusto taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

Arbusto escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Almeida shoots for a double leg takedown but Arbusto sprawls well. He's pushed Almeida's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Jorge Arbusto has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thiago Almeida.

Arbusto shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Arbusto showed some decent athleticism there.
Arbusto thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Almeida's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Almeida wants to improve his position but Arbusto is controlling well.
Arbusto trying to advance position but Almeida counters by regaining guard.
Arbusto tries to free his leg and advance position but Almeida is retaining full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Almeida working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Arbusto.
Almeida has control of Arbusto's left arm, preventing Arbusto from doing any damage.
Arbusto trying to control but Almeida is working from the bottom.

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.
Arbusto throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Almeida works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Arbusto rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Almeida moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Nice sprawl there from Arbusto as Almeida shoots in.

Arbusto darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Arbusto thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Almeida is pressing down on Arbusto's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Arbusto postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Almeida working for a triangle but Arbusto defends it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jorge Arbusto dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Almeida shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Arbusto stuffs the takedown attempt from Almeida. Almeida gets slowly back to his feet.
Arbusto fails to land with a series of punches.
Arbusto thows a body shot but no joy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Almeida misses with a takedown
and Arbusto counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Jorge Arbusto has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thiago Almeida.
Almeida is breathing heavily.
Arbusto keeps the fight on the outside.
Arbusto fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arbusto looks to land a combination but Almeida avoids it well.
Arbusto throws a big shot that misses.

Arbusto has managed to clinch.
Almeida blocks an uppercut.

Arbusto breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Arbusto connects with a crisp jab.
Arbusto swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Arbusto lands a jab to Almeida's midsection.
Arbusto uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Almeida has time to react.
Arbusto rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Almeida moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Almeida gets a takedown into half guard.
Almeida looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arbusto is trying to stand back up but Almeida is controlling him

Arbusto looking for submissions off his back.
Arbusto is trying to control but can't.
Arbusto wants to get back to full guard.

Almeida decides to stand up.

Almeida looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arbusto wants to control but Almeida is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Arbusto moves into full guard.

Arbusto looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Arbusto throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Arbusto 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.

Arbusto working for submissions but it's allowed Almeida to get to half guard.

Arbusto looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arbusto tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Arbusto tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Arbusto is looking to control Almeida's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Arbusto avoid being mounted?
Arbusto is trying to get back to full guard.
Arbusto slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Almeida decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Jorge Arbusto will probably get the nod.
That's time! Arbusto's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Arbusto misses with a few strikes there.
Arbusto fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Almeida manages to avoid it.
Almeida misses with a combination

and Arbusto counters by moving into the clinch.
Almeida looking for a takedown.
Almeida has had enough of the clinch but Arbusto keeps him there for the moment.
Arbusto has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Almeida is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Arbusto jumps guard.
Arbusto working a defensive guard but Almeida passes into half guard.
Thiago Almeida has got the better of the ground game so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Arbusto slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Arbusto working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Almeida doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Almeida manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Almeida stands up from Arbusto's guard - Almeida perhaps looking for a knockout.
Almeida takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Almeida looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Arbusto is fending him off so far but Almeida persists. Nope, Arbusto circles away and we're back to standing.
Arbusto moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Almeida doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Arbusto holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Jorge Arbusto has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thiago Almeida.
Almeida is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Almeida blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Arbusto prevents the takedown attempt.
Almeida fails to pull guard.

Arbusto breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Almeida defending well as Arbusto loads up on a big left hand.

Arbusto closes the distance and clinches.

Arbusto breaks the clinch.
Almeida looks for a takedown but Arbusto sprawls well.
A jab lands there for Arbusto.

Almeida gets a takedown into half guard.
Almeida controlling the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Almeida tries to pass to full mount but Arbusto defends it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Almeida wants to advance to full mount but Arbusto doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Almeida trying to control the position from guard on top but Arbusto is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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.
Arbusto throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Arbusto can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Almeida controls the pace.
Almeida trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Almeida decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Arbusto throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Thiago Almeida has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Arbusto misses with a head kick.
Almeida takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

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 Jorge Arbusto.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Arbusto, 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 29:28
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jorge Arbusto!