PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jean Luc Picard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Freddy Alves (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Picard comes into the arena with The Picard Song blaring out of the sound system. Alves has chosen Trik Turner - Friends and Family as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the fighters buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Luc Picard
vs
Alves

177 cm
27
168 lbs
15 - 13 - 0

168 cm
28
170 lbs
19 - 18 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jean Luc Picard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Freddy Alves!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Seu Braga and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Picard tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Alves swivels and escapes.
Alves misses with a few strikes there.
Picard looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Alves is fending him off so far but Picard persists. Nope, Alves circles away and we're back to standing.
No joy there for Alves, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Picard scores with a hook to the body. Alves takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Picard misses with a straight right.
Picard shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Alves as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jean Luc Picard. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Alves throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Picard misses with a right hand
and Alves connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Picard moves away from the strike by Alves.
Picard cracks a nice hook into Alves's ribs.
Alves lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Picard circles away quickly and effectively.
A slow jab from Picard misses its intended target.
Picard avoids the body shot from Alves.
Picard throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Picard has his takedown stuffed
and Picard takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
A jab from Alves does it's job there.

Picard scores with a takedown into Alves's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Picard tries to free his leg and advance position but Alves is retaining full guard.
Alves tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Alves is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Picard stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Alves swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Alves has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Picard has passed into side control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Picard tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Picard working away.
Picard wants to control but Alves is keeping him busy.
Alves is trying to improve his position.
Alves is not content to let Picard control the position.
Alves is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Picard off and has taken his back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alves avoiding Picard 's attempts to control his hands.
Picard breaks Alves's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Picard tries to free his leg and advance position but Alves is retaining full guard.
Alves bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Picard's guard.
Alves wants to control from the top but Picard keeps moving.

Picard is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Picard wants to sweep here but Alves controlling him for the moment.
Picard trying to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alves trying to control the position from guard on top but Picard is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Alves is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Picard 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.
Alves trying to control but Picard is working from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Freddy Alves was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Picard waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Alves.
Picard misses the body punch
and Alves counters with a one-two to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Freddy Alves will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Picard throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Alves swings widly with a right hand
and Picard counters with a left to the body.
Picard misses with a jab to the body
enabling Alves to counter with a crisp jab.
Alves displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Picard.
Alves misses with a looping left.
Picard shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Alves defends it nicely.
Picard takes a swing at Alves's ribcage but misses.
Picard dodges the punch combination from Alves.
Alves will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
The fighters circle momentarily. Alves darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alves slips a jab from Picard.
Freddy Alves seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Picard slips a jab and a cross from Alves.
Picard wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Jean Luc Picard seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Picard ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Picard dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Picard scores with the left hand. Alves knows he should have avoided that one.
Freddy Alves is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Picard ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Alves moves away.
Alves takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Alves misses with the combination.
Alves ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Picard tries to clinch but Alves moves away
and Alves counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Picard is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Picard shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Picard showed some decent athleticism there.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Alves is pressing down on Picard's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Alves controlling the position.
Alves working a defensive guard here.
Picard pushing down on Alves's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Picard tries to pass to full mount but Alves defends it.

Alves is defending against the submission attempts here by Picard.

Picard seems to be working for a kimura but Alves defends the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Picard wants to take a breather but Alves is having none of it.
Alves is looking to improve his position.
Alves manages to get to full guard.
Alves wants to sweep here but Picard controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Picard pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Alves is keeping the position for now.
Alves wants to sweep but no luck.
Picard pushes down on Alves's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Alves gets back to full guard.
Picard pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Alves is keeping the position for now.
Alves pulls Picard in close to prevent any damage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Picard pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Alves is keeping the position for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Freddy Alves will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Picard gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Alves trying to control but Picard is working from the bottom.
Alves must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Picard is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Alves is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Alves in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Alves postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Picard looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Picard had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Alves defends it easily.
Picard is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Alves stopping the sweep attempt from Picard.
Alves passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Picard manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Picard trying to mount his opponent but Alves defends it.
Alves is refusing to be controlled, as Picard sits in half guard.
Jean Luc Picard has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Picard blocks the strikes from Alves.
Alves works his way to full guard. Good work.
Alves keeping moving, preventing Picard from controlling successfully.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Alves is on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alves trying to control the position from guard on top but Picard is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Picard has Alves pulled in close to control his posture.
Alves trying to control but Picard is working from the bottom.
Picard pulls Alves in to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Alves missing with a left hand there. Picard was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

Picard moves into the clinch.
Still in the clinch, Picard scores with a nice short uppercut.
Picard misses with the head strike.
Picard lands with a light punch inside.
Alves blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Picard lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Alves.
Picard tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Alves working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Freddy Alves is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Picard misses with a shot to the kidneys.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Alves will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Picard up against the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Picard tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

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 Jean Luc Picard.
I think Alves 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 27:30
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 28:29
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Freddy Alves!
Our winner, Freddy Alves, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.