PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mauricio Thiago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Diego Pinha (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Pinha comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Bate Pesadão (Pregador Luo) kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Diego Pinha will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Thiago
vs
Pinha

193 cm
22
285 lbs
3 - 6 - 0

191 cm
26
239 lbs
6 - 13 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mauricio Thiago!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Diego Pinha!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Mauricio Rocha and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pinha shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Pinha looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Thiago is fending him off so far but Pinha persists. Nope, Thiago circles away and we're back to standing.
Thiago shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Pinha but Pinha pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Pinha looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Thiago is fending him off so far but Pinha persists. Nope, Thiago circles away and we're back to standing.
Mauricio Thiago has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Diego Pinha.
Pinha tries for a takedown but Thiago circles away easily

and Thiago counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Thiago is breathing heavily.
Pinha is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Pinha looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thiago is thwarting Pinha's attempts to control the position.
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!
Pinha is pressing down on Thiago's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thiago throws a strike but Pinha rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Thiago keeping moving, preventing Pinha from controlling successfully.
Thiago can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Pinha controls the pace.
Thiago preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Pinha trying to control but Thiago is working from the bottom.
Thiago can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Pinha controls the pace.
Thiago keeping moving, preventing Pinha from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Diego Pinha has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Pinha shoots in looking for a takedown. Thiago tries to sprawl out of it but Pinha keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Thiago manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Thiago displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Pinha.

Pinha drives through and clinches with Thiago against the cage.
Pinha letting Thiago take a breather here.
Pinha changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Thiago fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Pinha with a body punch. A glancing blow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pinha takes the fight into the clinch.
Pinha working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Pinha breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Thiago defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Pinha.
Pinha lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

It looks like Mauricio Thiago has been cut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Pinha changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Thiago tries to avoid it but Pinha manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Thiago to the ground. Thiago escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Pinha gets a clinch.
Pinha wants a takedown.

Pinha drags the fight down to the ground.

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

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Pinha looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Pinha is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Pinha is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Pinha trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

Pinha is looking for a triangle but Thiago pushes his legs off easily.

Pinha looking for a guillotine here but Thiago defends easily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Pinha is looking for a triangle but Thiago pushes his legs off easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Diego Pinha dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Mauricio Thiago's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Pinha shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Thiago pinned against the cage. Thiago gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Pinha shoots for a takedown but Thiago saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Pinha fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Thiago avoids it really well and circles away.
Mauricio Thiago has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Diego Pinha.

Thiago instigates a clinch.
Thiago keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Pinha's efforts to push away.
Thiago lands a right hand.

It looks like Diego Pinha has been cut.
Thiago is looking for a takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pinha pulls guard successfully.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Pinha tries to strike from the bottom.
Pinha working a defensive guard here.

Pinha is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Pinha pulls Thiago in close to his closed guard and prevents Thiago from doing any damage or advancing position.
Pinha is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Thiago trying to control the position from guard on top but Pinha is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pinha trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

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

Pinha throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Pinha is looking for a triangle but Thiago pushes his legs off easily.
Thiago has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Thiago postures up.
Thiago passes into half guard.
Thiago scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thiago is looking to take a break and control but Pinha is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Pinha gets back to full guard.
Pinha manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Thiago manages to get himself to full guard.
Pinha slips nicely into half guard.

Pinha is looking for a kimura here.

Pinha wants to work for an arm triangle but Thiago is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pinha prevents Thiago from standing back up.
Thiago knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Pinha on the ground.
Pinha works his foot free and advances to mount.

Pinha looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.

Pinha working for a guillotine from mount but Thiago is in no mood to give up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Thiago wants to try and get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Diego Pinha showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Pinha clinches up against the cage.

Pinha pulls guard effortlessly.
Thiago chips away with some ground and pound.
Thiago is looking to advance position but Pinha has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Pinha throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.

Pinha with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Pinha thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Thiago on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Thiago tries to get out of the position.
Pinha tries to control but Thiago wriggling away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
You get the feeling that Thiago really doesn't like being in this position too much.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pinha throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Thiago tries to buck Pinha off but he can't manage it.
Pinha looking to control but Thiago is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Pinha looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Pinha 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.
Thiago blocking the ground and pound.
Pinha looking to control but Thiago is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Thiago wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Pinha.
Pinha is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Thiago can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thiago holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Pinha tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Thiago blocking the ground and pound.
Pinha trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Pinha is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Thiago has managed to escape the submission attempt.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Thiago blocking the ground and pound.
Pinha throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pinha unloads with some shots from mount but Thiago bucks and avoids them well.

Pinha working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Pinha 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.
Pinha trying to control but Thiago is having none of it.
Pinha 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.
Pinha takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Pinha working for a submission but Thiago is keeping him at bay.
Thiago is trying to stand up.

Thiago defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Pinha.

Pinha is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Thiago to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Thiago shrugs it off.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pinha lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Diego Pinha comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Pinha has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Diego Pinha!
A very excited looking Diego Pinha made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.