PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ed Alves (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chris Weidman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Alves
vs
Weidman

180 cm
26
185 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

188 cm
20
198 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Good chin

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ed Alves!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Chris Weidman!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Paulo Santos and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Weidman fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Alves sprawls well initially but Weidman persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Weidman not doing much here.
Alves wants to control but Weidman is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Still in half guard, Weidman seems content to control.
The fighters are battling for position here. Alves manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Alves looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Weidman has picked Alves up and slammed him! Alves can't keep hold of the triangle and Weidman manages to pass to side control!
Weidman misses with the ground and pound.
The referee asks Weidman politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Weidman prefers to stall for the moment though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Weidman works to advance to full mount. Alves defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Alves wants to control but Weidman is having none of it.
Weidman controlling the position easily from mount.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Alves tries to hold on but Weidman postures up.
Weidman raining down hammerfists from mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alves is looking to improve his position but Weidman isn't that keen on the idea.
Weidman looking to control and managing it successfully.
Alves tries to reverse the position but Weidman maintains control.
Weidman controlling from the full mount.
Weidman prevents Alves from getting the reversal.
Weidman sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Weidman prevents Alves from getting the reversal.
Weidman controlling the pace for now.
Alves is working to get back to half guard.
Weidman looking to finish Alves with some ground and pound. This is bad for Alves!
Alves is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Weidman sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Weidman with the ground and pound from mount.
Alves is working to get back to half guard.
Weidman tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Alves is in all sorts of trouble here.
Weidman controlling from the full mount.
Alves is trying to escape the mount.
Weidman content just to control the position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Chris Weidman wasn't active enough on the ground.

Weidman fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Alves to the ground. Weidman is now in Alves's guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Alves working for submissions but it's allowed Weidman to get to half guard.
Alves trying to control here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Still in half guard, Weidman seems content to control.
Weidman passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Alves!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Weidman dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Alves doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Weidman counters with a takedown into side control.
Weidman landing a few strikes.
Alves tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Alves struggling a bit here.
The referee asks Weidman politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Weidman prefers to stall for the moment though.
Weidman working the head and body with strikes.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Weidman happy to just control the position for now.
Alves is trying to control Weidman's posture but Weidman avoids it.
Alves tries to bench press Weidman off him but Weidman keeps the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Weidman is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Alves will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Let's hope that Weidman has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

Chris Weidman has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Weidman showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Alves.

Weidman shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Alves napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Weidman is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alves is trying to buck Weidman off.
Chris Weidman has got the better of the ground game so far.
Alves trying to remain calm as Weidman controls from the top position.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Weidman stands up.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Weidman scores with a takedown into Alves's guard.
Weidman controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Weidman is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Weidman works over Alves with some ground and pound from guard.
Weidman's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Weidman avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Alves working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Weidman has passed into half guard!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Weidman drops an elbow to the side of Alves's head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Alves won't allow Weidman to pass to mount.
Weidman is controlling the pace.

Alves looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Weidman wants to pass to mount but Alves is defending the position.
Weidman is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Chris Weidman was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Weidman gets the takedown into side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Weidman controlling from side mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Weidman showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Weidman looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Weidman lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Alves keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Weidman has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Alves wants to control but Weidman passes into side.
Alves misses with a strike from the bottom.
Alves is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Check out the look on Weidman's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Weidman moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Alves tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Weidman working the ground and pound.
Weidman lands a decent elbow from side control.
Alves tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Weidman working the head and body with strikes.
A control attempt from Alves but he's now mounted!
Weidman controlling the pace for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alves is working to get back to half guard.
Weidman looking to control and managing it successfully.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alves manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Alves wants to control but Weidman is keeping busy and won't allow it.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Chris Weidman hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Weidman shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Alves manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Weidman stays in close to Alves's body and controls the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Chris Weidman was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Weidman shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Weidman performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Alves actively working from the bottom here.
Ed Alves has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Chris Weidman is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Alves punching from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chris Weidman comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Weidman 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 27:30
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chris Weidman!
Chris Weidman tried to hype himself up post fight but didn't word it too well and it ended up with him sounding like a bit of a tool.