PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rob Pato (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thiago Aybar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Aybar's choice of entrance music: Calle Ocho (75,Brazil Street). Thiago Aybar has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Pato
vs
Aybar

179 cm
22
183 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

188 cm
19
185 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rob Pato!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Thiago Aybar!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Matti Vanhoillinen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Aybar.
Pato looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Pato tries to buck Aybar off but Aybar is having none of it.
Aybar controls the position.
Pato is trying to improve his position.
Aybar is looking to take a break and control but Pato is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Aybar slows the pace down.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Aybar stands up and beckons Pato to his feet.
Aybar tries to close the distance and clinch up but Pato swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Pato wants to clinch but Aybar slips to the side

and Aybar counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Aybar.
Aybar is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Pato wants to break free but Aybar has control.
Pato letting Aybar take a breather here.
Pato tries to break the clinch but Aybar is controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Aybar tries to score a body lock takedown but Pato shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Aybar tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Pato smiles and moves away.
Aybar clinches but Pato breaks the clinch
and Pato counters with an inside leg kick.
Pato avoids a kick to the body.

Aybar gets a takedown into half guard.
Aybar moves nicely into side control.
Aybar in side control, just content to control the action for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Aybar stands up and we're back to a striking position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Aybar wants to clinch up but Pato keeps it at a distance.
Pato takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

Aybar feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Pato looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Aybar puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Aybar content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Aybar dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Pato gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Aybar counters by moving into the clinch.
The referee calls for Aybar to work.
Aybar tries for a takedown but Pato manages to get underhooks.
Pato is pressed up against the cage. Aybar has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Pato down to the mat. Pato avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Aybar changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Pato tries to avoid it but Aybar manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Pato to the ground. Pato escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Rob Pato has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thiago Aybar.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Aybar forces Pato back against the cage and clinches.

Aybar manages to pull guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Patois looking to pass into half guard but Aybar pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Aybar is in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pato looking for a sweep. Not yet Pato, not yet.
Pato working a defensive guard but Aybar passes into half guard.
Pato tries to get to full guard but Aybar has control of the leg.

Pato looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Pato actively working from the bottom here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Pato moves into full guard.

Pato looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Aybar passes into side control.
Pato tries to bench press Aybar off him but Aybar keeps the position.
Pato sneaks back into half guard.
Pato strikes from the bottom but Aybar uses the opportunity to move to side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Aybar decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Aybar takes a kick to the side of the head.
Pato tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Aybar counters with a takedown into side control.
Pato is looking to regain half guard here but Aybar keeps moving and retains side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Aybar blocks the strikes from Pato.
Pato is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Pato's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Pato is looking for a sweep.
Pato is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Aybar is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Pato really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Pato manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Pato makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Pato.

Pato had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Aybar is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Pato Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Aybar's back instead.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Aybar showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Pato misses with a combination

and Aybar counters by clinching up.
Pato managing to block the knees to the body from Aybar.
Aybar leaning his opponent against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pato trying to land knees to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pato looking to stall.
Aybar tries to score a body lock takedown but Pato shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Aybar leaning his opponent against the cage.
Aybar receives a warning from the referee for stalling.
Pato misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Aybar.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Aybar leaning his opponent against the cage.
Pato is trying to stall.
Aybar stalling.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Thiago Aybar.
Aybar tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Pato counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pato is looking to break free of the clinch but Aybar has double underhooks.

Aybar turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Aybar manages to end up in side control.

Aybar decides to stand back up.
Pato tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
The fight stays on the outside here - Aybar looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A solid leg kick lands there for Pato.
Aybar tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Pato swivels and escapes.
Pato looks to clinch

and Aybar counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Aybar.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

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

Pato looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Aybar passes into side control.
Pato tries to improve position but can't.
Pato sneaks back into half guard.
Pato slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thiago Aybar comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Aybar winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thiago Aybar!