PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Britt Vang (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Airton Arona (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Vang
vs
Arona

193 cm
24
182 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

177 cm
25
181 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Britt Vang!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Airton Arona!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Seu Braga and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Vang darts in and clinches Arona up against the cage.
Arona tries to pull guard but Vang holds him up against the cage and eventually Arona drops back down to his feet.
Vang tries for a takedown. No joy.

Vang jumps into guard, dragging Arona to the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

Vang throws his legs up looking for a submission but Arona uses it to pass to side control.
Vang tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Arona easily slips into full mount!
Vang knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Arona on the ground.
Vang in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Arona landing strikes from the mount and Vang is in trouble!
Arona breaks from Vang's wrist control and lands an elbow.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Arona raining down hammerfists from mount.

Arona stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arona stuffs the takedown attempt from Vang. Vang gets slowly back to his feet.

Vang closes the distance and pushes Arona back into the cage.
Vang blocks a body shot from Arona.
Vang is pushing Arona up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Arona is trying to pull guard but Vang has him pressed against the cage.

Vang pulls guard successfully.
Arona pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Vang is keeping the position for now.

Vang is working an open guard so Arona takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Arona closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Vang did well to prevent Arona getting side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vang wants to get back to full guard.
Vang is working hard here to advance position.
Arona wants to control but Vang is keeping him busy.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Arona wants to pass to mount but Vang is defending the position.
Arona is trying to control the action in half guard but Vang is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Arona working the head and body with strikes.
Vang flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Vang wants to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vang is pressing down on Arona's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Vang keeping moving, preventing Arona from controlling successfully.

Arona avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Vang is breathing heavily.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Arona throwing strikes but missing.
Arona pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Vang is keeping the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Arona gets to his feet - Vang follows without any prompting.
Arona tries a head kick but it misses.
Vang scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Arona shoots for a double leg takedown but Vang sprawls well. He's pushed Arona's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Britt Vang has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Airton Arona.
Nice sprawl there from Arona as Vang shoots in.
Arona shoots in but Vang avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Vang fails with a takedown attempt.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Vang shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Arona but Arona pushes him off and we're back to square one.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Airton Arona dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Arona keeps the fight on the outside.
Vang throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Arona's waist but Arona gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Vang off to one side.
Arona moves in looking to clinch but Vang pushes him off.
Vang tries to clinch up

and Arona counters by clinching up.
Vang drops down looking for an ankle pick but Arona pulls his leg out and moves away.
Vang shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Arona as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Britt Vang. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Arona shoots in looking for a takedown but Vang manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Arona's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arona dives in for a single leg takedown but Vang sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Arona tries to break free but Vang pushes him back against the cage.
Vang lands an uppercut.

Vang breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Arona throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Vang's waist but Vang gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Arona off to one side.
Vang blocks a head kick by Arona.
Vang misses with a takedown attempt - Arona sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Nice takedown defense from Arona. No joy for Vang on that attempt.
Vang shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Arona pinned against the cage. Arona gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Vang gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Vang looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Arona has picked Vang up and slammed him! Vang can't keep hold of the triangle and Arona manages to pass to side control!
Vang is letting Arona control him for a moment.
Arona is looking to take a break and control but Vang is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Vang tries to bench press Arona off him but Arona keeps the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Arona is trying to get an arm triangle but Vang is defending well.
Arona is looking to take a break and control but Vang is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Vang is trying to get back to half guard.
Arona is looking to take a break and control but Vang is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Vang struggling a bit here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arona is looking to take a break and control but Vang is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Arona works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Arona has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Vang wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Vang is looking for a sweep.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Airton Arona 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.

Vang connects with a high kick.

Vang moves into range and clinches up with Arona.

Vang breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Arona fails in his attempt to clinch.

Arona looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Arona wants to control but Vang is keeping him busy.
Arona stops Vang from getting back to his feet.
Arona is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Arona is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Arona decides to stand and escape the position.
Arona shoots in looking for a takedown but Vang manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Arona's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Arona shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Vang as he avoids it easily.
Vang shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Arona sprawls well. Arona wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Vang gets slowly back to his feet.
Arona blocks a head kick by Vang.
Vang swats away the attempt to clinch by Arona.
Arona shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Britt Vang has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Airton Arona.
No luck for Vang with that takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Vang has closed the distance and engaged Arona in a clinch.
Arona wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Vang has him pressed against the cage.
Vang dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.

Vang pulls guard.
Arona landing with the ground and pound.
Arona trying to control the position from guard on top but Vang is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arona trying to stand up but can't free himself from Vang's guard.
Vang is looking to stand up but Arona isn't so interested in that idea.
Arona throwing strikes from guard but Vang blocks nicely.
Vang working a defensive guard here.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Arona slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Airton Arona wasn't active enough on the ground.
Arona shoots in but no luck this time.
Vang scores with a head kick.

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

Vang looking for submissions off his back.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Arona trying to control the action but Vang is working from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Airton Arona comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Arona 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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 27:30
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Airton Arona!