PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Thiago Alvares (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sean Weatherspoon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Alvares comes to the cage accompanied by The Wild Boys. Weatherspoon has chosen Shine On by NeedtoBreathe as his entrance music. Thiago Alvares could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Sean Weatherspoon's chin.

Alvares
vs
Weatherspoon

174 cm
21
170 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

187 cm
21
164 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Thiago Alvares!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sean Weatherspoon!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Cecil Peabody and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Alvares feints and as Weatherspoon raises his hands in defense, Alvares changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Weatherspoon looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Alvares wants to pass the guard but Weatherspoon is keeping the position.
Alvares throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Weatherspoon works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Weatherspoon wants to sweep here but Alvares controlling him for the moment.
Alvares postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Alvares tries to stand but Weatherspoon is controlling from the bottom.
Alvares has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Weatherspoon avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Weatherspoon keeping full guard, as Alvares tries to pass.
Weatherspoon striking off his back but it's not causing Alvares any problems.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Alvares gets a clinch.
Alvares is leaning against Weatherspoon and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Alvares is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Weatherspoon gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Weatherspoon fails to pull guard.

Alvares breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A slapping leg kick lands for Alvares.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alvares throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

Alvares shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Alvares showed some decent athleticism there.

Alvares is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Alvares trying to pass the guard but Weatherspoon defending well.
Weatherspoon has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Alvares is working away from the top position though.
Alvares with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Weatherspoon trying to hold on to Alvares's head to control him but Alvares postures up.
Weatherspoon wants to improve his position but Alvares is controlling well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Weatherspoon desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Alvares stalling.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Alvares seems to be looking for submissions.
Alvares trying to mount his opponent but Weatherspoon defends it.

Weatherspoon manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Weatherspoon shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Alvares decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Weatherspoon's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alvares being controlled here momentarily.
Weatherspoon is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Alvares trying to control but Weatherspoon is working from the bottom.

Weatherspoon throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Alvares being controlled here momentarily.
Alvares preventing the sweep.
Alvares advances to half guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Weatherspoon is trying to control but Alvares manages to pass to mount!

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.
Alvares prevents Weatherspoon from getting the reversal.
Weatherspoon manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Weatherspoon wants to control but Alvares is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Alvares trying to control the action but Weatherspoon is working from the bottom.
Alvares prevents Weatherspoon from improving his position.
Weatherspoon manages to get to full guard.
Weatherspoon looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Alvares puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Alvares dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Weatherspoon looks to clinch

and Alvares counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Alvares wants to pass the guard but Weatherspoon is keeping the position.
Alvares trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Alvares is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Alvares trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Weatherspoon trying to keep a closed guard but Alvares is proving a slippery customer.
Alvares is looking to work some ground and pound but Weatherspoon has wrist control.
Alvares stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Weatherspoon swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Alvares explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Alvares shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Weatherspoon counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Weatherspoon.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Weatherspoon goes for a takedown attempt but Alvares pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Alvares wants the takedown. Weatherspoon is fighting it off but Alvares persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Weatherspoon's guard against the cage.
Weatherspoon lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Alvares!
Weatherspoon looking to control but Alvares is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Alvares tries to hold on but Weatherspoon pushes him away.
Weatherspoon moves to take his opponent's back.
Weatherspoon trying to control momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Weatherspoon is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

Weatherspoon looking for the choke from the back.
Alvares is keeping busy.
Weatherspoon might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Alvares kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

Weatherspoon patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Weatherspoon controlling from the back.
Weatherspoon wants to control but Alvares is keeping busy.

Despite being in the dominant position, Sean Weatherspoon just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Alvares shoots for a double leg takedown but Weatherspoon sprawls well. He's pushed Alvares's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Alvares throws a series of punches but Weatherspoon avoids them all with ease.
Alvares misses with a jab, cross combination.
Weatherspoon showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Alvares.
Weatherspoon gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Alvares holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Weatherspoon is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Alvares gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Thiago Alvares has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sean Weatherspoon.
Weatherspoon tries to land a knee to the head but Alvares blocks with his arms.
Alvares goes for a takedown attempt but Weatherspoon pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
A bone on bone clash there as Weatherspoon blocks the leg kick.
Weatherspoon clinches but Alvares breaks the clinch

so Alvares counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Weatherspoon is looking to stand up but Alvares isn't so interested in that idea.
Alvares stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Weatherspoon swivels though and keeps the full guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Weatherspoon holds on and takes a little breather.
Weatherspoon 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.
Weatherspoon pulls Alvares in close to his closed guard and prevents Alvares from doing any damage or advancing position.
Weatherspoon not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Alvares dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Weatherspoon gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Alvares counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Alvares.
Alvares controls from within his opponent's guard.
Weatherspoon working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Alvares.
Weatherspoon keeping full guard, as Alvares tries to pass.
Weatherspoon looking to hit a scissor sweep but Alvares is one step ahead there.
Weatherspoon bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Alvares's guard.

Weatherspoon stands up and waves to Alvares to follow him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Weatherspoon gets caught flat footed, as Alvares shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Weatherspoon wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Alvares is now in half guard.
Thiago Alvares overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Weatherspoon is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Alvares jumps into side control!
Weatherspoon is trying to control Alvares's posture but Alvares avoids it.
Weatherspoon manages to work his way to half guard, despite Alvares's best efforts.
Alvares is looking to take a break and control but Weatherspoon is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Weatherspoon holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Weatherspoon wants to get back to full guard.
Alvares missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alvares thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Weatherspoon's head.
Weatherspoon slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Alvares trying to control but Weatherspoon is working from the bottom.
Weatherspoon looking to hit a scissor sweep but Alvares is one step ahead there.

Weatherspoon keeping busy on the bottom but Alvares has passed one foot through into half guard.
Alvares is thwarting Weatherspoon's attempts to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Weatherspoon works his way to full guard. Good work.
Alvares might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Alvares postures up.
Weatherspoon wants to get back to his feet but Alvares is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Weatherspoon has his hands on Alvares's head, controlling the position.

Weatherspoon manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Alvares misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Weatherspoon checks a leg kick.
Weatherspoon shoots and misses

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alvares is looking to work some ground and pound but Weatherspoon has wrist control.

Alvares gets to his feet - Weatherspoon follows without any prompting.
Weatherspoon shoots and misses

so Alvares counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Thiago Alvares has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sean Weatherspoon.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Weatherspoon is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Alvares stopping the sweep attempt from Weatherspoon.
Alvares advances to half guard.
Alvares prevents Weatherspoon from improving his position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Alvares winds up and cracks Weatherspoon with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Sean Weatherspoon has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Weatherspoon is controlling Alvares's trapped leg to prevent Alvares from advancing to side control.

Weatherspoon actively working from the bottom here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thiago Alvares showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Alvares has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 30:27
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:27

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