PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gandalf Mithrandir (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex Tavares (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Gandalf Mithrandir has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Mithrandir
vs
Tavares

194 cm
19
217 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
20
206 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Gandalf Mithrandir!
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, Alex Tavares!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Matheus Silva and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tavares shoots for a double leg takedown but Mithrandir sprawls well. He's pushed Tavares's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Tavares swats away the attempt to clinch by Mithrandir.
Mithrandir is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Mithrandir tries to close the distance and clinch but Tavares swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Mithrandir clinches with his opponent.
Tavares effectively controlling the action here.
Tavares is trying to drag Mithrandir to the mat but Mithrandir just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Mithrandir throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Mithrandir is trying to break the clinch but Tavares has him pressed against the cage.

Tavares pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Gandalf Mithrandir seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tavares avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Mithrandir tries to close the distance and clinch but Tavares swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Mithrandir blocks a head kick by Tavares.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tavares tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Mithrandir tries to clinch but Tavares moves out of range.

Tavares closes the distance and clinches.

Tavares breaks the clinch.
Mithrandir tries to close the distance and clinch up but Tavares swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mithrandir closes the distance but Tavares moves to the side
and Tavares makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Mithrandir really felt that one!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tavares throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Mithrandir.
Tavares shoots in looking for a takedown. Mithrandir tries to sprawl out of it but Tavares keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Mithrandir manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Gandalf Mithrandir has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alex Tavares.
Mithrandir tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Tavares counters with a two punch combo.
Tavares circles away from the clinch attempt

and Tavares counters by moving into the clinch.
Mithrandir wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Tavares breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Mithrandir tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Tavares counters with a nice low kick that buckles Mithrandir's knee momentarily.
The fight stays on the outside here - Mithrandir looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Mithrandir wants to clinch
and Tavares counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Mithrandir tries to clinch

and Tavares holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Mithrandir is pressed up against the cage. Tavares has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Mithrandir down to the mat. Mithrandir avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Mithrandir clinches with his opponent.
Tavares dodges an elbow strike from Mithrandir.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mithrandir escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Mithrandir tries to clinch
and Tavares counters with a right hand to the body.
Mithrandir tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Tavares counters by clinching up.
Tavares pushes Mithrandir back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Tavares dodges an elbow strike from Mithrandir.
Tavares trying to control the position but instead, Mithrandir has worked for underhooks and has pushed Tavares into the cage.
Tavares goes for a takedown attempt but Mithrandir pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Tavares looks gassed!
Mithrandir tries to clinch

and Tavares holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Tavares keeps control of Mithrandir as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Mithrandir wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Tavares prevents Mithrandir from breaking the clinch.
Tavares tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Mithrandir lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Mithrandir is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Tavares tries to land knees in the clinch but Mithrandir avoids the damage to the body.
Tavares fails to pull guard.
Mithrandir lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

It looks like Alex Tavares has been cut.
Mithrandir throws an elbow but it misses.
Mithrandir lands with a light punch inside.
Mithrandir lands an elbow that stopped Tavares in his tracks for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mithrandir comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

Mithrandir escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Mithrandir closes the distance looking to clinch

and Tavares holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Tavares escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Mithrandir closes the distance looking to clinch

and Tavares moves into the clinch.

Mithrandir breaks the clinch.
Tavares will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Mithrandir fails in his attempt to clinch.
Mithrandir fails in his attempt to clinch.
Gandalf Mithrandir is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Mithrandir is looking to clinch but Tavares is avoiding it.
Mithrandir looks to clinch

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

Mithrandir kicks Tavares off and gets to his feet.
Mithrandir tries to clinch up

and Tavares moves into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tavares tries to break the clinch but Mithrandir is controlling the position.
Mithrandir lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Mithrandir looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Mithrandir has had enough of the clinch but Tavares keeps him there for the moment.

Mithrandir pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mithrandir tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Tavares paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Tavares circles away from the clinch attempt.
Tavares shoots in and drives through. Mithrandir sprawls well.

Mithrandir gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Mithrandir wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Tavares has him pressed against the cage.
Tavares has had enough of the clinch but Mithrandir keeps him there for the moment.
Mithrandir wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Tavares blocks an elbow strike.

Mithrandir breaks from the clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mithrandir tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Tavares paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Mithrandir tries to clinch but Tavares is having none of it.
Tavares shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Mithrandir as he jumps to the side.
Mithrandir doesn't manage to clinch there - Tavares circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Tavares dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Alex Tavares's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Mithrandir clinches up against the cage.
Mithrandir is trying to break the clinch but Tavares has him pressed against the cage.
Tavares blocks the elbow strike.
Mithrandir gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Mithrandir.

Tavares breaks from the clinch.
Mithrandir is looking to clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Tavares wants to get back to striking at distance but Mithrandir won't allow it.
Tavares is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Mithrandir pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Tavares tries to pull guard but Mithrandir won't allow it.
Mithrandir lands an elbow inside.

That has opened up Alex Tavares's cut even more.
Tavares is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Mithrandir is keeping busy.
Tavares avoids a wild elbow strike from Mithrandir.
Mithrandir wants to get back to striking at distance but Tavares won't allow it.
Tavares is breathing heavily.
Mithrandir misses with an elbow over the top.
Mithrandir lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

The cut above Alex Tavares's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Mithrandir lands an elbow just above Tavares 's eye.

Alex Tavares's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.
Mithrandir creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Mithrandir wants to break the clinch but can't.
Mithrandir stops a takedown attempt from Tavares.
Gandalf Mithrandir has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alex Tavares.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mithrandir pushes off an throws an elbow but Tavares leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Mithrandir escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Mithrandir moves into the clinch.
Tavares avoids a wild elbow strike from Mithrandir.
Mithrandir wants to get back to striking at distance but Tavares won't allow it.
Tavares blocks an elbow strike from Mithrandir.
Mithrandir pushes Tavares back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

Mithrandir escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Mithrandir is looking to clinch but Tavares is avoiding it.
Mithrandir darts in trying to clinch

and Tavares moves into the clinch.
Tavares prevents Mithrandir from breaking the clinch.
Mithrandir lands an elbow inside.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Alex Tavares's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:51 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Gandalf Mithrandir!