PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ricardo Tavares (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Ince (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Paul Ince is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Tavares
vs
Ince

180 cm
18
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

170 cm
22
189 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Intelligent

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ricardo Tavares!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Paul Ince!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Alexandre Firmino and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ince misses with a body shot.

Ince has taken the fight to the clinch.
Tavares is trying to stall.
Tavares has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Ince is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Ince manages to break the clinch.

Ince rushes Tavares and presses him up against the cage.
Ince stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

Ince breaks from the clinch.
Ince misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Ince tries to clinch up.
Ince fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Ince looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Tavares!
Tavares is trying desperately to improve position.
Tavares is working hard here to advance position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tavares wants to hold on but Ince pushes him away.
Tavares can't escape the position.
Tavares is in a horrible position here. Ince smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Tavares tries to hold on but Ince pushes him away.
Ince sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Ince prevents Tavares from getting the reversal.
Ince putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Tavares is wriggling around trying to escape.
Ince looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Ince in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Tavares tries to reverse the position but Ince maintains control.
Ince can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Tavares is looking to escape.
Ince is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Tavares slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

Ince is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Ince looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tavares wants to get back to his feet.
Ground and pound from Ince.

Ince is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Tavares has managed to free his arm - good work.
Tavares moves into full guard.
Ince must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Tavares 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.
Ince should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Tavares manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Ince manages to get himself to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tavares is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Tavares wants to control from the top but Ince keeps moving.
Tavares advances position into side control!
Tavares trying to control the position but Ince is working away.
Tavares lands an elbow.
Ince is not content to let Tavares control the position.
Tavares is really struggling to control Ince but he's trying to hold on to the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Ince dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Tavares doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Ince counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Tavares trying to keep a closed guard but Ince is proving a slippery customer.
Ince trying to control the position from guard on top but Tavares is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ince trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Tavares tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Tavares trying to keep a closed guard but Ince is proving a slippery customer.
Tavares looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ince is one step ahead there.
Tavares avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Ince really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Tavares. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tavares trying to keep a closed guard but Ince is proving a slippery customer.
Ince is breathing heavily.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Tavares gets a clinch.
Tavares struggles to land a body shot inside as Ince controls his hands.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Ince as Tavares tries to tie him up.
Tavares can't break the clinch.
Tavares is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Ince is keeping busy.
Ince fails to pull guard.
Ince stops a takedown attempt from Tavares.
Tavares lands a left hand.

Tavares breaks the clinch.
Ince takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Tavares doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Ince counters with a shoot takedown. Tavares fights it but they end up in guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ricardo Tavares. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tavares manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Ince manages to get himself to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ince keeping moving, preventing Tavares from controlling successfully.
Tavares trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Tavares wants to control from the top but Ince keeps moving.
Ince trying to control the position.
Tavares passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Tavares trying to control the position but Ince is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tavares lands a few punches from side control.
Ince is looking for a sweep.
Tavares wants to control but Ince is keeping him busy.

Tavares swings around for an armbar but Ince sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Tavares's guard.
Tavares keeping moving, preventing Ince from controlling successfully.
Tavares trying to keep a closed guard but Ince is proving a slippery customer.
Tavares is looking to stand up but Ince isn't so interested in that idea.

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.
Tavares bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Ince's guard.
Tavares passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Paul Ince has got the better of the ground game so far.

Tavares tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Tavares has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Ince defending against the ground and pound.

Tavares is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Ince has escaped the position, nice work there.

Tavares tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Paul Ince will probably get the nod - 10:9.
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. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Ince with a poor takedown

and Tavares counters by moving into the clinch.
Ince slows down the pace here.
Ince lands a left hand that snaps the head of Tavares backwards.
Tavares wants to stall.

Ince breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Tavares doesn't manage to clinch there - Ince circles away.
Tavares is looking to clinch but Ince is avoiding it.
Ince misses with a takedown

so Tavares counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Ince can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Tavares controls the pace.
Ince keeping moving, preventing Tavares from controlling successfully.
Tavares is stalling in the full guard.
Ince takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tavares prevents Ince from getting back to his feet.
Tavares slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Tavares trying to control the position from guard on top but Ince is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tavares is pushing down on Ince's leg trying to pass to half guard. Ince is fighting to maintain full guard but Tavares has managed to sneak the leg through.
Tavares is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Tavares scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Ince?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tavares trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Ince has given up his back here. Will Tavares look for the submission or keep pounding away?
Tavares wants to control but Ince is keeping busy.
Ince wants to escape the position.
Tavares struggling to keep hold of the position.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Ricardo Tavares just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Tavares lands a jab to the head.
Ince shoots in for a takedown but Tavares shows good takedown defense.
Ricardo Tavares has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paul Ince.
Tavares changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Ince tries to avoid it but Tavares manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Ince to the ground. Ince escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Tavares buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Ricardo Tavares seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ince throws a sloppy head kick and Tavares moves out of range easily.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Tavares is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Ince can't fight it off and eventually Tavares manages to take the fight to the floor. Ince looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Tavares works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Tavares has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Tavares content just to control the position here.

Tavares working for a guillotine from mount but Ince is in no mood to give up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tavares mounts Ince! Really nice guard pass there!
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Ince can do anything to dispel that myth.

Tavares has hold of Ince's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Ince manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Ricardo Tavares has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tavares lands a heavy elbow.
Paul Ince is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ince in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ricardo Tavares showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Ince has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 29:29
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Paul Ince!