PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Doug Bowers (ranked 9604 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alves Sako (ranked 4202 p4p, 0 weight class). Alves Sako will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Bowers
vs
Sako

156 cm
22
140 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

180 cm
24
144 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Doug Bowers!
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, Alves Sako!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Alexandre Firmino and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sako shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Bowers doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Bowers is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Sako content to stall in guard here.
Sako would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Bowers wants to stand but Sako is controlling the position.
Sako passes Bowers's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Bowers wants to get back to his feet.
Bowers is trying to escape back to his feet but Sako uses the scramble to pass into side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bowers is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Sako is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Bowers can't escape the position.
Sako trying to control but Bowers is having none of it.
Bowers can't escape the position.
Bowers could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sako with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Bowers is trying desperately to improve position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bowers might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Sako looking for a guillotine from mount but Bowers is having none of it.
Bowers tries to improve his position but instead Sako has taken his back!

Bowers defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.

Sako has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Bowers has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bowers tries to escape but Sako has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Bowers is trying to get back to his feet but Sako has full control of the position and if anything, Bowers has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Sako lands a shot to the head.
Bowers wants to get back to his feet.
Bowers prevents Sako from getting a body triangle.
Bowers trying to control but not successfully.
Sako wants to control but Bowers is keeping busy.
Bowers trying to control the action but Sako just sinks the hooks in.
Sako keeps control of the position as Bowers tries to break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bowers is trying to stand back up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bowers is really stuck here.
Bowers wants to get back to his feet.

Bowers defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sako is riding his opponent, not letting Bowers buck him off.
Bowers trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
You can see the frustration on Bowers's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Sako punishes Bowers with strikes from the back mount.
Bowers trying to get back to his feet but Sako is in full control for now.
Sako struggling to keep hold of the position.
Bowers covers up after taking a massive shot to the side of the head.
Bowers is trying to get back to his feet but Sako has full control of the position and if anything, Bowers has just worked his way into a worse spot.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sako slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.

Sako patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alves Sako 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.

Bowers takes the fight into the clinch.
Bowers working hard to break the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Bowers's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Bowers wants a takedown.

Sako breaks from the clinch.

Bowers shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Sako napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Sako struggling a bit here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bowers trying to control the position but Sako is working away.
Sako is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bowers wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sako keeps working.

Bowers swings around for an armbar but Sako sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Bowers's guard.
Sako with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Bowers keeping moving, preventing Sako from controlling successfully.
Bowers 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.
Sako has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Sako working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Bowers's head.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sako accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Bowers controls Sako momentarily but Sako frees himself.
Sako wants to control from the top but Bowers keeps moving.
Bowers wants to stand but Sako is controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bowers keeping moving, preventing Sako from controlling successfully.
Sako keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Bowers's head.
Bowers wants to sweep but no luck.
Sako looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Bowers wants to get back to his feet but Sako passes into half guard.
Bowers is trying to control but Sako manages to pass to mount!
Bowers is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Sako punishing his opponent with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bowers keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Sako manages to capitalize on a mistake by Bowers to take his back!
Sako is punishing Bowers with strikes - can he finish him?!
Sako softening up his opponent with strikes here.
Bowers is trying to get back to his feet but Sako has full control of the position and if anything, Bowers has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Bowers tries to escape but Sako has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Bowers is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Sako lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Bowers.

Sako looking to break Bowers's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Bowers remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Sako will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Bowers trying to get back to his feet but Sako is in full control for now.
Will Sako go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Bowers trying to get back to his feet but Sako is in full control for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bowers is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Sako.
Bowers is trying to stand back up.

Bowers is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Sako gets his way!
Sako lands a punch that was close to the back of the head but the ref thinks it's OK.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Bowers is trying to stand back up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sako struggling to keep hold of the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alves Sako 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!

Sako throws a push kick but Bowers slaps the foot to one side.
Sako scores with a nice head shot.

Bowers is rocked!

It looks like Doug Bowers has been cut.

Sako is looking for a takedown. Wow, that's a brutal slam - Bowers is in big trouble! Sako is landing strikes from the mount and this one is all over! The ref jumps in to save a confused looking Bowers. Poor guy.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:18 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Slam). Alves Sako!