PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Marcio Alvarez (ranked 1841 p4p, 218 weight class) and Julian Gniewek (ranked 3233 p4p, 350 weight class). Alvarez's entrance music is Made in Brazil. A fine choice. I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Alvarez
vs
Gniewek

173 cm
28
165 lbs
11 - 8 - 0

181 cm
28
155 lbs
11 - 8 - 0

BJJ Red Belt
World class MT
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Granite chin

Bullet Proof System

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Marcio Alvarez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Julian Gniewek!
The judges for this bout are Paulsen Ambrosius, Aafke Stam and Wagner Zegers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alvarez showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Gniewek.
Gniewek blocks a low kick nicely.
Gniewek throws a big shot that misses.

Alvarez looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Gniewek!
A control attempt from Gniewek but he's now mounted!
Alvarez lands a big elbow.
The referee warns Gniewek that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Alvarez working away from the top, dropping strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Alvarez cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alvarez pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

Alvarez is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Gniewek has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Alvarez has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Alvarez landing punches.
We've been hearing good reports from Alvarez's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Alvarez lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Gniewek hang on?
Gniewek working to try and regain half guard.
Alvarez landing strikes from the mount and Gniewek is in trouble!
Alvarez landing shots from mount.
Alvarez is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Gniewek can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Alvarez tries to control but Gniewek wriggling away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gniewek slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Alvarez throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Alvarez not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Alvarez not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Gniewek has a hand on Alvarez's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Alvarez takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
A nice elbow there by Alvarez.
BOOM! Alvarez connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Gniewek regains half guard.
Alvarez throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Gniewek is trying to control but Alvarez passes into side control!
Gniewek is trying to improve his position.

Alvarez working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Gniewek is trying to escape the position but Alvarez is controlling the position.
Gniewek tries to buck Alvarez off but Alvarez is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gniewek gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Gniewek is trying to escape the mount.
Alvarez lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Alvarez landing strikes from the mount.
Gniewek is in all sorts of trouble here.
Gniewek is in a horrible position here. Alvarez smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Gniewek tries to hold on but Alvarez postures up.
Gniewek sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcio Alvarez dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Gniewek throws a lazy uppercut
and Alvarez counters with a nice uppercut.
Alvarez ducks under a wild hook from Gniewek.
Gniewek is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Gniewek tries to clinch but Alvarez moves away
and Alvarez counters with a nice uppercut.
Alvarez misses with a body shot.
Gniewek lands with a nice body punch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gniewek throws a right hand that misses
and Alvarez counters with a nice leg kick.
Alvarez ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gniewek moves away.
An inside leg kick from Gniewek misses.
As Gniewek backs away, Alvarez returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gniewek tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Alvarez manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Nice body kick from Gniewek.

Alvarez drives through with a takedown into guard.
Alvarez is working Gniewek over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Gniewek keeping full guard, as Alvarez tries to pass.
Alvarez trying to control the position from guard on top but Gniewek is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Alvarez trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Gniewek trying to control the position.
Alvarez is stalling in the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Gniewek's guard.
Alvarez lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Gniewek has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Alvarez is working away from the top position though.
Alvarez not doing much here.

Alvarez seems to be working for a kimura but Gniewek defends the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Gniewek wants to control but Alvarez is keeping busy.

Gniewek looking for submissions off his back.
Marcio Alvarez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Gniewek is positioning himself well to prevent Alvarez advancing to mount.
Alvarez works his foot free and advances to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Gniewek is trying to escape the mount.
Alvarez tries to control but Gniewek wriggling away.
Alvarez with good strikes from the mount here!
Gniewek in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Alvarez landing shots from mount.
Alvarez dominating with strikes here.
Alvarez with the ground and pound from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcio Alvarez dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Gniewek throws a leg kick

and Alvarez counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Alvarez is working for a submission of some sort.
Alvarez working Gniewek over with strikes.
Gniewek regains full guard. Nicely done.

Gniewek working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Alvarez doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Alvarez manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Alvarez looking to pass the guard.
Alvarez with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gniewek can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Alvarez controls the pace.
Alvarez trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Alvarez in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Alvarez makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Gniewek is trying to keep Alvarez in close.
Alvarez is in close to Gniewek's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Alvarez scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Alvarez postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Gniewek has momentary wrist control but Alvarez slips an elbow through the middle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez lands a couple of digs.
Gniewek controls Alvarez momentarily but Alvarez frees himself.
Gniewek keeping moving, preventing Alvarez from controlling successfully.
Julian Gniewek has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Alvarez throwing strikes from guard but Gniewek blocks nicely.
Alvarez scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Gniewek seems keen to control Alvarez's posture.
Our spies down at at mickeyharts the greatest inform us that Gniewek has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?
Gniewek keeping moving, preventing Alvarez from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gniewek is keeping the position for now.
Alvarez loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Alvarez loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Alvarez looking to sit in guard and control but Gniewek gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Gniewek trying to control the position from guard on top but Alvarez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Gniewek is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Alvarez is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Alvarez has escaped and now he's on top!

Gniewek is trying to keep Alvarez in close.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gniewek looking for a sweep. Not yet Gniewek, not yet.
Alvarez wants to pass the guard but Gniewek is keeping the position.

Gniewek looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Alvarez connects with a couple of short punches.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gniewek has momentary wrist control but Alvarez slips an elbow through the middle.
Marcio Alvarez is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Alvarez controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Gniewek working for submissions but it's allowed Alvarez to get to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marcio Alvarez showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Alvarez 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 Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 30:27
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marcio Alvarez!
A relieved looking Marcio Alvarez thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.