PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Aaron Sparrow (ranked 2533 p4p, 3203 weight class) and Nathan Perez (ranked 341 p4p, 421 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Sparrow
vs
Perez

179 cm
25
178
1 - 0 - 0

177 cm
25
178
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Aaron Sparrow!
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, Nathan Perez!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Felipe Paraventi and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sparrow tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Perez swivels and escapes.

Sparrow closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Sparrow lands in his opponent's guard.
Sparrow makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Perez being controlled here, momentarily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sparrow trying to control the position from guard on top but Perez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sparrow wants to pass the guard but Perez is keeping the position.
Sparrow wants to control from the top but Perez keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sparrow decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Perez, up you get!
Perez stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Sparrow connects with a good right hand that stumbles Perez. Perez circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

Perez drives through and clinches with Sparrow against the cage.
Perez managing to block the knees to the body from Sparrow.

Sparrow's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Sparrow pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Sparrow misses with a head kick.
Perez shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Perez wants to clinch up but Sparrow keeps it at a distance.
Perez tries to clinch there but Sparrow circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sparrow gets tackled into the cage by Perez. Perez maintains the clinch.
Perez is trying to force a seperation but Sparrow has the dominant position.
Perez tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Sparrow smiles and moves away.
Perez misses with a takedown attempt - Sparrow sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Sparrow tries to counter with a takedown but Perez is quick to defend against it.
Aaron Sparrow has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nathan Perez.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Sparrow.
Sparrow misses with a few strikes there.
Perez lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Sparrow backs up against the cage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Perez shoots in looking for a takedown. Sparrow tries to sprawl out of it but Perez keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Sparrow manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Perez avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sparrow shoots in but Perez avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Perez shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Sparrow but Sparrow pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Sparrow tries to close the distance and clinch up but Perez swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Sparrow shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Perez defends it nicely.
Sparrow sets himself, and Perez steps forward looking for the clinch! Sparrow avoids it this time.
Perez gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Sparrow counters by moving into the clinch.
Sparrow gets underhooks to prevent Perez's takedown attempt.

Perez pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Sparrow has Perez up against the cage in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sparrow lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Sparrow is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Perez!
Sparrow looking to control and managing it successfully.

Sparrow swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Perez is now in Sparrow's guard. A big mistake from Sparrow there, giving up the dominant position!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sparrow looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

Sparrow is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Aaron Sparrow dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Perez moves into the clinch.
Perez jumps guard but Sparrow stands there with Perez around his waist. Perez gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Sparrow stalls.
Sparrow doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Perez is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Perez jumps guard but Sparrow turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Aaron Sparrow has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nathan Perez.
Sparrow stalling the fight.

Perez breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Sparrow swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Perez counters with a big head kick but Sparrow shrugs it off.

Sparrow clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sparrow tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Perez just stands there and leans against the cage.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Sparrow has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Perez after a bit of a struggle.
Sparrow using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Perez has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Sparrow looking to throw knees to the head but Perez is blocking nicely.

Sparrow decides to pull guard.
Sparrow is trying to control the position but Perez postures up.

Sparrow is working an open guard so Perez takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Sparrow shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Perez with the counter takedown but Sparrow avoids it easily.

Perez looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Sparrow!
Sparrow tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aaron Sparrow overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Perez looking for the RNC.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Sparrow is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Perez is trying to stick to Sparrow's back but Sparrow is turning into Perez. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Perez's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Sparrow.
Sparrow forces his way into half guard.

Sparrow stands up from half guard.
Nathan Perez seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Perez is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Sparrow's half guard.

Sparrow pushes Perez off and gets back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Perez takes the fight into the clinch.
Sparrow is trying to break the clinch but Perez is controlling him.
Sparrow is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Perez can do to turn this around?

Sparrow has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Perez is trying to keep an underhook but Sparrow manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Perez is looking for a sweep. Sparrow is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Sparrow looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Perez with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sparrow trying to control the action but Perez is working from the bottom.
Perez gets back to full guard.

Perez looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Sparrow passes into half guard.
Sparrow trying to control from half guard but Perez is working away.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Aaron Sparrow dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Perez tries to clinch but Sparrow is having none of it.
Sparrow throws a big counter combination but Perez scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Sparrow blocks a head kick by Perez.
Perez shoots in but no luck this time.

Sparrow clinches up against the cage.
Perez prevents the takedown attempt.
Perez tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Sparrow tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Perez smiles and moves away.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Sparrow.

Perez throws Sparrow to one side and escapes!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Sparrow shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Perez as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aaron Sparrow. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Perez falls off balance throwing a combination

and Sparrow counters by moving into the clinch.
Perez is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Sparrow misses with a short punch on the inside.
Perez taking a breather.
Sparrow displaying some good clinch control by pressing Perez up against the cage.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Sparrow.
Sparrow seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
Sparrow wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Perez has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Perez is trying to drag Sparrow to the mat but Sparrow just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Perez breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Sparrow throws a head kick that misses.
Perez with the counter takedown but Sparrow avoids it easily.
Aaron Sparrow is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nice cross by Perez.

Sparrow decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Perez regains full guard. Nicely done.
Perez trying to control the position.
Sparrow wants to control from the top but Perez keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Perez pulls Sparrow in to control the position.
Perez is striking from the bottom but Sparrow uses the opportunity to pass into half guard.
Sparrow not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Perez tries to kick Sparrow off but Sparrow keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Sparrow tries to pass to full mount but Perez defends it.
Sparrow wants to take a breather but Perez is having none of it.

Sparrow wants to work for an arm triangle but Perez is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

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.

Perez looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Sparrow stands up out of the half guard.

Perez fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Sparrow, pushing him back against the cage.

Sparrow has picked Perez up - he's going for a ride! Sparrow dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Sparrow is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Perez keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Nathan Perez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Aaron Sparrow is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Perez punching from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Aaron Sparrow.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Sparrow, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aaron Sparrow!