PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Owen Alvarez (ranked 1147 p4p, 1457 weight class) and Rupert Helenius (ranked 159 p4p, 199 weight class). Rupert Helenius has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Alvarez
vs
Helenius

183 cm
27
169
11 - 6 - 0

185 cm
27
177
8 - 4 - 2

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Paddy's Enhancing Drugs (160Q)

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 11 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Owen Alvarez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 2, fighting out of Amsterdam, Rupert Helenius!
The judges for this bout are Joseph Jones, Jorge Garcia and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Alvarez closes the distance and pushes Helenius back into the cage.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Helenius has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Alvarez lands a nice uppercut.
Alvarez prevents Helenius from breaking the clinch.
Alvarez gets through Helenius's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
I was talking to Alvarez's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
A head punch on the inside from Alvarez fails to land.
Alvarez is working for takedown but Helenius is calmly controlling the position for now.
Alvarez goes for a takedown attempt but Helenius pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Helenius throws a head kick but Alvarez moves out of range.
Alvarez drops down looking for a counter takedown but Helenius sprawls and moves away.
Alvarez takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Helenius swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Alvarez seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Helenius misses with a left hand

and Alvarez counters with a single leg into guard. Helenius didn't expect that.
Alvarez won't allow Helenius to sweep him here.

Helenius working for a triangle but Alvarez defends it easily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Alvarez controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Helenius looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Alvarez's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Helenius working for a triangle but Alvarez defends it easily.
Alvarez is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's two 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.
Alvarez scoring with some ground and pound.
Helenius manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Alvarez manages to get himself to full guard.

There's a bit of a scramble here and now Alvarez is on top in guard.

Alvarez slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Alvarez is looking to advance position but Helenius has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

Alvarez is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Poor strikes thrown by Helenius there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Helenius throws some wild stikes that Alvarez manages to avoid easily.
Helenius can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Alvarez is looking to escape.
Alvarez tries to lock up and control but Helenius gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Alvarez is trying to escape the mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez is squirming around, avoiding Helenius's attempts to control the action.
Alvarez is looking to get to half guard.
Alvarez is working hard here to advance position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Helenius looking to finish with strikes here!
Helenius is in the full mount, landing strikes.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Rupert Helenius will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Alvarez tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Helenius was well out of range. Poor timing from Alvarez.
Helenius misses with a looping right.
Helenius throws a leg kick

and Alvarez counters with a single leg into guard. Helenius didn't expect that.
Helenius keeping moving, preventing Alvarez from controlling successfully.
Alvarez is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Alvarez is in close to Helenius's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Alvarez slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Helenius tries to bench press Alvarez off him but Alvarez keeps the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Alvarez is looking to take a break and control but Helenius is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Helenius tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Alvarez presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Alvarez landing strikes, looking to finish!
Alvarez dominating with strikes here.
Alvarez scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Alvarez sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Helenius is looking to escape.
Alvarez controlling from mount.
Helenius is trying desperately to improve position.
Alvarez tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Alvarez tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Alvarez has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Helenius's face.
Alvarez avoids the attempt from Helenius to control.
Alvarez sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Helenius really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Helenius is trying desperately to improve position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Alvarez is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Helenius can do to turn this around?
Alvarez landing punches.
Helenius is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Alvarez controlling the pace for now.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Owen Alvarez dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

A jab from Helenius misses.
Rupert Helenius has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Alvarez takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
A low kick from Helenius misses

so Alvarez counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Alvarez postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Alvarez's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Alvarez looking to sit in guard and control but Helenius gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Alvarez controls Helenius momentarily but Helenius frees himself.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Alvarez preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Helenius accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Helenius throwing strikes from guard but Alvarez blocks nicely.
Helenius tries to free his leg and advance position but Alvarez is retaining full guard.
Helenius trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Helenius pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Alvarez is keeping the position for now.
Alvarez wants to sweep but no luck.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Alvarez can't keep his opponent in guard - Helenius advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Helenius throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Alvarez wants to get back to full guard.
Helenius not landing any meaningful shots this time.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

Alvarez moves into the clinch.

Alvarez has hold of one of Helenius's legs. Helenius is fighting the takedown attempt but Alvarez gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Alvarez wants to control from the top but Helenius keeps moving.
Helenius controls Alvarez momentarily but Alvarez frees himself.
Owen Alvarez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Alvarez trying to control but Helenius is working from the bottom.
Alvarez is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Alvarez trying to control but Helenius is working from the bottom.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Helenius has his foot on Alvarez's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Alvarez works his way back into a safe position though.

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.
Alvarez looking to pass the guard.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Helenius swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Alvarez bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Alvarez slips a jab from Helenius.
Alvarez feinted with a counter takedown.
Alvarez cracks Helenius with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Alvarez looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Helenius throws a left and a right that both miss

and Alvarez counters with a shoot takedown. Helenius fights it but they end up in guard.
Alvarez makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Helenius will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Alvarez is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Alvarez is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

And that's the end of the fight!
Owen Alvarez showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Alvarez has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Joseph Jones scores the fight for Owen Alvarez!
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight for Owen Alvarez!
Judge John Roberts scores the fight for Owen Alvarez!

Owen Alvarez wins by unanimous decision!
Our winner, Owen Alvarez, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.