PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Caio Carvalho (ranked 417 p4p, 1636 weight class) and Ike James (ranked 54 p4p, 227 weight class). Carvalho comes to the cage accompanied by Pentagono - É o Moio. Ike James acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Carvalho
vs
James

181 cm
22
180
10 - 2 - 0

177 cm
23
177
4 - 1 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Basic striking
Good gas tank

Brooklyn Apothecary
Bondi MMA 🏝️

Shadow Realm Apparel
Fenrir Fightgear - Anno 2013

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 10 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Caio Carvalho!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ike James!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, Lou da Vinci and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
James shoots in but no luck this time.
Carvalho connects with a single shot there.
James closes the distance and clinches up with Carvalho, looking for a takedown. James pushes Carvalho against the cage but Carvalho circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
James uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Carvalho.
Carvalho moves into range and connects with a jab.
James closes this distance looking for a takedown but Carvalho circles away.
Caio Carvalho has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ike James.
James shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Carvalho counters with a lovely straight right hand!

James closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Carvalho quickly recovers to half guard.
Carvalho is trying to get back to full guard.

James is looking for a kimura but Carvalho is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for James to get the leverage.
The fighters are battling for position here. Carvalho manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Carvalho keeping moving, preventing James from controlling successfully.
James trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carvalho controlling the position.
James trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Carvalho keeping moving, preventing James from controlling successfully.
James trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
James controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
James forces his way into half guard.
James is looking to advance position but Carvalho won't allow it.

James is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
James not doing much here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

James is working for a kimura but Carvalho is defending it quite comfortably.
Carvalho wants to get back to full guard.

James seems to be trying to get a kimura but instead Carvalho has recovered full guard.
Carvalho tries to land a sweep but no joy.
James trying to control but Carvalho is working from the bottom.
James trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Carvalho manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

James has momentary wrist control but Carvalho slips an elbow through the middle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
James looking for a sweep. Not yet James, not yet.
Carvalho postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
We've been hearing good reports from Carvalho'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.
Carvalho distracts James with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Our spies down at at CHECMATE PRIME MMA inform us that James has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?
James lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

James trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
James is still trying to improve position.
James trying to control but Carvalho is working from the bottom.
James is looking to pass into half guard but Carvalho pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Carvalho is in guard.

Carvalho wants to control from the top but James keeps moving.
Carvalho postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

James looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Carvalho throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as James works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Carvalho scoring with some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
James wants to sweep but no luck.
Carvalho trying to control the position from guard on top but James is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Carvalho postures up in James's guard and throws a big left but James blocks it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Carvalho works over James with some ground and pound from guard.
James has his hands on Carvalho's head, controlling the position.

James is looking for a triangle but Carvalho pushes his legs off easily.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
James looking for a sweep. Not yet James, not yet.
Carvalho working some strikes from top position.
Carvalho scoring with punches to the head and body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
James 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.
Carvalho throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as James works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
James wants to improve his position but instead Carvalho has moved into half guard.

Carvalho is looking for a kimura but James is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Carvalho to get the leverage.
James wants to get back to full guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Caio Carvalho dominated that round.
That's time! Carvalho's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

James scores with a takedown into Carvalho's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Carvalho keeping full guard, as James tries to pass.
James looking to sit in guard and control but Carvalho gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

James keeping moving, preventing Carvalho from controlling successfully.
Carvalho is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Carvalho stopping the sweep attempt from James.
Carvalho working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Carvalho distracts James with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now James is on top in guard.

James won't allow Carvalho to sweep him here.
James wants to pass the guard but Carvalho is keeping the position.
Carvalho is adopting a defensive guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
James trying to control the position from guard on top but Carvalho is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Carvalho looking for a guillotine here but James defends easily.
James preventing the sweep.
Carvalho keeping moving, preventing James from controlling successfully.
Carvalho looking to hit a scissor sweep but James is one step ahead there.

That's two 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.
James content to stall in guard here.
James stands and throws Carvalho's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Carvalho is not content to let James control the position.
Carvalho is trying to improve his position.

James in side control, working for a kimura. He's got hold of an arm and he's torquing it... Carvalho is tapping! That's the end of the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Ike James!
Our winner, Ike James, 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.