PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Bruno Dias (ranked 5077 p4p, 25492 weight class) and Matias H Rees (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Bruno Dias has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Dias
vs
Rees

180 cm
25
140
0 - 1 - 0

200 cm
19
135
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Bruno Dias!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Matias H Rees!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Paulo Santos and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dias explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Dias tries to land a body kick

and Rees counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Dias preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.

Rees stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Dias to get to his feet.
Dias throws a leg kick that is checked

and Rees counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Dias really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Rees tries for a takedown. No joy.
Rees takes a knee to the side of the body.

Rees jumps guard and drags Dias to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Rees wants to sweep but no luck.
Dias wants to control from the top but Rees keeps moving.
Rees lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rees trying to control the position from guard on top but Dias is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dias keeping full guard, as Rees tries to pass.

Dias throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Dias keeping full guard, as Rees tries to pass.

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.
Rees advances position into side control!
Rees working away.
Rees working the ground and pound but Dias is defending the strikes.
Dias is trying to control Rees's posture but Rees avoids it.
Rees wants to control but Dias is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rees stands up and beckons Dias to his feet.
Dias with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.

Dias fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Rees, pushing him back against the cage.
Dias throws a knee to the head but misses.
Dias unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Dias is breathing heavily.
Rees fails to pull guard.
Dias tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Dias tries to land a knee to the head but Rees blocks with his arms.
Rees is working for takedown but Dias is calmly controlling the position for now.
Bruno Dias has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matias H Rees.

Dias escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rees shoots in but Dias avoids the takedown attempt easily.
As Rees tries to get set, Dias tries to push him back and clinch up but Rees manages to avoid the attempt.
Dias lands a nice looking body kick.
Dias throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Dias throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Dias looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.

Dias closes the distance and pushes Rees back into the cage.
Rees is struggling to control the position.
Rees tries for a takedown. No joy.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rees throws a punch but it's blocked by Dias.

Rees jumps into guard, dragging Dias to the mat.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rees is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Bruno Dias will probably get the nod.
That's time! Dias's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Dias misses with the body kick

and Rees counters by moving into the clinch.
Dias avoiding damage.
Dias trying to land knees to the body.
Rees tries for a takedown but Dias manages to get underhooks.
Rees misses with a body punch.
Rees is looking for a takedown.
Rees jumps guard but Dias turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Bruno Dias has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matias H Rees.
Rees avoiding damage as Dias throws knees to the body.
Dias tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dias wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Dias with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Dias tries to land a knee to the head but Rees blocks with his arms.
Dias with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dias gets underhooks to prevent Rees's takedown attempt.
Rees prevents Dias from breaking the clinch.
Rees has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Dias avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Dias breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Dias thuds his shin into the meat of Rees's side.
Dias pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Dias tries to keep at a distance but Rees has taken the fight into the clinch.
Dias tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Rees drags the fight down to the ground.

Dias decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Rees fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Dias avoids it really well and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rees feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Rees throws a big right hand that misses.
Rees is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Dias might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Dias looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Rees trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Dias wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rees looking to sit in guard and control but Dias gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Dias stopping the sweep attempt from Rees.
Rees is controlling Dias's posture.
Dias has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Dias would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Dias preventing the sweep.
Rees is trying to control the position but Dias postures up.

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.

Rees working for a triangle but Dias defends it easily.
Rees throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

Rees is working an open guard so Dias takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Rees tries to keep at a distance but Dias has taken the fight into the clinch.
Dias looking to stall.

Dias breaks the clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Rees closes the distance and pushes Dias back into the cage.

Rees is trying to trip Dias. He has hold of a leg but Dias is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Rees persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Bruno Dias will probably get the nod.
That's time! Dias's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

No luck for Dias with that takedown attempt.
Rees tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Dias defends well and Rees ends up having to push Dias into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Dias is looking for a counter combo.
Dias throws a body kick despite being completely out of range

and Rees counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Rees.

Dias pushes Rees off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Dias throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rees feints the counter takedown.
Rees tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Dias swivels and escapes.
Dias misses with a body kick.
Dias plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Rees enables Dias to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Rees manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Dias tries to stand but Rees is controlling from the bottom.
Rees pulls Dias in close to prevent any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rees trying to keep a closed guard but Dias is proving a slippery customer.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Dias stands and steps away. Rees gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Nice body kick there by Dias.
Rees dives in and grabs Dias's left leg, looking for a takedown. Dias pushes down on Rees's head and hops out.
Bruno Dias has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matias H Rees.

Dias gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Rees drags the fight down to the ground.

Dias stands and steps away. Rees gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dias throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Rees.
Dias stalks Rees and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Rees's face. Rees staggers backwards, shaken.
Rees tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Dias defends well and Rees ends up having to push Dias into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Dias has managed to clinch.
Dias working Rees over with knees to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rees has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Dias trying to control the position but instead, Rees has worked for underhooks and has pushed Dias into the cage.
Rees misses with a short punch on the inside.

Rees breaks from the clinch.
Dias closes the distance and clinches up with Rees, looking for a takedown. Dias pushes Rees against the cage but Rees circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Bruno Dias is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Dias gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Rees to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Matias H Rees has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rees trying to control the position from guard on top but Dias is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rees forces his way into half guard.
Rees lands with a punch from half guard.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Rees working his ground and pound in the gym.
Rees sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dias trying to hold on to Rees's head to control him but Rees postures up.

Rees is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Rees seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Dias does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Dias keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Dias won't allow Rees to pass to mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bruno Dias showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Dias, 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bruno Dias!
During a confident post fight interview, Bruno Dias thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.