PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Joey Williams (ranked 2403 p4p, 3870 weight class) and Helio Flacide (ranked 318 p4p, 435 weight class). Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Williams
vs
Flacide

185 cm
28
195
7 - 4 - 0

187 cm
27
194
5 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

Furnace Performance ðŸ”¥

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Joey Williams!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Helio Flacide!
The judges for this bout are Joseph Jones, Russell Pearce and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Flacide tries to close the distance and clinch but Williams swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Flacide moves into range and clinches up with Williams.
Flacide is looking to take this one to the mat.

Flacide ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Flacide no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Williams has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Williams accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Williams wants to pass the guard but Flacide is keeping the position.
Flacide keeping moving, preventing Williams from controlling successfully.
Flacide bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Williams's guard.

Williams trying to control the position here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Flacide drops back looking for a leg! Williams is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Williams manages to kick Flacide off! Flacide jumps back into Williams's guard.

Flacide avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Williams wants to sweep here but Flacide controlling him for the moment.
Williams not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Flacide drops back looking for a leg! Williams is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Williams manages to kick Flacide off! Flacide jumps back into Williams's guard.

Flacide drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Flacide jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Flacide is looking to advance position but Williams has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

Williams controlling from mount.
Williams landing shots from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Williams landing strikes, looking to finish!
Flacide really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Flacide regains half guard.
Williams prevents Flacide from improving his position.
Flacide gets full guard.
Williams tries to free his leg and advance position but Flacide is retaining full guard.
Williams missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Flacide wants to sweep here but Williams controlling him for the moment.

Flacide working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Williams doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Williams manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Williams landing some decent shots from guard.
Williams trying to control the position from guard on top but Flacide is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Williams throwing strikes from guard but Flacide blocks nicely.

Flacide looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Flacide 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.
Williams loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's four 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.
Williams postures up and lands a big shot to Flacide's brow.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Flacide had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Williams defends it easily.
Flacide wants to sweep but no luck.

Flacide has an active guard here but Williams has managed to pass into half guard.
Williams working the head and body with strikes.
Williams controlling the action here.
Williams slips a nice elbow through Flacide's hands, connecting with Flacide's forehead.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Williams throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Williams stalling.
Flacide wants to improve his position but Williams is controlling well.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Joey Williams 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.

Williams throws a body kick that misses.
Flacide tries to clinch up but Williams circles away and keeps his distance.
Flacide looks to clinch
and Williams counters with a stiff right hand.
Williams circles away from the clinch attempt.
Flacide tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Williams manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Flacide tries to clinch

and Williams counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Williams takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Flacide tries to roll over but Williams keeps him under control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Williams working the head and body with strikes.
Williams lands with a punch from half guard.
Flacide trying to control from the bottom.
Flacide is refusing to be controlled, as Williams sits in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Flacide looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Williams seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Williams lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Flacide is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Williams's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Williams's back!

Williams preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Flacide.
Williams trying to survive by controlling the hands.
Flacide not allowing Williams to control his hands.
You can see the frustration on Williams's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.

Flacide tightening his grip on Williams, looking for the choke.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Williams wants to control his opponent's hands but Flacide gets his hands free.

Williams is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Flacide gets his way!
Flacide is hanging on to Williams's back as he tries to escape.
Williams trying to control the hands but Flacide breaks the grip.
Flacide has the hooks in. Williams is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Williams just trying to survive but Flacide is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Joey Williams overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Even with his hooks in, Flacide manages to miss with strikes from the back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Williams trying to control the hands but Flacide breaks the grip.
Flacide missing with strikes.
Williams trying to control but not successfully.

Williams defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Flacide's arms.
Flacide doesn't have the hooks in and Williams manages to turn into his guard.
Williams wants to control from the top but Flacide keeps moving.
Williams trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Flacide is on top in guard.

Flacide sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Williams's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Williams blocking the ground and pound attempt from Flacide.

Flacide is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Williams has managed to free his arm - good work.
Flacide throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Flacide is looking to advance position but Williams won't allow it.

Flacide is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Williams has managed to free his arm - good work.
Williams wants to improve his position but Flacide is controlling well.
Williams is trying is best to control the position here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Helio Flacide will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Flacide tries to clinch up.
Flacide tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Williams looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Flacide tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Williams manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Flacide gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Flacide tries to pull guard but Williams won't allow it.

Flacide jumps into guard, dragging Williams to the mat.
Williams is in close to Flacide's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Williams is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Williams content to stall in guard here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Williams postures up and lands a big shot to Flacide's brow.

Flacide has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Williams can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Flacide is trying to control the position but Williams postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Williams scoring with punches to the head and body.
Williams lands a couple of digs.
Williams landing with the ground and pound.
Flacide looking to hit a scissor sweep but Williams is one step ahead there.
Flacide preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Williams looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Flacide working a defensive guard here.

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.
Flacide is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Williams's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Flacide has momentary wrist control but Williams slips an elbow through the middle.
Williams looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Flacide working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Williams.
Williams is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Flacide had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Williams defends it easily.
Flacide is trying to control the position but Williams postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Williams throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Flacide works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Williams throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Flacide works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Williams postures up.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Flacide looking for subs off his back but Williams has passed one foot through into half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Williams lands a nice short elbow.
Flacide avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Williams.
Williams stalling.
Williams is nestled in close to Flacide, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Williams working over Flacide with some ground and pound. Flacide looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Williams is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

Flacide is defending against the submission attempts here by Williams.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Williams thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Flacide is trying to maintain the position but Williams is very close to passing his half guard.
Williams slows the pace down in half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Williams not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joey Williams showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Williams 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 29:28
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joey Williams!
Joey Williams decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.