PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rafa Soares (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alafoti Toeaina (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Toeaina has chosen Push It to the Limit as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Soares
vs
Toeaina

183 cm
23
205 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

194 cm
23
220 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Inexperienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rafa Soares!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Alafoti Toeaina !
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Tiny Johnson and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Soares slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Toeaina tries a head kick but it misses.

Toeaina lands a big head kick that sends Soares tumbling to the mat! Toeaina takes a step backwards and waves Soares back to his feet - he wants the finish!
Soares throws a head kick that misses

and Toeaina counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Toeaina .

Toeaina pulls Soares into guard.
Soares tries to stand but Toeaina is controlling from the bottom.
Soares wants to control from the top but Toeaina keeps moving.
Toeaina bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Soares's guard.

Toeaina drops back looking for a leg! Soares is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Soares manages to kick Toeaina off! Toeaina jumps back into Soares's guard.
Toeaina tries to free his leg and advance position but Soares is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Soares is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Toeaina defends well.

Toeaina is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Soares is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Soares has escaped and now he's on top!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Soares tries to free his leg and advance position but Toeaina is retaining full guard.
Toeaina looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Soares might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Soares trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Toeaina controlling Soares's posture.
Toeaina 's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Soares looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Toeaina tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Soares wanted to stand there but Toeaina had control of the position.
Soares is looking to work some ground and pound but Toeaina has wrist control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Toeaina has taken the fight to the clinch.
Toeaina tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Soares just stands there and leans against the cage.
Soares tries to circle away but Toeaina has him pinned against the cage.

Toeaina pulls Soares into guard.
Toeaina has a closed guard, preventing Soares from standing up.

Soares thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Soares is breathing heavily.
Toeaina is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alafoti Toeaina 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.

A head kick misses from Soares.
Soares tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rafa Soares seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Toeaina forces Soares back against the cage and clinches.
Soares is trying to force a seperation but Toeaina has the dominant position.
Soares tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Toeaina smiles and moves away.
A head kick misses from Soares.

Toeaina gets a clinch.
Soares tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Toeaina smiles and moves away.
Soares pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rafa Soares is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Soares throws a head kick but Toeaina moves out of range.
Soares throws a sloppy head kick and Toeaina moves out of range easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Soares misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Toeaina tries a head kick but it misses.
Soares moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.

Toeaina has managed to clinch.
Toeaina jumps guard but Soares stands there with Toeaina around his waist. Toeaina gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Toeaina tries to pull guard but Soares holds him up against the cage and eventually Toeaina drops back down to his feet.

Toeaina manages to pull guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Soares postures up in Toeaina 's guard and throws a big left but Toeaina blocks it.
Soares throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Soares accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Soares forces his way into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Soares is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Toeaina has managed to free his arm - good work.
Soares tries to stand and escape but Toeaina actually recovers to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Toeaina wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Soares has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Toeaina is proving hard to escape from.
Soares trying to control but Toeaina is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Toeaina has a closed guard, preventing Soares from standing up.
Toeaina controlling the position.
Let's hope that Toeaina has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Soares throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Toeaina works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Soares tries to free his leg and advance position but Toeaina is retaining full guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
A head kick from Toeaina lands but Soares takes it in his stride.
Toeaina pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Toeaina throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Toeaina is looking to clinch but Soares is avoiding it.

Toeaina lands a big head kick that sends Soares tumbling to the mat! Toeaina takes a step backwards and waves Soares back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Soares is rocked!

Toeaina moves into the clinch.
Oh Soares is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

Toeaina pulls guard.
Toeaina pulls Soares in close to his closed guard and prevents Soares from doing any damage or advancing position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Toeaina preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alafoti Toeaina showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Toeaina fails in his attempt to clinch.
Soares seems to have got his legs back now.
Soares tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Soares throws a sloppy head kick

and Toeaina counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Toeaina fails to pull guard.
Soares is trying to force a seperation but Toeaina has the dominant position.
Soares is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Toeaina pulls Soares into guard.
Soares wants to stand but Toeaina is controlling his posture from full guard.
Toeaina has Soares pulled in close to control his posture.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Soares thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Toeaina keeping full guard, as Soares tries to pass.
Soares trying to control but Toeaina is working from the bottom.

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.
Soares is fighting to break Toeaina 's control of his arms but Toeaina is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Soares trying to control but Toeaina is working from the bottom.
Toeaina pulls Soares in to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Alafoti Toeaina .
A head kick misses from Soares.
Soares misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A head kick misses from Toeaina .
Toeaina misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Toeaina clinches up against the cage.

Toeaina drags the fight down to the ground.
Toeaina has Soares pulled in close to control his posture.

That's four 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.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Soares tries to free his leg and advance position but Toeaina is retaining full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alafoti Toeaina comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Toeaina has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alafoti Toeaina !