PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jake Heke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ricardo Arona (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Jake Heke has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Heke
vs
Arona

183 cm
21
202 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

225 cm
18
205 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Very confident

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jake Heke!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ricardo Arona!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Paulo Santos and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Arona gets the takedown into side control.
Arona working away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Arona advances nicely into full mount.
Arona controlling from the full mount.
Heke manages to regain half guard. Good work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Heke is trying to control but can't.

Heke looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Heke might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Heke trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Arona manages to pass to mount!
Arona wants to take his opponent's back but he's not managed it.
Heke tries to hold on but Arona postures up.
Heke is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Arona is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's two 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.
Heke is desperately trying to improve his position but Arona has a good base and remains in mount.
Heke regains half guard.
Arona wants to pass to mount but Heke is defending the position.

Heke is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Arona pulls his head out easily.
Heke is breathing heavily.
Arona seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arona prevents Heke from improving his position.

Heke looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Well, if Arona is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Arona is thwarting Heke's attempts to control the position.

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.
Arona passes to side control.
Heke struggling a bit here.
Heke is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Arona works to advance to full mount. Heke defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Arona avoids the attempt from Heke to control.
Heke tries to get back to half guard but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricardo Arona dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Heke with a poor takedown

and Arona counters with a nice double leg into side control. Heke won't be happy with that.
Heke is trying to improve his position.
Heke struggling a bit here.
Arona happy to just control the position for now.
Heke is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arona working away.
Heke looking for a sweep but Arona has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Heke is in all sorts of trouble here.

Arona goes for an armbar but Heke turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Heke.
Arona really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Heke. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Heke trying to control but Arona is working from the bottom.

Arona uses the cage to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Heke has his takedown stuffed

and Arona decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Heke's guard.
Arona stays in close to Heke's body and controls the position.
Ricardo Arona has got the better of the ground game so far.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Arona accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Arona engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Heke keeping full guard, as Arona tries to pass.

Heke is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arona postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Arona showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Heke is trying to control the position from the bottom.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Arona gets a takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arona is taking a breather. Heke says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

Heke looking for submissions off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricardo Arona showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Arona closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Heke wants to improve his position but Arona is controlling well.
Heke trying to control but Arona postures up.
Heke wants to get back to full guard.
Arona performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Heke trying to control but Arona postures up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Jake Heke wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Heke closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Arona quickly recovers to half guard.
Arona wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Heke is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Heke is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Arona has managed to free his arm - good work.
Arona is trying to stand back up but Heke is controlling him
Arona is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Heke works his way into full mount!
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Arona can do anything to dispel that myth.
Arona wants to get back to his feet.

Heke is working for a guillotine from mount but Arona frees his head quite easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arona is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Heke takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Arona really wants to buck Heke off and get back to his feet.

Heke with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Arona really wants to buck Heke off and get back to his feet.
Heke content just to control the position here.
Heke tries to control but Arona wriggling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arona trying desperately to get to his feet.
Heke wants to control the pace but Arona is squirming around nicely.
Heke takes Arona's back. Could be looking for a rear naked choke here - either way, Arona is in trouble.

Heke is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Arona wants to get back to his feet.

Heke tightening his grip on Arona, looking for the choke.
Arona wants to get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jake Heke showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Arona 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 28:29
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ricardo Arona!