PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Thiago Pereira (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Franco Valdez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Pereira
vs
Valdez

180 cm
22
158 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

188 cm
22
160 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Thiago Pereira!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Franco Valdez!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, William Peck and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pereira scores with a jab to the body.
Valdez looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Pereira is fending him off so far but Valdez persists. Nope, Pereira circles away and we're back to standing.
Pereira misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Valdez.
Valdez misses with a head kick.
Pereira lands with a nice combination. Valdez backs away looking to recover.
Valdez misses the body punch
and Pereira counters with a straight right hand.
Thiago Pereira seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pereira throws a front kick that sends Valdez stumbling back into the cage.
Pereira misses with the combination.
Pereira connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Pereira throws a right hand that Valdez ducks under and follows up with a left that Valdez also avoids with ease.

Valdez moves into the clinch.
Pereira is working for takedown but Valdez is calmly controlling the position for now.

Valdez breaks from the clinch.
Valdez throws a front kick aimed at Pereira's knee but Pereira avoids it well.
Valdez misses with a double jab.
Pereira lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Valdez at a distance.
Pereira lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Pereira.
Pereira goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Pereira misses with a double jab.
Valdez throws a jab when Pereira was well out of range.
Pereira scores with a jab. Valdez acknowledges it with a nod of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pereira's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Pereira duly obliges.
Pereira works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Valdez moves into range and connects with a jab.
Valdez keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Pereira lands a nice hook to Valdez's body. Valdez takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Pereira circles away from the clinch attempt
and Pereira counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

Valdez is rocked!
Pereira throws a series of punches but Valdez avoids them all with ease.
Pereira misses with a combination

and Valdez decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Pereira's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Pereira controls Valdez momentarily but Valdez frees himself.
Pereira wants to sweep but no luck.
Pereira controlling the position.

Pereira escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Valdez gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Valdez throwing strikes from guard but Pereira blocks nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pereira looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Pereira lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Valdez!
Pereira is breathing heavily.
Pereira landing strikes, looking to finish!
Valdez is looking to improve his position but Pereira isn't that keen on the idea.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Valdez is squirming around, avoiding Pereira's attempts to control the action.
Valdez is looking to improve his position but Pereira isn't that keen on the idea.
Pereira with a couple of short strikes.
Pereira working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Valdez really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pereira can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Valdez is looking to escape.
Valdez is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Pereira in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Pereira landing shots from mount.
Valdez is trying to escape the mount.
Valdez taking shots to the head.
Pereira has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Pereira working the ground and pound effectively.

Pereira is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Valdez can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Valdez is trying desperately to improve position.
A nice elbow there by Pereira.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Valdez tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Pereira fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

Pereira is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Valdez has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Pereira throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Pereira fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

It looks like Franco Valdez has been cut.
Pereira looking to control but Valdez is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Pereira looking to control and managing it successfully.

Pereira working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pereira tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Pereira dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Franco Valdez's cut.
That's time! Pereira's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Valdez wants to land a leg kick but Pereira is out of range.
Left hook, right uppercut from Pereira.
Valdez doesn't manage to clinch there - Pereira circles away.
Valdez dodges the punch combination from Pereira.
Valdez takes a jab right on the kisser.

Pereira gets the takedown into side control.
Valdez gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Valdez is looking to get to half guard.
Pereira trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Valdez somehow manages to escape the mount and get back to his feet!

Pereira shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pereira trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Valdez is breathing heavily.
Valdez is trying desperately to improve position.
Pereira sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Pereira lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Pereira controlling his opponent.
Pereira landing punches.
Thiago Pereira overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Pereira prevents Valdez from getting the reversal.
Valdez is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Pereira lands a heavy elbow.
Valdez tries to lock up and control but Pereira gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Pereira takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Pereira postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Valdez looks a forlorn figure.
Valdez regains half guard.
Pereira working over Valdez with some ground and pound. Valdez looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Pereira working the head and body with strikes.

Pereira is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Valdez has managed to free his arm - good work.
Valdez tries to roll over but Pereira keeps him under control.

Valdez looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Valdez wants to get back to full guard.
Pereira is tying to control. Valdez wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Valdez misses the body punch

so Pereira counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Pereira preventing the sweep.

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

Valdez looking for a guillotine here but Pereira defends easily.
Valdez lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Pereira!

Valdez has hold of Pereira's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Pereira manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Pereira is desperately trying to improve his position but Valdez has a good base and remains in mount.

Valdez working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Pereira gets back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Valdez lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Pereira wants to get back to full guard.
Pereira striking from the bottom.
Valdez takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Pereira manages to get to full guard.

Valdez postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Pereira is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Valdez, into his guard.
Valdez keeping full guard, as Pereira tries to pass.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pereira trying to control but Valdez is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Pereira dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Franco Valdez's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Valdez uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Pereira.
Pereira is looking to wear down Valdez with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Valdez fails to land the takedown.
Pereira swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Valdez fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Valdez has a takedown stuffed.
Pereira with a jab.
Pereira scores with a hook.
Pereira looks to land a combination but Valdez avoids it well.

Pereira forces Valdez back against the cage and clinches.
Pereira wants to break the clinch but can't.
Valdez misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Pereira.
Valdez wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Valdez breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Decent striking displayed by Pereira there.
Valdez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Some wild striking there from Pereira.
Pereira is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Pereira lands a nice hook to Valdez's body. Valdez takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
A big right from Pereira misses.
Pereira fails with the takedown

and Valdez counters with a shoot takedown. Pereira fights it but they end up in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pereira is trying to keep Valdez in close.

Pereira is looking for a triangle but Valdez pushes his legs off easily.
Pereira manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Valdez manages to get himself to full guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Valdez is on top in guard.
Valdez prevents Pereira from getting back to his feet.
Valdez works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Pereira moves into full guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Pereira is on top in guard.
Valdez looking for a sweep. Not yet Valdez, not yet.
Valdez keeping moving, preventing Pereira from controlling successfully.
Pereira working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pereira wants to control from the top but Valdez keeps moving.
Pereira passes into half guard.
Valdez slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Pereira stopping the sweep attempt from Valdez.
Pereira trying to control the position from guard on top but Valdez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Valdez is on top in guard.
Valdez wants to pass the guard but Pereira is keeping the position.

Pereira is working actively from the bottom, looking for submissions. He's escaped his hips to the side and he's going for an armbar! Valdez has his hands clasped together but Pereira extends an breaks Valdez's desperate grasp, forcing a tap out due to armbar! Nice BJJ displayed there by Pereira.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:01 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Thiago Pereira!