PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Thiago Oliveira (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tim Brando (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Oliveira
vs
Brando

170 cm
19
150 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

184 cm
25
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Prefers standup

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Thiago Oliveira!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tim Brando!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, George Francis and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Oliveira.
Brando stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Brando's corner calls for a 1-2. Brando obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.

Brando has closed the distance and engaged Oliveira in a clinch.

Brando breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A punch combination from Brando misses.
Brando leaves Oliveira with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Oliveira tries a head kick but it misses.
Brando is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Oliveira is defended easily by Brando.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thiago Oliveira. That's going to take a lot out of him.
No luck for Oliveira with that takedown attempt.
Oliveira throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Brando throws a head kick but Oliveira moves out of range.
Oliveira throws a right and a left that both miss.
Brando throws a head kick but Oliveira moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A left lands for Brando.
Brando displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Oliveira throws out the jab.
Brando tries to bum rush Oliveira with a series of wild strikes but Oliveira uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Brando is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Oliveira takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Oliveira is breathing heavily.
Brando fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Oliveira looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Brando lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Oliveira circles away quickly and effectively.

Brando closes the distance and pushes Oliveira back into the cage.

Brando manages to break the clinch.
Brando swinging wildly here.

Brando lands a big head kick that sends Oliveira tumbling to the mat! Brando takes a step backwards and waves Oliveira back to his feet - he wants the finish!
Brando lands a nice shot that snaps Oliveira's head back.
Brando scores with a nice body kick.
Brando throws a right and a left that Oliveira avoids nicely.

Brando has closed the distance and engaged Oliveira in a clinch.

Brando's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Oliveira tries to clinch up.
Brando misses with a two punch combination.
Brando throws a series of punches but Oliveira avoids them all with ease.

Brando gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Brando pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Brando forces Oliveira back against the cage and clinches.

Brando's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Brando lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Oliveira tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Brando manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Oliveira misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Brando scores with a jab to the jaw.

Brando gets a clinch.

Brando manages to break the clinch.
A looping hook to the body misses from Brando. Oliveira does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Oliveira with a lazy takedown attempt
and Brando connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Oliveira. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.

Brando moves into the clinch successfully.
Oliveira tries to break the clinch but Brando is controlling the position.

Brando manages to break the clinch.
Oliveira wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Donk. Brando catches Oliveira right on the button with a cross.

Oliveira shoots in and bounces Brando off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Brando is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Brando can do anything to dispel that myth.
Brando really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Oliveira. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Oliveira scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Oliveira wants to control from the top but Brando keeps moving.
Oliveira won't allow Brando to get back to his feet.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Oliveira stands and steps away. Brando gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Brando scores with a head kick. Oliveira tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tim Brando dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Brando misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Oliveira.
Oliveira shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Brando as he jumps to the side.
Oliveira darts in looking for a takedown but Brando gets double underhooks and turns Oliveira into the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thiago Oliveira. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Brando breaks the clinch.
Brando pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Brando falls off balance throwing a combination
and Oliveira counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Brando moves into the clinch successfully.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

Brando breaks from the clinch.

Brando darts in and clinches Oliveira up against the cage.
Oliveira tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Brando pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Brando throws a right hand that Oliveira ducks under and follows up with a left that Oliveira also avoids with ease.
Oliveira moves out of range of the body kick.
Brando paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Brando fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Oliveira sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Oliveira walks into a stiff left hand from Brando.

Brando closes the distance and clinches.
Oliveira tries to pull guard but Brando forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Brando manages to break the clinch.
Brando has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Brando throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Oliveira on the side of the head.
Brando misses with a two punch combination.
Brando takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Oliveira looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Brando has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Oliveira shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Brando defends it nicely.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Brando darts in and clinches Oliveira up against the cage.

Brando manages to break the clinch.
Oliveira shoots for a takedown but Brando saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Brando clinches up against the cage.

Brando escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nice uppercut lands for Brando. That snapped Oliveira's head back.
Oliveira takes a kick to the side of the head.

Brando closes the distance and clinches.

Brando manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Oliveira.
Decent striking displayed by Brando there.
Tim Brando is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Oliveira fails with a takedown attempt.
Brando throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Brando dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Oliveira steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Brando. That one must have hurt.

Brando fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Oliveira, pushing him back against the cage.

Brando pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Brando closes the distance and pushes Oliveira back into the cage.

Brando breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Good leg kick by Brando there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Oliveira avoids a kick to the body.
Brando uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Oliveira.

Brando has Oliveira up against the cage in a clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Oliveira tries to break the clinch but Brando is controlling the position.

Brando breaks the clinch.
Brando connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Brando lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Brando misses with a series of wild punches.
Oliveira blocks a jab.
Thiago Oliveira is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Oliveira 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.
Oliveira trying to control but Brando is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tim Brando showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Oliveira circles away from the clinch attempt.
Brando misses with a two punch combination.

Brando has Oliveira up against the cage in a clinch.

Brando breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Oliveira bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Nice sprawl there from Brando as Oliveira shoots in.
Oliveira takes one to the side of the head.
Tim Brando seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Brando throws a head kick but Oliveira moves out of range.
Oliveira throws a right hand that Brando ducks under and follows up with a left that Brando also avoids with ease.

Brando gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Oliveira gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Oliveira lands a couple of decent looking shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Oliveira pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Brando is keeping the position for now.
Brando is wriggling around but Oliveira manages to pass to half guard.

Oliveira is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Brando defends it well.
Oliveira prevents Brando from standing back up.
Oliveira is looking to stall here but Brando recovers full guard.

Brando has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Oliveira off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Oliveira shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Brando but Brando pushes him off and we're back to square one.
A head kick misses from Brando.

Brando moves into the clinch.

Brando breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Brando misses with a head kick.

Brando rushes Oliveira and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Oliveira misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Brando.

Brando breaks from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Brando clinches up with Oliveira and pushes him back against the cage.
Oliveira tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Brando smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thiago Oliveira. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Brando scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Brando looks to land a combination but Oliveira avoids it well.
A head kick misses from Brando.

Oliveira drives through with a takedown into Brando's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Brando is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Oliveira is controlling him.
Oliveira wants to control from the top but Brando keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Brando is looking to stand up but Oliveira isn't so interested in that idea.

We're going to have a standup here because Thiago Oliveira wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Oliveira fails with a takedown attempt.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Oliveira darts in looking for a takedown but Brando gets double underhooks and turns Oliveira into the cage.
Thiago Oliveira has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Brando pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Oliveira takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tim Brando comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Brando winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:30
Judge George Francis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tim Brando!
Tim Brando bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.