PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Veves Mata (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thiago Dellave (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Mata
vs
Dellave

191 cm
23
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

176 cm
25
181 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Prefers standup

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Veves Mata!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thiago Dellave!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Mauricio Rocha and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mata tries to clinch but Dellave moves out of range.
Horrible takedown attempt by Mata or perhaps it was just good defense by Dellave, which made it look bad.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Dellave! But no joy.
Dellave circles away from the clinch attempt.
Dellave looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Mata dodges the punch combination from Dellave.
Mata drops down looking for a counter takedown but Dellave sprawls and moves away.
Mata moves in looking to clinch but Dellave pushes him off.
Dellave throws a counter combo.
Dellave circles away from the clinch attempt.
Mata throws a sloppy head kick
and Dellave counters with a body kick.
Dellave throws a sloppy head kick and Mata moves out of range easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dellave throws the left hand but Mata avoids the punch easily.
Dellave throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Mata is looking for a counter combo.
Mata lands with a slapping head kick.
Dellave uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Mata has time to react.
Dellave showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Mata.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A bone on bone clash there as Mata blocks the leg kick.
Mata tries to clinch up but Dellave circles away and keeps his distance.
Mata misses with a takedown attempt
and Mata takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Mata misses with a double jab.
It seemed like Dellave was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Mata ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Dellave throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Mata tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Dellave paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Mata gets a clinch.
Mata dodges an elbow strike from Dellave.
Mata is trying to break free.

Mata pulls guard effortlessly.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dellave throws a big right hand that misses.
Mata utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Mata had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Dellave defends it easily.
Dellave really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Mata. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Mata bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Dellave's guard.

Mata tries to free his leg and advance position but Dellave is retaining full guard.
Dellave has Mata pulled in close to control his posture.
Mata postures up in Dellave's guard and throws a big left but Dellave blocks it.
Dellave controlling the position.
Dellave is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Dellave pulls Mata in to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dellave is continuing to stall.
Dellave wants to hit a switch here but Mata passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Dellave there!
Dellave in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Mata looking to ground and pound but Dellave is blocking nicely.
Mata throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Mata with the ground and pound from mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dellave blocking the ground and pound.
Mata throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Mata controlling the pace for now.
Mata thowing shots but they're missing.
Dellave is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Dellave is squirming around, avoiding Mata's attempts to control the action.
Dellave is working to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Veves Mata dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Mata wants to clinch up but Dellave keeps it at a distance.
Dellave misses with a low kick.
Dellave uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Nice body kick there by Mata.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Mata.
Mata wants to clinch.
Mata slips a jab from Dellave.
Mata is looking for a counter combo.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dellave displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Mata.
Dellave only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Dellave tries a head kick but it misses.
Mata shoots for a double leg takedown but Dellave sprawls well. He's pushed Mata's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mata tries to land a front kick but Dellave steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Dellave! But no joy.
Mata ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Dellave moves away.
Dellave flicks out a counter leg kick but Mata steps away.
Dellave misses with a low kick.
Mata tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Dellave looks to throw the jab but Mata is out of range.
Veves Mata seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Dellave swats away the attempt to clinch by Mata.
Mata shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Dellave sprawls well. Dellave wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Mata gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Veves Mata. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mata tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Dellave paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Dellave misses with a left hand
and Mata counters with a two punch combo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mata lands with a kick to the temple. Dellave shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Mata tries a head kick but it misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Mata showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Dellave.
Mata lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Thiago Dellave is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A head kick misses from Mata.
Mata displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Dellave throws out the jab.
Veves Mata is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Mata moves out of range as Dellave throws a body kick.
Dellave avoids the head kick by Mata.
Dellave stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Dellave wants it to stay on the feet.
It seemed like Dellave was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
A combination from Dellave does no damage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Dellave with a nice cross.
Dellave misses with a wild combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mata shoots in for a takedown but Dellave shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Mata avoids the elbow strike from Dellave, against the cage.
Dellave dodges an elbow strike from Mata.
Mata blocks the elbow strike.
Mata avoids a wild elbow strike from Dellave.
Dellave throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
With the fighters up against the cage, Dellave throws an elbow but misses.
Mata dodges an elbow strike from Dellave.
Dellave throws an elbow that misses.
Dellave lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Mata tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Dellave avoids it.
Mata jumps guard but Dellave stands there with Mata around his waist. Mata gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Mata escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Dellave throws a half hearted mid kick.
Thiago Dellave seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dellave explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Dellave slaps away a takedown attempt from Mata, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Dellave throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Mata tries to land a front kick but Dellave steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Dellave lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Dellave attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Dellave keeps Mata at a distance using the push kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Mata is looking to clinch but Dellave is avoiding it.
Mata throws a head kick that misses.
Dellave with a hook.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Dellave showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Dellave throws a leg kick that misses.
Mata pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Mata throws a right hand that Dellave ducks under and follows up with a left that Dellave also avoids with ease.

Mata gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Mata can't break the clinch.
Mata drops down looking for an ankle pick but Dellave pulls his leg out and moves away.
Dellave blocks a head kick by Mata.
Dellave connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
A good leg kick by Dellave.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice defenses there by Mata.
Dellave missing with a left hand there. Mata was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Dellave jabs Mata to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Mata misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mata ducks right into an uppercut from Dellave.
Dellave connects with a leg kick. Mata looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Dellave jabs at Mata's body.
Dellave lands a glancing blow to the side of Mata's head.
Mata misses with a double jab.
Dellave misses with a jab, cross combination.
Mata tries to clinch there but Dellave circles away.
No joy there for Mata, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Mata keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Mata misses with a takedown attempt - Dellave sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Mata moves out of range of the strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dellave misses with a head kick.
Dellave feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Matas jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Dellave avoids the head kick by Mata.
Mata avoids the body shot from Dellave.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Dellave lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
A swing and a miss from Dellave.
Dellave keeps the fight on the outside.
Dellave thinks about the counter body kick.
A head kick misses from Dellave.
Mata shoots in for a takedown but Dellave shows good takedown defense.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Dellave! But no joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Veves Mata. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Dellave connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Mata's hands.
Sloppy strikes from Dellave. Those never looked like landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mata takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Dellave throws a body punch but Mata moves out of range.
Mata tries to land a body kick
and Dellave counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Mata thinking.
Dellave jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Dellave throws a hook but Mata avoids it easily.
Mata blocks a head kick by Dellave.
Mata wants to clinch up but Dellave keeps it at a distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Mata looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Dellave misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Mata.
Dellave misses the jab.
Mata tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Dellave manages to circle out of the way.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mata ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Dellave moves away.
Mata defending well as Dellave loads up on a big left hand.
A counter left hand to the body from Mata misses its target.
Dellave with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.

Mata rushes Dellave and presses him up against the cage.
Dellave lands an elbow just above Mata 's eye.

Mata jumps guard.
Mata will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Dellave throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Dellave must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Dellave looking to pass the guard.

Mata had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Dellave defends it easily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Dellave throwing strikes but missing.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thiago Dellave comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Dellave has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thiago Dellave!