PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tigo Alves (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gordon Freeman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Alves
vs
Freeman

190 cm
26
220 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

188 cm
42
205 lbs
19 - 22 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Powerful takedowns
Counter fighter
Fast

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Tigo Alves!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 22 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Gordon Freeman!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Igor Prikhodko and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No joy there for Alves, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Alves throws a right and a left that both miss.
Alves throws a series of punches but Freeman avoids them all with ease.
Tigo Alves seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Alves fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Alves fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Alves throws a right and a left that Freeman avoids nicely.
Alves misses with the combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Alves throws a combination that misses
and Freeman counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Freeman gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Alves rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Freeman moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
It seemed like Freeman was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Alves misses with a double jab.
It seemed like Freeman was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alves digs a good body shot into Freeman's ribs.
Alves lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Freeman circles away quickly and effectively.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Freeman! But no joy.
Alves feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Freemans jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Alves scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Alves definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Alves ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Freeman moves away.
Alves swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Freeman counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Alves wants to get back to his feet.
Alves trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Freeman passes the guard and advances to mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Freeman is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Alves has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Alves is trying to get back to his feet but can't.

Freeman looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Alves is squirming around, avoiding Freeman's attempts to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alves squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Alves tries to buck Freeman off but Freeman takes his back!
Alves wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Freeman is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Tigo Alves will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

No joy there for Alves, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Alves closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Alves throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Freeman counters with a two punch combo.
A combination from Alves does no damage.
Freeman lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Alves tries to bum rush Freeman with a series of wild strikes but Freeman uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Freeman misses with a takedown attempt - Alves sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Alves moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
No joy there for Alves, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Alves scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Alves is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Freeman can do to turn this around?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Freeman darts in looking for a takedown but Alves gets double underhooks and turns Freeman into the cage.
Freeman shoots for a takedown but Alves saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Tigo Alves has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gordon Freeman.
Alves digs a good body shot into Freeman's ribs.
Alves jabs at Freeman's body.
Alves lands a two punch combo.
Freeman fails to land the takedown.
Alves's jab looks to have found its range, popping Freeman under the eye.
Alves fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Freeman on the side of the head.
Freeman showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Alves.
Freeman feints the counter takedown.
Tigo Alves is winning the standup battle so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alves looks to score with a jab to the body but Freeman is just out of range.
Tigo Alves is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Freeman shoots in but Alves avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Alves feints a jab promting Freeman to slip. Alves then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Freeman slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.

It looks like Gordon Freeman has been cut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Alves misses with a series of wild punches.
It seemed like Freeman was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Alves swings and misses with a hook to the body.
No joy there for Alves, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alves misses with a double jab

and Freeman counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Alves is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Freeman is controlling him.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Freeman trying to control but Alves is working from the bottom.
Freeman tries to free his leg and advance position but Alves is retaining full guard.
Freeman wants to control from the top but Alves keeps moving.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alves is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Alves scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Alves misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Alves looks to land a combination but Freeman avoids it well.
Sloppy strikes from Alves. Those never looked like landing.
Freeman looks for a takedown but Alves sprawls well.
Alves throws a right and a left that Freeman avoids nicely.
Left hook, right uppercut from Alves.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tigo Alves dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Gordon Freeman's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Alves throws a right and a left that both miss.
Freeman drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Alves defends it well.
Alves swinging wildly here.
Alves backing away here, and Freeman unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Freeman takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Freeman scores with a jab to the body.
Alves looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Alves is looking to wear down Freeman with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Alves misses with a wild combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Alves thows a left - swing and a miss!
Alves misses with a double jab

and Freeman counters with a single leg into guard. Alves didn't expect that.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alves wants to stand but Freeman is controlling the position.
Freeman wants to control from the top but Alves keeps moving.
Alves wants to stand but Freeman is controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Freeman trying to control but Alves is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Alves misses with a two punch combination.
Freeman is looking for the big counter here.
Alves swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Freeman counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Alves scores with a nice head shot.
Alves misses with a two punch combination.
Freeman shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Alves as he avoids it easily.
Alves will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Freeman closes this distance looking for a takedown but Alves circles away.
Alves swinging wildly here.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Freeman! But no joy.
Alves throws a series of strikes that have Freeman backpedaling.
Alves scores with a three punch combo!

Freeman shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Freeman was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Alves wants to get back to his feet but Freeman drags him back down.
Gordon Freeman has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Freeman is trying to get an arm triangle but Alves is defending well.
Alves is trying to get back to his feet.
Gordon Freeman has got the better of the ground game so far.
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!

Alves throws Freeman to one side and escapes!
Freeman misses with a right hand
and Alves counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
The crowd cheers as Alves lands an impressive looking overhand right. Freeman doesn't seem phased though.
Tigo Alves is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Alves throws a nice looking combination but Freeman bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tigo Alves showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Alves, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 30:27
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tigo Alves!
Tigo Alves seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.