PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mariano Stanley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Henrique Dias (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Stanley
vs
Dias

180 cm
18
177 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

200 cm
24
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Very confident

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mariano Stanley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Henrique Dias!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Daniel Cesar and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Dias closes the distance and pushes Stanley back into the cage.
Stanley slowing the pace effectively.
Stanley tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Stanley escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Dias fails with a takedown attempt.
Stanley is looking to clinch.

Dias moves into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stanley jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Dias walks away with a smile on his face. Stanley gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Stanley misses with a straight right.
Dias scores with a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dias tries for a takedown but Stanley sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
As Dias tries to get set, Stanley tries to push him back and clinch up but Dias manages to avoid the attempt.

Stanley tries to sprawl but Dias drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Stanley looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Dias wants to stand up but Stanley has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Stanley is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Dias's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Dias's back!
Dias trying to control but not successfully.
Stanley lands punches and elbows.
Dias can't escape the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stanley doesn't have the hooks in and Dias manages to turn into his guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Dias tries to free his leg and advance position but Stanley is retaining full guard.
Dias is looking to work some ground and pound but Stanley has wrist control.
Dias is fighting to break Stanley's control of his arms but Stanley is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

Stanley has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Dias can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Stanley is trying to control the position but Dias postures up.
Dias wants to stand but Stanley has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stanley keeping moving, preventing Dias from controlling successfully.
Dias pushing down on Stanley's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Stanley trying to control but Dias postures up.
Dias prevents Stanley from improving his position.
Dias looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Stanley might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Stanley trying to control but Dias postures up.

That's four 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.
Dias is taking a breather. Stanley 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.
Dias with the ground and pound but Stanley uses the opportunity to regain guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Stanley falls off balance throwing a combination

and Dias counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Dias.
Stanley blocks the elbow strike.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Dias is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Stanley can't fight it off and eventually Dias manages to take the fight to the floor. Stanley looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Stanley is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Dias dives into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Henrique Dias dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Dias fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Stanley, pushing him back against the cage.
Dias wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Stanley prevents a takedown attempt there.
Stanley tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Dias smiles and moves away.
Dias shoots in for a takedown but Stanley shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Stanley seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dias smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Stanley swinging wildly here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stanley displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Dias.
Mariano Stanley has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Henrique Dias.
Stanley keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Stanley appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Mariano Stanley is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Dias throws a leg kick

and Stanley counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stanley with the ground and pound but Dias uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Dias is trying to keep Stanley in close.
Stanley wants to get up but he can't break Dias's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Henrique Dias has got the better of the ground game so far.
Stanley is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

Dias is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Stanley presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stanley keeps control of Dias as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Dias jumps into guard, dragging Stanley to the mat.
Stanley is working Dias over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Stanley postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Dias throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Stanley has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Dias is proving hard to escape from.
Stanley trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stanley connects with a couple of short punches.
Dias is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Stanley wanted to stand there but Dias had control of the position.
Dias is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Stanley pushes Dias off looking to stand but Dias dives back in and keeps control.
Dias working Stanley over with strikes.
Dias is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dias trying to mount his opponent but Stanley defends it.
Stanley pushes Dias off looking to stand but Dias dives back in and keeps control.
Stanley trying to hold on to Dias's head to control him but Dias postures up.
Dias drops an elbow to the side of Stanley's head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Dias decides to stand up.

Dias gets in close and instigates a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Henrique Dias showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Dias throws a chopping leg kick but Stanley manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Stanley changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Dias shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Stanley sprawls well. Stanley wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Dias gets slowly back to his feet.
Dias slips a jab and a cross from Stanley.

Dias moves into the clinch successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dias with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Dias has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Stanley is trying to break the clinch but Dias has him pressed against the cage.
Stanley jumps guard but Dias stands there with Stanley around his waist. Stanley gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Dias working hard to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dias is defending well against a takedown attempt.

Stanley breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Dias clinches up with Stanley and pushes him back against the cage.
Stanley blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Dias fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Stanley is trying to pull guard but Dias has him pressed against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mariano Stanley. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stanley controlling the position.
Stanley utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Dias trying to control the position from guard on top but Stanley is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Stanley is looking for a triangle but Dias pushes his legs off easily.
Dias would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Dias is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dias darts in looking for a takedown but Stanley gets double underhooks and turns Dias into the cage.

Dias gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Stanley pulls guard successfully.

Dias drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Dias jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Stanley will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

Stanley is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Dias is aware though and is defending well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Dias stands up from Stanley's guard - Dias perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dias pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Henrique Dias seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Dias shoots in but no luck this time.
Stanley misses with a combination
and Dias counters with a one-two to the body.

Dias instigates a clinch.
Dias has Stanley pushed against the cage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Stanley pulls guard effortlessly.

And that's the end of the fight!
Henrique Dias comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Dias 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 27:30
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Henrique Dias!