PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Harry Briggs (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raphael Arias (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Arias has chosen we will find a way as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Briggs
vs
Arias

202 cm
25
215 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

189 cm
24
200 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

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 Rio de Janeiro, Harry Briggs!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Raphael Arias!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Seu Braga and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Arias throws a sloppy head kick and Briggs moves out of range easily.
Briggs throws a quick counter head kick but Arias was just out of range.

Briggs closes the distance and clinches.
Briggs stalling the fight.
Briggs taking a breather.
Briggs stalling the fight.
Arias letting Briggs take a breather here.
Arias being controlled against the cage.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Harry Briggs.
Arias throws a head kick but Briggs moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Briggs fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Arias throws a counter combo.

Briggs rushes Arias and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
A bit of stalling here from Briggs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arias is trying to push Briggs away but Briggs has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Briggs is fighting off a takedown attempt but Arias is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Briggs to the mat. Briggs regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Arias throws a big right hand that misses.
Briggs wants to sweep but no luck.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Arias is stalling in the full guard.

Briggs is looking for a triangle but Arias pushes his legs off easily.
Briggs trying to control the position.

Briggs isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Arias stacks Briggs on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Arias!
Briggs manages to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Arias wants to work for an arm triangle but Briggs is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Arias is keen to just control but Briggs is a slippery customer.
The fighters are battling for position here. Briggs manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Briggs has his foot on Arias's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Arias works his way back into a safe position though.
Briggs keeping moving, preventing Arias from controlling successfully.
Arias controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Arias must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Arias postures up in Briggs's guard and throws a big left but Briggs blocks it.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Briggs holds on and takes a little breather.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Briggs is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Arias throws a big elbow that misses.
Briggs bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Arias's guard.

Briggs wants to pass the guard but Arias is keeping the position.
Briggs with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Briggs in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Arias wants to sweep but no luck.
Briggs distracts Arias with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Briggs lands a couple of decent looking shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arias is trying to control the position but Briggs postures up.
Arias controlling Briggs's posture.
Briggs trying to control the position from guard on top but Arias is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Arias throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Briggs.
Briggs takes a shot right to the bread basket.
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 Harry Briggs will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Horrible takedown attempt by Briggs or perhaps it was just good defense by Arias, which made it look bad.

Arias shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Arias showed some decent athleticism there.

Briggs is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Arias pulls his head out easily.
Harry Briggs overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Arias throwing shots but Briggs is blocking nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Briggs slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Briggs trying to keep a closed guard but Arias is proving a slippery customer.
Arias's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arias wants to stand and escape but instead Briggs has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Briggs stopping the sweep attempt from Arias.
Briggs slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Briggs prevents Arias from getting back to his feet.
Arias avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Briggs content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

Arias looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Arias looking to hit a scissor sweep but Briggs is one step ahead there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Briggs controlling from the top position.
Briggs trying to control but Arias is working from the bottom.
Briggs will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Briggs chips away with some ground and pound.
Briggs throws a big elbow that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Arias throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

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

Briggs gets the takedown into side control.
Briggs lands a few punches from side control.
Arias struggling a bit here.
Briggs is looking to take a break and control but Arias is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Arias avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Briggs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Briggs working the ground and pound.
Briggs lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Arias down.
Arias tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Briggs presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Briggs trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Briggs prevents Arias from getting the reversal.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Briggs sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Harry Briggs dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Arias clinches with his opponent.
Arias on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Arias has picked Briggs up - he's going for a ride! Arias dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Briggs is looking to control Arias's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Briggs avoid being mounted?
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Briggs moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Briggs wants to improve his position but instead Arias has moved into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Briggs slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Briggs can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Arias controls the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Arias gets to his feet - Briggs follows without any prompting.

Arias has closed the distance and engaged Briggs in a clinch.
Briggs controlling the action here for a moment.
Briggs wants to stall.

Arias jumps guard and drags Briggs to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Arias is looking to stand up but Briggs isn't so interested in that idea.

Arias is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Briggs defends well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arias looking to control.
Arias trying to control the position here.
Briggs keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Arias's head.
Arias working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Briggs.
Briggs with a nice head shot there.
Briggs content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arias wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Briggs is now in half guard.
Briggs working over Arias with some ground and pound. Arias looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Briggs is nestled in close to Arias, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Arias wants to get back to full guard.
Arias on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Briggs lands strikes from half guard.
Briggs slips a nice elbow through Arias's hands, connecting with Arias's forehead.
Briggs working over Arias with some ground and pound. Arias looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Briggs is looking to take a break and control but Arias is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arias wants to sweep but Briggs has passed to side control!
Arias is working to avoid the ground and pound but Briggs connects with a decent elbow.
Briggs in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Briggs in side control lands a decent elbow.
Briggs is chipping away with strikes.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Briggs in side control lands a decent elbow.
Briggs lands a decent elbow from side control.
Raphael Arias has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Harry Briggs is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Briggs goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Arias has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Briggs but great work by Arias.

And that's the end of the fight!
Harry Briggs showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Briggs, 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 29:28
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 30:27
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Harry Briggs!