PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tito Valasquez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paulo Dos Anjos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tito Valasquez could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Paulo Dos Anjos's chin.

Valasquez
vs
Dos Anjos

174 cm
22
178 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

187 cm
22
170 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Tends to cut

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Tito Valasquez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Paulo Dos Anjos!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, Hugh Johnson and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Horrible takedown by Dos Anjos or perhaps it was just good defense by Valasquez which made him look bad.
Valasquez shoots and misses

and Dos Anjos counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Valasquez's guard now.
Valasquez is looking to sweep but instead, Dos Anjos has passed into half guard.
Valasquez wants to improve his position but Dos Anjos is controlling well.
Dos Anjos works his foot free and advances to mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Valasquez is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Valasquez is working hard here to advance position.
Dos Anjos tries to control but Valasquez wriggling away.
Valasquez tries to hold on but Dos Anjos pushes him away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Valasquez working to try and regain half guard.

Dos Anjos jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Valasquez manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Valasquez is trying to get back to half guard.
Valasquez might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Valasquez shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Valasquez putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Valasquez is breathing heavily.
Dos Anjos wants to control but Valasquez is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dos Anjos really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Valasquez with a couple of short strikes.
Valasquez tries to control but Dos Anjos wriggling away.
Valasquez punishing his opponent with strikes.
Valasquez is landing with some decent strikes but Dos Anjos is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Valasquez lands a big shot there that rocks Dos Anjos but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Valasquez landing strikes from the mount.
Dos Anjos tries to hold on but Valasquez pushes him away.
Valasquez landing shots from mount.
Valasquez looking to control but Dos Anjos is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Dos Anjos is bucking up trying to escape but Valasquez cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valasquez scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Dos Anjos?
Valasquez working away from the top, dropping strikes.
The referee warns Dos Anjos that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Dos Anjos regains half guard.
Valasquez trying to control from half guard but Dos Anjos is working away.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Valasquez connects with a nice short shot to Dos Anjos's temple.

Valasquez is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Dos Anjos has managed to free his arm - good work.
Valasquez is thwarting Dos Anjos's attempts to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well, if Valasquez is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

Dos Anjos looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Valasquez looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Dos Anjos with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Valasquez moves into full mount! Dos Anjos won't be happy about that!
Valasquez lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Dos Anjos hang on?
Valasquez lands a big shot there that rocks Dos Anjos but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Valasquez cracks Dos Anjos with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tito Valasquez dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Valasquez scores with a takedown into Dos Anjos's guard.

Valasquez drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Dos Anjos dives on top into guard.
Valasquez keeping full guard, as Dos Anjos tries to pass.

Dos Anjos gets to his feet. Valasquez looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Valasquez shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Dos Anjos counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Valasquez throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Dos Anjos trying to control but Valasquez is working from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Valasquez wants to sweep but no luck.
Valasquez on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Valasquez tries to get out of the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Valasquez not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Valasquez thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Dos Anjos trying to control but Valasquez is working from the bottom.
Dos Anjos is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Valasquez closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Valasquez thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Dos Anjos's head.
Valasquez missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Valasquez lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Valasquez missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Valasquez lands with a punch from half guard.
Valasquez looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Dos Anjos with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Valasquez trying to pass the guard but Dos Anjos defending well.
Dos Anjos manages to get to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Valasquez wants to control from the top but Dos Anjos keeps moving.
Tito Valasquez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Valasquez trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Valasquez with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Valasquez keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Dos Anjos's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valasquez sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Dos Anjos's guard.

Valasquez seems to be looking for submissions.
Valasquez not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Dos Anjos wants to control but Valasquez is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Valasquez looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Dos Anjos is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Dos Anjos taking some punishment here, with Valasquez in his half guard.
Dos Anjos on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Valasquez missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Valasquez drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Dos Anjos keeping moving, preventing Valasquez from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Valasquez connects with a couple of short punches.
Valasquez thows a big elbow that misses.
Valasquez working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Valasquez working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Dos Anjos's head.
Dos Anjos keeping moving, preventing Valasquez from controlling successfully.
Valasquez wants to pass the guard but Dos Anjos is keeping the position.
Valasquez's corner is telling him to maintain position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Dos Anjos shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Valasquez counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Dos Anjos's guard now.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Valasquez works a leg free and moves into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tito Valasquez dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Valasquez gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Dos Anjos decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Valasquez's guard.
Valasquez will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Dos Anjos trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Valasquez striking off his back but it's not causing Dos Anjos any problems.
Dos Anjos stopping the sweep attempt from Valasquez.
Dos Anjos wants to pass the guard but Valasquez is keeping the position.
Valasquez 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.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Dos Anjos drives through with a takedown into guard.
Dos Anjos pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Valasquez is keeping the position for now.
Valasquez thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Valasquez wants to sweep but no luck.
Valasquez is trying to control the position but Dos Anjos postures up.
Valasquez tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Valasquez striking off his back but it's not causing Dos Anjos any problems.
Valasquez tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Dos Anjos avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Valasquez tries for a takedown but Dos Anjos circles away easily

and Dos Anjos counters with a single leg into guard. Valasquez didn't expect that.
Dos Anjos trying to control the position from guard on top but Valasquez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Valasquez controls Dos Anjos momentarily but Dos Anjos frees himself.
Valasquez manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Dos Anjos manages to get himself to full guard.
Valasquez thows a big elbow that misses.
Valasquez throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Dos Anjos tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Valasquez scoring with some ground and pound.
Valasquez wants to pass the guard but Dos Anjos is keeping the position.
Valasquez wants to control from the top but Dos Anjos keeps moving.
Dos Anjos looking to hit a scissor sweep but Valasquez is one step ahead there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valasquez controls from within his opponent's guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Valasquez misses with a takedown

and Dos Anjos counters with a takedown into side control.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tito Valasquez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Dos Anjos is looking to take a break and control but Valasquez is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Valasquez manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Valasquez performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Valasquez seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Valasquez lands strikes from half guard.
Dos Anjos regains full guard. Nicely done.
Paulo Dos Anjos has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Valasquez is in close to Dos Anjos's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Valasquez lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Valasquez tries to free his leg and advance position but Dos Anjos is retaining full guard.
Dos Anjos working a defensive guard here.

Valasquez drops back, looking for a kneebar! Dos Anjos looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Dos Anjos looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Dos Anjos!
Valasquez is trying to get back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paulo Dos Anjos comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Valasquez has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Eliza Hachem scores the fight 29:28
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tito Valasquez!