PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nugetes Lindo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rafael Souza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Souza's choice of entrance music: Sandstorm. Rafael Souza acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Lindo
vs
Souza

188 cm
18
204 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

189 cm
19
205 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Nugetes Lindo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rafael Souza!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Thiago Cunha and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lindo misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Souza shoots and misses

and Lindo counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Souza throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Lindo is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Souza keeping full guard, as Lindo tries to pass.
Lindo is working hard here to advance position.

Souza had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Lindo is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Souza Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Lindo's back instead.

Souza is looking for a choke. Lindo gets to his feet with his opponent on his back and slams him to the mat. Lindo manages to squirm out of the attempted choke and turns into his opponent's guard.

Souza throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Lindo escapes and throws Souza's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Souza looks gassed!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lindo has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Lindo is landing with some decent strikes but Souza is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Lindo postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Souza looks a forlorn figure.
Lindo dominating with strikes here.
Lindo landing shots from mount.
Lindo landing strikes from the mount.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Lindo scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Souza tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Lindo landing shots from mount.

Lindo working for a guillotine from mount but Souza is in no mood to give up.
Lindo unloads with some shots from mount but Souza bucks and avoids them well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza working to try and regain half guard.
Souza is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Lindo landing strikes from the mount and Souza is in trouble!
Souza tries to reverse the position but Lindo maintains control.

Lindo working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lindo working away from the top, dropping strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza gets back to half guard.
Ground and pound from Lindo.

Souza is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Lindo pulls his head out easily.
Lindo looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Souza with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lindo drops an elbow to the side of Souza's head.

Souza looking for submissions off his back.

Souza is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Lindo pulls his head out easily.

Souza looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Souza is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Lindo pulls his head out easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

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

and Lindo decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Souza's guard.
Lindo scoring with punches to the head and body.

Souza looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Souza is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Souza looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Souza is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Lindo wants to pass the guard but Souza is keeping the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Souza looking for subs off his back but Lindo has passed one foot through into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Lindo fails with the takedown

and Souza counters with a nice double leg into side control. Lindo won't be happy with that.

Souza tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Souza is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Lindo has escaped the position, nice work there.

Souza thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Lindo gets back to half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Lindo gets full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lindo looking for a guillotine here but Souza defends easily.

Souza drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Souza jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Lindo is on top in guard.

Souza is looking for a triangle but Lindo pushes his legs off easily.

Souza working for submissions but it's allowed Lindo to get to half guard.

Souza is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Lindo pulls his head out easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lindo seems to be working for a kimura but Souza defends the submission attempt.

Souza looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Souza looking for submissions off his back.

Souza is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Lindo pulls his head out easily.

Souza looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Souza looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

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

Souza looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Lindo actively working from the bottom here.
Lindo has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Souza is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Souza is looking for a kimura here.

Souza is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Lindo doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Souza.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Rafael Souza will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Lindo's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Lindo closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Lindo lands in his opponent's guard.

Souza working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Lindo doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Lindo manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Lindo landing with the ground and pound.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Souza has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Lindo can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Souza is looking for a triangle but Lindo pushes his legs off easily.
Nugetes Lindo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lindo with a nice head shot there.

Souza is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Souza throws his legs up looking for a submission but Lindo uses it to pass to side control.
Souza tries to bench press Lindo off him but Lindo keeps the position.

That's two 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.

Lindo tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Souza tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Lindo wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Souza is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

Souza looking for submissions off his back.
Souza tries to roll over but Lindo keeps him under control.

Souza looking for submissions off his back.
Lindo looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Souza with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Souza looking for submissions off his back.
Lindo working the head and body with strikes.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Souza fails with the takedown

and Lindo counters with a takedown into side control.
Lindo working the head and body with strikes.
Souza taking a bit of punishment here - Lindo scoring with strikes.
Souza gets back to half guard.

Lindo is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Souza is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Lindo pulls his head out easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lindo looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Lindo wants to pass to mount but Souza is defending the position.

Souza looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Souza looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Lindo working over Souza with some ground and pound. Souza looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Lindo trying to mount his opponent but Souza defends it.

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

and Souza decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Lindo's guard.

Souza drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Souza jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Lindo escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Souza gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nugetes Lindo showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Lindo has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 29:28
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 29:28
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nugetes Lindo!