PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Filipe Raucci (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eddie Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Raucci
vs
Johnson

168 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

184 cm
21
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Filipe Raucci!
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, Eddie Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Luis Engracia and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Raucci shoots in for a double leg but Johnson sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Johnson's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Johnson duly obliges.
No luck for Raucci with that takedown attempt.
Raucci throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Johnson's waist but Johnson gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Raucci off to one side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Filipe Raucci. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Raucci misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Johnson lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

Johnson closes the distance and clinches.

Johnson manages to break the clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Johnson drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Raucci gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Johnson is working for takedown but Raucci is calmly controlling the position for now.
Raucci is working for takedown but Johnson is calmly controlling the position for now.
Johnson goes for a takedown attempt but Raucci pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Johnson keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Raucci is breathing heavily.
Raucci walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

Johnson bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
You can see the frustration on Raucci's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

Johnson decides to stand up, so the ref orders Raucci to his feet.
Johnson shoots in for a double leg but Raucci sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Raucci misses with a takedown attempt
and Johnson counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Raucci takes a head kick and keeps coming.

Johnson takes the fight into the clinch.

Johnson manages to break the clinch.

Johnson clinches with his opponent.
Raucci is trying to drag Johnson to the mat but Johnson just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Johnson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Johnson fails with the takedown.
Johnson lands a two punch combo.
Johnson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Raucci pinned against the cage. Raucci gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Raucci has a takedown stuffed.
Johnson lands a high kick!
Johnson lands with a kick to the temple. Raucci shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Filipe Raucci seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Raucci has his takedown stuffed
and Johnson counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Raucci with a lazy takedown attempt

and Johnson counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Johnson perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Raucci trying to control here.
Raucci might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Johnson tries to pass to full mount but Raucci defends it.
Raucci is not content to let Johnson control the position.
Johnson has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Raucci is controlling Johnson's position as best he can from this difficult position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson wants to pass to mount but Raucci is defending the position.
Johnson prevents Raucci from improving his position.
Raucci trying to control here.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Johnson has a takedown stuffed.
Raucci gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Johnson counters with a nice low kick that buckles Raucci's knee momentarily.
Johnson throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

Raucci scores with a takedown into Johnson's guard.
Johnson looking for a sweep. Not yet Johnson, not yet.
Johnson keeping moving, preventing Raucci from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson looking for a sweep. Not yet Johnson, not yet.
Johnson keeping moving, preventing Raucci from controlling successfully.
Raucci has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Johnson is proving hard to escape from.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Raucci has a takedown stuffed.
Raucci has his takedown stuffed
and Johnson counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Raucci gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Johnson holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eddie Johnson dominated that round.
That's time! Raucci's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Raucci has his takedown stuffed
and Johnson counters with a solid body kick.
Raucci shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Johnson pinned against the cage. Johnson gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Johnson misses with a takedown attempt - Raucci sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Johnson throws a head kick that half lands.
Raucci has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Filipe Raucci. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Johnson has a takedown stuffed.
Johnson shoots for a takedown but Raucci saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Raucci shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Johnson as he jumps to the side.

Raucci fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Johnson sprawls well initially but Raucci persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Raucci is trying to control the action in half guard but Johnson is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Johnson is looking to control Raucci's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Johnson avoid being mounted?
Johnson is not content to let Raucci control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raucci is taking a breather. Johnson 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.
Johnson is trying to stand back up but Raucci is controlling him
Johnson is looking to control Raucci's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Johnson avoid being mounted?
Johnson is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

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

Raucci closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Johnson is looking to regain half guard here but Raucci keeps moving and retains side control.
Johnson is trying to control Raucci's posture but Raucci avoids it.
Raucci knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Johnson on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Raucci wants to lay and pray for a moment but Johnson keeps working.
Johnson can't do much from the bottom here.
Raucci trying to control the action but Johnson is working from the bottom.
Johnson manages to get back to half guard.
Raucci is trying to control the action in half guard but Johnson is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Raucci takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.

Johnson gets caught flat footed, as Raucci shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Johnson trying to keep a closed guard but Raucci is proving a slippery customer.
Johnson keeping moving, preventing Raucci from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Johnson escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Raucci gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Johnson pulls Raucci in close to prevent any damage.
Raucci trying to control the position from guard on top but Johnson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Raucci preventing the sweep.
Johnson looking to control.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Raucci misses with a takedown attempt
and Johnson counters with a nice low kick that buckles Raucci's knee momentarily.
Raucci tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Johnson swivels and escapes.

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.
Johnson misses with a two punch combination.
Johnson shoots in but no luck this time.
Raucci shoots for a double leg takedown but Johnson sprawls well. He's pushed Raucci's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Johnson scores with a three punch combo!
Raucci shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Johnson but Johnson pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Johnson stuffs the takedown attempt from Raucci. Raucci gets slowly back to his feet.
Raucci chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Johnson can pounce on him.

Raucci scores with a takedown into Johnson's guard.
Raucci trying to control but Johnson is working from the bottom.
Johnson looking to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Johnson keeping moving, preventing Raucci from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Filipe Raucci dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Raucci shoots and misses
and Johnson counters with an outside leg kick.
Johnson displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Johnson lands a nice looking body kick.
Johnson fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Raucci with a poor takedown
and Johnson counters with a straight right hand.
Johnson shoots in looking for a takedown. Raucci tries to sprawl out of it but Johnson keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Raucci manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Raucci takes a kick to the side of the head.
Raucci fails with the takedown

and Johnson moves into the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Filipe Raucci. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Raucci wants a takedown.

Johnson breaks from the clinch.
Raucci fails with the takedown
and Johnson counters with an outside leg kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Raucci looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Johnson is fending him off so far but Raucci persists. Nope, Johnson circles away and we're back to standing.
Raucci misses with a takedown attempt - Johnson sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Johnson goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raucci doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Johnson counters with a head kick. That will keep Raucci thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Johnson lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Raucci fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

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

Johnson is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Raucci pulls his head out easily.
Johnson slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Johnson keeping moving, preventing Raucci from controlling successfully.
Johnson seems keen to control Raucci's posture.
Raucci controlling from the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson pulls Raucci in to control the position.
Raucci preventing the sweep.
Johnson is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Raucci trying to control the position from guard on top but Johnson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Johnson 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.
Johnson trying to control the position.
Raucci controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson keeping moving, preventing Raucci from controlling successfully.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Raucci shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Johnson as he jumps to the side.
Johnson lands with a slapping head kick.
Eddie Johnson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A head kick from Johnson lands but Raucci takes it in his stride.
Johnson throws a sloppy head kick and Raucci moves out of range easily.
Nice sprawl there from Johnson as Raucci shoots in.
Raucci shoots for a takedown but Johnson saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Raucci tries for a takedown but Johnson circles away easily
and Johnson counters with a low kick, right behind Raucci 's knee.

Raucci closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Raucci is looking to take a break and control but Johnson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Filipe Raucci overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Raucci trying to control the action but Johnson is working from the bottom.

Johnson kicks Raucci off and gets back to his feet.
Johnson stuffs the takedown.
Johnson throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Raucci.
Raucci fails with the takedown

and Johnson moves into the clinch.
Raucci can't get the takedown.

Johnson breaks the clinch.
Raucci fails with a takedown attempt.
Johnson throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

Raucci scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Eddie Johnson.
I think Johnson has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 29:28
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 29:28
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Filipe Raucci!