PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Roberto Fabinho (ranked 106 p4p, 75 weight class) and Royal Halsti (ranked 19 p4p, 13 weight class). Fabinho comes to the cage accompanied by Glowed Up - Kaytranada. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Fabinho
vs
Halsti

193 cm
30
200
17 - 6 - 1

190 cm
30
205
21 - 7 - 1

BJJ Red Belt
World class MT
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Paddy's Enhancing Drugs (160Q)

Shadow Realm Apparel
Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

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 17 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Roberto Fabinho!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Royal Halsti!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Kenichi Hosakawa and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fabinho avoids the body shot from Halsti.
Fabinho looks to clinch
and Halsti counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Fabinho wants to clinch.
Halsti throws an overhand right that lands on Fabinho's shoulder, as Fabinho tries to avoid the shot.
Halsti rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Fabinho moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Fabinho looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Fabinho jabs Halsti to the body, keeping him at a distance.
The fighters circling - Halsti throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Halsti closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Halsti throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Halsti scoring well with a low kick there.
Halsti looks to score with a jab to the body but Fabinho is just out of range.
Fabinho appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Halsti throws a nice inside leg kick.
Fabinho tries to move into range but Halsti moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A swing and a miss from Halsti.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Halsti cracks Fabinho with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Royal Halsti seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nice uppercut there from Fabinho.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Halsti lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Fabinho has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Fabinho and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Halsti misses with a leg kick

so Fabinho counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Fabinho stands up over Halsti, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Fabinho wants to pass the guard but Halsti is keeping the position.
Fabinho advances to half guard.
Halsti felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Fabinho with the ground and pound but Halsti uses the opportunity to regain guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Halsti tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Fabinho is working Halsti over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Fabinho tries to free his leg and advance position but Halsti is retaining full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Halsti looking to hit a scissor sweep but Fabinho is one step ahead there.
Fabinho chips away with some ground and pound.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Halsti tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Halsti has momentary wrist control but Fabinho slips an elbow through the middle.
Fabinho makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Fabinho in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Halsti is looking for a triangle but Fabinho pushes his legs off easily.
Fabinho slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Fabinho trying to control the action but Halsti is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Fabinho laying and praying for a moment but Halsti takes advantage and regains half guard.
Fabinho throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Halsti trying to control here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Fabinho is looking to take a break and control but Halsti is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Fabinho landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Fabinho is keen to just control but Halsti is a slippery customer.
Halsti blocking the ground and pound attempt from Fabinho.

Fabinho is looking for a kimura here.
Halsti tries to roll over but Fabinho keeps him under control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Roberto Fabinho will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Fabinho ducks under a wild hook from Halsti.
Halsti throws a low kick, looking for Fabinho's leg but Fabinho calmly moves out of range.
A low kick lands for Halsti.

Fabinho darts in and clinches Halsti up against the cage.
Fabinho lands with a short shot to the head.
Fabinho throws a head punch that misses.

Halsti manages to break the clinch.
Fabinho tries to close the distance and clinch up but Halsti swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Halsti takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Halsti misses with an uppercut.
Halsti throws a leg kick that is checked

so Fabinho counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Halsti keeping moving, preventing Fabinho from controlling successfully.
Fabinho postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Fabinho wants to control from the top but Halsti keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fabinho wants to pass the guard but Halsti is keeping the position.
Fabinho postures up and lands a big shot to Halsti's brow.
Fabinho tries to free his leg and advance position but Halsti is retaining full guard.

Halsti is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Fabinho is aware though and is defending well.
Fabinho 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.
Fabinho preventing the sweep.
Halsti can't keep his opponent in guard - Fabinho advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Roberto Fabinho overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Fabinho is keen to just control but Halsti is a slippery customer.

Halsti looking for submissions off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Halsti wants to sweep but Fabinho has passed to side control!
Fabinho working the body and head with strikes.
Fabinho wants to lay and pray for a moment but Halsti keeps working.

Fabinho wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Halsti, who protects the arm well.
Halsti is looking for a sweep.
Fabinho is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Halsti can do to turn this around?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Halsti takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

Fabinho looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Fabinho tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Fabinho has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Fabinho cracks Halsti with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Fabinho grinds an elbow into Halsti's temple.
Fabinho is chipping away with strikes.
Fabinho trying to control the action but Halsti is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
An elbow from Fabinho crashes against the mat.
Halsti takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Fabinho working the ground and pound.
Halsti takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Fabinho is putting a hurting on Halsti here, landing some big shots from side control.
Fabinho lands some shots froms side control.
Fabinho lands some shots froms side control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Halsti tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Fabinho wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Check out the look on Fabinho's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Roberto Fabinho dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Halsti throws a solid leg kick but Fabinho takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Halsti.
Fabinho changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Royal Halsti has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Fabinho clinches with his opponent.
Halsti prevents a body shot from Fabinho.
Halsti lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Fabinho misses with a body punch.
Halsti misses with some punches.
Fabinho swings wildly with an uppercut but Halsti uses good head movement to avoid it.

Halsti's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Royal Halsti seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Fabinho steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Halsti.
A bone on bone clash there as Fabinho blocks the leg kick.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Halsti lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Fabinho has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Fabinho and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Halsti throws the left hand but Fabinho avoids the punch easily.
Fabinho checks the leg kick nicely there.
Halsti fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Fabinho manages to avoid it.
Fabinho tries to counter with a takedown but Halsti is quick to defend against it.
Halsti throws a solid leg kick but Fabinho takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Halsti.
Halsti throws a lazy uppercut

and Fabinho counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fabinho with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Halsti has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Fabinho can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Fabinho throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Fabinho pushing down on Halsti's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Fabinho seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Halsti does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Fabinho passes into side control, despite Halsti's attempt to control the position.

Fabinho is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Halsti is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Fabinho is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Halsti has escaped the position, nice work there.
Fabinho in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Fabinho cracks Halsti with a big elbow.
The ground and pound from Fabinho seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Halsti tries to improve position but can't.
Fabinho wants to control but Halsti is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fabinho lands a decent elbow from side control.
Fabinho is looking to take a break and control but Halsti is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Roberto Fabinho is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Halsti is looking to regain half guard here but Fabinho keeps moving and retains side control.
Fabinho taking a breather here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Fabinho wants to lay and pray for a moment but Halsti keeps working.
The referee asks Fabinho politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Fabinho prefers to stall for the moment though.
Fabinho seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Halsti for as long as he can get away with.
Fabinho wants to lay and pray for a moment but Halsti keeps working.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Royal Halsti is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Halsti buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Fabinho here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Fabinho has managed to clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Halsti.
Halsti swings away with an uppercut that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Roberto Fabinho showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Fabinho, 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 Yuuki Gou scores the fight 30:28
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Roberto Fabinho!
After winning the bout, Roberto Fabinho thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.