PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Raul Esteves (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Rowling (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Raul Esteves has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Esteves
vs
Rowling

175 cm
22
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
22
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Inexperienced

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Raul Esteves!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Matt Rowling!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Paulo Santos and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rowling shoots in but Esteves avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Esteves tries to clinch there but Rowling circles away.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Rowling.
Rowling shoots for a double leg takedown but Esteves sprawls well. He's pushed Rowling's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Raul Esteves has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Rowling.
Rowling avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rowling fails with the takedown.
Esteves tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rowling swats him away and circles back towards the center.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Esteves wants to clinch up but Rowling keeps it at a distance.
Esteves fails with an attempt to clinch.

Esteves closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Esteves works on Rowling's body with a couple of short punches.
Esteves stalling in the clinch.
Esteves lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Rowling is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Esteves gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Esteves pressing his opponent against the cage.
A right hand to the body from Esteves.
Rowling tries to score a body lock takedown but Esteves shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Rowling has Esteves pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Esteves manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Rowling tries to score a body lock takedown but Esteves shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Esteves breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Esteves moves in looking to clinch but Rowling pushes him off.
Rowling shoots in but Esteves avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Esteves tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rowling circles away from the clinch attempt.
Raul Esteves is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rowling keeps the fight on the outside.
Rowling misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Esteves keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Rowling looks gassed!
Esteves throws a series of punches but Rowling avoids them all with ease.
Esteves stuffs the takedown attempt from Rowling. Rowling gets slowly back to his feet.
Rowling circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Esteves tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Esteves.
Esteves slowing the pace effectively.
Esteves prevents a takedown attempt there.
Rowling goes for a takedown in the clinch but Esteves prevents it.
Esteves controlling the action here for a moment.
Rowling wants a takedown but no success here.

Esteves's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Esteves pushes Rowling up against the cage in a clinch.

Esteves pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Esteves leaves Rowling with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Rowling dives in and grabs Esteves's left leg, looking for a takedown. Esteves pushes down on Rowling's head and hops out.
Esteves tries to clinch up but Rowling circles away and keeps his distance.
Esteves tries to clinch but Rowling is having none of it.
Esteves doesn't manage to clinch there - Rowling circles away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Esteves tries to clinch but Rowling moves out of range.
Esteves slaps away a takedown attempt from Rowling, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Nice sprawl there from Esteves as Rowling shoots in.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raul Esteves dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Esteves clinches up with Rowling and pushes him back against the cage.
Esteves stalling the fight.
Good body shot from Esteves.
Rowling has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Esteves avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Rowling letting Esteves take a breather here.
Esteves gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Rowling.
Come on Esteves - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Rowling is breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Esteves seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Raul Esteves.
Esteves moves in looking to clinch but Rowling pushes him off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Esteves looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Esteves is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Esteves looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rowling is defended easily by Esteves.
Raul Esteves has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Rowling.
Rowling shoots for a takedown but Esteves saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Esteves lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Esteves.
Horrible takedown by Rowling or perhaps it was just good defense by Esteves which made him look bad.
Esteves stuffs the takedown.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rowling is defended easily by Esteves.
Esteves fails in his attempt to clinch.

Esteves clinches up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Esteves controlling the action here for a moment.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Esteves for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
Esteves throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Esteves is struggling to control the position.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Raul Esteves.
Esteves is looking to clinch.
Rowling keeps the fight on the outside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Rowling looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Rowling tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Esteves swivels and escapes.
Esteves moves in looking to clinch but Rowling pushes him off.
Esteves moves in looking to clinch but Rowling pushes him off.
Rowling circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rowling circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rowling fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rowling avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raul Esteves dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

The fight stays on the outside here - Esteves looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Esteves is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Raul Esteves is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Esteves tries to clinch up but Rowling circles away and keeps his distance.
Rowling shoots for a double leg takedown but Esteves sprawls well. He's pushed Rowling's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Rowling closes this distance looking for a takedown but Esteves circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Esteves moves in looking to clinch but Rowling pushes him off.
Horrible takedown by Rowling or perhaps it was just good defense by Esteves which made him look bad.
Raul Esteves has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Rowling.
Rowling takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rowling is defended easily by Esteves.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Esteves tries to clinch up.

Esteves moves into range and clinches up with Rowling.
Rowling is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Esteves gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Esteves lands a body shot.
Esteves avoiding damage.

Esteves pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rowling swats away the attempt to clinch by Esteves.

Esteves has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Esteves holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Rowling has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Esteves is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Esteves gets through Rowling's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Esteves taking a breather.
Esteves gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Raul Esteves.
Rowling avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Esteves wants to clinch.
Esteves tries to clinch up but Rowling circles away and keeps his distance.
Rowling avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rowling circles away from the clinch attempt.
Esteves slaps away a takedown attempt from Rowling, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Esteves stuffs the takedown attempt from Rowling. Rowling gets slowly back to his feet.
The fight stays on the outside here - Esteves looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Raul Esteves is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Esteves wants to clinch.

Esteves gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Rowling has Esteves pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Esteves manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Esteves lands on the inside with an uppercut.

Esteves breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Matt Rowling has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rowling has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

And that's the end of the fight!
Raul Esteves showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Esteves 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Raul Esteves!