PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Wiliam Lopes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rafael Cordeiro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cordeiro has chosen Perry Mason as his entrance music. I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Lopes
vs
Cordeiro

175 cm
18
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
19
168 lbs
1 - 12 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

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, Wiliam Lopes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rafael Cordeiro!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Emerson Jorge and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cordeiro shoots in for a takedown but Lopes shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Lopes lands a lovely overhand right.

Cordeiro gets caught flat footed, as Lopes shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Cordeiro looking for a sweep. Not yet Cordeiro, not yet.
Lopes tries to free his leg and advance position but Cordeiro is retaining full guard.
Lopes controls from within his opponent's guard.
Cordeiro keeping full guard, as Lopes tries to pass.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lopes trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Cordeiro being controlled here, momentarily.
Lopes trying to control but Cordeiro is working from the bottom.
Lopes forces his way into half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Lopes in particular looking to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Lopes wants to free his trapped foot but Cordeiro is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Cordeiro is trying to control but can't.
Lopes trying to control from half guard but Cordeiro is working away.
Lopes wants to pass the guard but Cordeiro is defending well.
Lopes thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Cordeiro to regain full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopes trying to control the position from guard on top but Cordeiro is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lopes is breathing heavily.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Cordeiro misses with a takedown
and Lopes counters with a slapping leg kick.
Cordeiro has his takedown stuffed

and Lopes counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Wiliam Lopes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rafael Cordeiro.
Lopes not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Lopes looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Lopes with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Lopes seems to be looking for submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cordeiro tries to roll over but Lopes keeps him under control.
Lopes is trying to control the action in half guard but Cordeiro is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Cordeiro tries to kick Lopes off but Lopes keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Cordeiro with the active half guard here but Lopes passes nicely into side control.
Cordeiro wants to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Cordeiro gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Lopes finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.

Lopes darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Lopes is taking a breather. Cordeiro 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.

Lopes decides to stand and escape the position.
Lopes moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Cordeiro misses with a takedown

and Lopes counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cordeiro looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Lopes missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Cordeiro makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

Cordeiro gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Lopes trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Lopes decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Cordeiro, up you get!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cordeiro tries to clinch up.
Cordeiro doesn't manage to clinch there - Lopes circles away.
Cordeiro fails with the takedown

and Lopes counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Wiliam Lopes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rafael Cordeiro.
Lopes in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Lopes prevents Cordeiro from getting back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lopes trying to control the position from guard on top but Cordeiro is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lopes sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cordeiro throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Lopes trying to control but Cordeiro is working from the bottom.
Lopes showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Lopes wants to stand and escape but instead Cordeiro has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Cordeiro stands and throws Lopes's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Cordeiro cracks Lopes with a big elbow.

Cordeiro stands up and we're back to a striking position.

Lopes drives through and clinches with Cordeiro against the cage.
Lopes trying to stall but Cordeiro improves his position.

Cordeiro escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lopes shoots in looking for a takedown. Cordeiro tries to sprawl out of it but Lopes keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Cordeiro manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Cordeiro has his takedown stuffed
and Lopes counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Lopes scoring well with a low kick there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Cordeiro scores with a sloppy right hand. Lopes should have avoided that one.
Cordeiro looks to land a combination. Lopes sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Cordeiro misses with a takedown attempt
and Lopes counters with a big head kick but Cordeiro shrugs it off.

Lopes drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Lopes pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Cordeiro is keeping the position for now.

Lopes stands up and waves to Cordeiro to follow him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lopes closes the distance looking to clinch

and Cordeiro counters by clinching up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cordeiro is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Lopes has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Cordeiro avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Cordeiro is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Lopes gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Cordeiro tries to break the clinch but Lopes is controlling the position.
Cordeiro is trying to break the clinch but Lopes has him pressed against the cage.
Lopes wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Cordeiro has him pressed against the cage.
Lopes is trying to force a seperation but Cordeiro has the dominant position.
Lopes keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Cordeiro's efforts to push away.
Lopes tries for a takedown but Cordeiro manages to get underhooks.
Lopes tries to pull guard but Cordeiro holds him up against the cage and eventually Lopes drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Wiliam Lopes. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Cordeiro pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Cordeiro stuffs the takedown attempt from Lopes. Lopes gets slowly back to his feet.
Lopes circles away from the clinch attempt

and Lopes counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Lopes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lopes trying to control the position from guard on top but Cordeiro is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lopes trying to stand up but can't free himself from Cordeiro's guard.
Cordeiro can't keep his opponent in guard - Lopes advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Still in half guard, Lopes seems content to control.
Lopes sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Cordeiro defending well though.
Cordeiro tries to roll over but Lopes keeps him under control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopes tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Cordeiro.
Lopes stops Cordeiro from getting back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Lopes is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Wiliam Lopes overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Cordeiro is looking to clinch.
Cordeiro tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Lopes counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Lopes trying to control but Cordeiro is working from the bottom.
Lopes wants to stand but Cordeiro is controlling his posture from full guard.
Lopes pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Cordeiro is keeping the position for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Wiliam Lopes showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Lopes, 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:27
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Wiliam Lopes!