PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rodrigo Mangabeira (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Edmundo Animal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Mangabeira
vs
Animal

185 cm
20
193 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

189 cm
23
198 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Fightworld Formula

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rodrigo Mangabeira!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Edmundo Animal!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Daniel Cesar and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Animal misses with a wild combination.
Animal bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Animal is looking to clinch but Mangabeira is avoiding it.
Mangabeira throws an overhand right that lands on Animal's shoulder, as Animal tries to avoid the shot.
Animal misses with a jab, cross combination.
Animal looks to land a combination but Mangabeira avoids it well.
Animal tries to clinch but Mangabeira moves out of range.
Mangabeira misses the shot to the body.

Mangabeira drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.

Mangabeira is trying to get an arm triangle but Animal is defending well.

Mangabeira wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Animal, who protects the arm well.

Mangabeira thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mangabeira trying to control the position but Animal is working away.
Animal wants to get back to his feet.
Animal parries the strikes from Mangabeira easily there. Mangabeira is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Animal to escape.
Animal is trying to get back to his feet.
Animal is not content to let Mangabeira control 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.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Animal misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Mangabeira fails to land with a series of punches.
A punch combination from Animal misses.
Animal misses with a head kick.

Mangabeira shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Mangabeira was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Mangabeira moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Animal has worked his arm free - good work by Animal!
Mangabeira wants to control but Animal is keeping him busy.
Animal is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Mangabeira has just dragged him back down to the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mangabeira is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Animal has escaped the position, nice work there.
Mangabeira throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Animal works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Mangabeira tries to pass the half guard into mount. Animal knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.

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.
Mangabeira is controlling the pace.
Animal tries to kick Mangabeira off but Mangabeira keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Mangabeira controlling the pace.

Mangabeira seems to be looking for submissions.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mangabeira seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Animal does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Animal doesn't manage to clinch there - Mangabeira circles away.

Mangabeira forces Animal back against the cage and clinches.
Animal tries to stall but Mangabeira uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Animal tries to break free but Mangabeira pushes him back against the cage.

Mangabeira pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mangabeira shoots in for a takedown but Animal shows good takedown defense.
Animal avoids the head kick by Mangabeira.
Animal wants to clinch but Mangabeira slips to the side

and Mangabeira counters with a single leg into guard. Animal didn't expect that.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mangabeira wants to control from the top but Animal keeps moving.
Animal keeping full guard, as Mangabeira tries to pass.

Mangabeira drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Animal manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Mangabeira has Animal in his guard.
Mangabeira is trying to keep Animal in close.

That's one minute gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Mangabeira is on top in guard.
Mangabeira tries to free his leg and advance position but Animal is retaining full guard.
Mangabeira throwing strikes but missing.
Mangabeira trying to control but Animal is working from the bottom.
Mangabeira stops Animal from standing up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Mangabeira drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Animal dives on top into guard.
Mangabeira working a defensive guard here.
Mangabeira is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Mangabeira is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Mangabeira sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Animal defending well though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mangabeira is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Animal doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Mangabeira.
Animal looks like he's trying to stand up.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Mangabeira in particular looking to stall.
Mangabeira is looking to advance position but Animal won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Animal is staying active underneath Mangabeira, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Mangabeira is looking to stall here but Animal recovers full guard.

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

Mangabeira feints and as Animal raises his hands in defense, Mangabeira changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Animal keeping moving, preventing Mangabeira from controlling successfully.
Mangabeira working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Animal keeping moving, preventing Mangabeira from controlling successfully.
Mangabeira is really struggling to control Animal but he's trying to hold on to the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rodrigo Mangabeira 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!

Mangabeira takes a swing at Animal's ribcage but misses.
A jab from Mangabeira misses.
Animal wants to clinch but Mangabeira slips to the side

and Mangabeira counters by moving into the clinch.

Mangabeira breaks the clinch.
Animal tries to clinch

and Mangabeira counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Mangabeira seems to be working for a kimura but Animal defends the submission attempt.
Mangabeira is just content to waste time from the top position. Animal takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Mangabeira stops Animal from standing up.
Mangabeira wants to control from the top but Animal keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mangabeira pushing down on Animal's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Mangabeira trying to control from half guard but Animal is working away.
Animal wants to get back to his feet.

Mangabeira is working for a kimura from half guard. He's really concentrating on the hold and it's allowed Animal to slip a leg under and get back to full guard.
Mangabeira prevents Animal from getting back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Mangabeira wants to control from the top but Animal keeps moving.
Mangabeira pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Animal is keeping the position for now.
Mangabeira is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Mangabeira looking to pass the guard.
Mangabeira trying to control the position from guard on top but Animal is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mangabeira looking to pass the guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Mangabeira throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Mangabeira walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
A looping hook to the body misses from Mangabeira. Animal does a little dance to reset his feet.
Animal throws a hook but Mangabeira avoids it easily.
Animal misses with a few strikes there.
Mangabeira missing with a left hand there. Animal was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Mangabeira looks to throw the jab but Animal is out of range.
Edmundo Animal is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Mangabeira moves into the clinch.

Mangabeira breaks from the clinch.
Mangabeira throws a right and a left that both miss.

Mangabeira clinches up with Animal and pushes him back against the cage.

Mangabeira pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Edmundo Animal has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rodrigo Mangabeira is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mangabeira misses with a takedown attempt - Animal sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Mangabeira throws a hook to the side of Animal's head but Animal sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Mangabeira closes the distance and clinches up with Animal, looking for a takedown. Mangabeira pushes Animal against the cage but Animal circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Animal tries to clinch

so Mangabeira counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Mangabeira seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Mangabeira stops Animal from standing up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rodrigo Mangabeira showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Mangabeira, 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rodrigo Mangabeira!