PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Plutonio Napalm (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Elpidio Rafael (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Elpidio Rafael will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Napalm
vs
Rafael

165 cm
23
146 lbs
9 - 11 - 0

163 cm
24
145 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Very quick

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Plutonio Napalm!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Elpidio Rafael!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Thiago Cunha and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rafael scores with a shot to the body.

Rafael gets caught flat footed, as Napalm shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Napalm drops back looking for a leg! Rafael is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Rafael manages to kick Napalm off! Napalm jumps back into Rafael's guard.
Napalm pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rafael is keeping the position for now.

Napalm is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Rafael is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Rafael has escaped and now he's on top!

Napalm is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Napalm had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Rafael defends it easily.

Napalm is looking for a triangle here but Rafael uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Napalm wants to control but Rafael postures up.

Rafael thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Rafael decides to stand up, so the ref orders Napalm to his feet.
Rafael has his takedown stuffed

and Napalm counters with a single leg into guard. Rafael didn't expect that.
Napalm won't allow Rafael to get back to his feet.
Napalmis looking to pass into half guard but Rafael pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Rafael is in guard.

Napalm throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Napalm is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Napalm working for submissions but it's allowed Rafael to get to half guard.
Rafael is trying to control the action in half guard but Napalm is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Napalm is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Rafael pulls his head out easily.
Rafael prevents Napalm from improving his position.

Rafael is looking for a kimura here.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Napalm actively working from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Napalm is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Napalm is working hard here to advance position.

Napalm actively working from the bottom here.
Napalm slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Napalm looking for a guillotine here but Rafael defends easily.
Rafael wants to control from the top but Napalm keeps moving.

Napalm is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Rafael is aware though and is defending well.

That's four 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.

Rafael drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Rafael jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Rafael slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Rafael working the head and body with strikes.
Napalm is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
You can see the frustration on Napalm's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Napalm tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Rafael wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Rafael working away.
Rafael in side control lands a decent elbow.
Napalm manages to work his way to half guard, despite Rafael's best efforts.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rafael tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Napalm.
Rafael passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Napalm!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Plutonio Napalm will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Rafael lands a body shot.
Rafael lands a jab to Napalm's midsection.

Rafael looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Napalm!

Rafael with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Rafael scoring with strikes but Napalm is staying in there.
Napalm sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Plutonio Napalm overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Napalm is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Rafael pulls his head out easily.
Napalm gets back to full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rafael avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Rafael is in close to Napalm's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Rafael won't allow Napalm to sweep him here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rafael pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Napalm is keeping the position for now.

Napalm escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rafael gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Napalm has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Rafael can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Napalm escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rafael gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

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.

Napalm throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Rafael escapes and throws Napalm's legs to the side, diving into side control!

Rafael tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Rafael tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Rafael has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Rafael thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Napalm manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Rafael manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Napalm is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Rafael is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Rafael has escaped and now he's on top!
Rafael working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Napalm's head.
Rafael scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Napalm tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Rafael throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Napalm works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Napalm is looking for a triangle but Rafael pushes his legs off easily.

Napalm escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rafael gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Rafael stands and steps away. Napalm gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rafael doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Napalm counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rafael wants to get back to full guard.

Napalm is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Napalm is working for a submission of some sort.

Napalm seems to be looking for submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Elpidio Rafael will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Rafael closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Napalm quickly recovers to half guard.
Napalm avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Rafael.

Napalm looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Napalm is looking for a sweep. Rafael is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Napalm looking for submissions off his back.
Napalm is trying to get back to full guard.
Rafael landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rafael with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Rafael trying to pass the guard but Napalm defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Napalm is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Rafael pulls his head out easily.

Rafael is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Napalm tries to get to full guard but Rafael has control of the leg.

Napalm looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Napalm has a hand on Rafael's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Rafael takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Napalm really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's two 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.
Rafael unloading with bombs!
Napalm is trying to escape the mount.
Napalm tries to lock up and control but Rafael gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Rafael trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Napalm is looking to get to half guard.
Rafael scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Napalm?

Napalm defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Rafael.
Napalm manages to regain half guard. Good work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Napalm actively working from the bottom here.
Rafael is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Napalm is looking to control Rafael's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Napalm avoid being mounted?
Rafael wants to lay and pray for a moment but Napalm keeps working.
Rafael wants to pass the guard but Napalm is defending well.
Napalm is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Rafael's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Rafael's back!

Rafael is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Napalm gets his way!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Napalm has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Rafael rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Napalm wants to free his trapped foot but Rafael is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Napalm is trying to work for a kimura but Rafael is defending well.

Napalm is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Rafael sees it coming and defends easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Elpidio Rafael comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Rafael has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 28:29
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 29:28
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Elpidio Rafael!