PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Elpidio Rafael (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thiago Conde (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Conde's choice of entrance music: Tic Tic Tac. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Rafael
vs
Conde

163 cm
24
145 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

180 cm
22
145 lbs
8 - 6 - 1

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Elpidio Rafael!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thiago Conde!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Seu Braga and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rafael closes the distance and clinches up with Conde, looking for a takedown. Rafael pushes Conde against the cage but Conde circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Thiago Conde seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Conde misses with an uppercut

and Rafael counters by clinching up.
Rafael jumps guard but Conde stands there with Rafael around his waist. Rafael gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Conde prevents a body shot from Rafael.
Conde has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Rafael pulls Conde into guard.
Rafael might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Conde stopping the sweep attempt from Rafael.

Rafael has his feet on Conde's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Conde is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A shot to the body from Conde misses

and Rafael counters with a single leg into guard. Conde didn't expect that.
Rafael postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Conde looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Conde really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Rafael. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Conde is working an open guard so Rafael takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Conde feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Rafaels jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Rafael misses with a few strikes there.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rafael is defended easily by Conde.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Elpidio Rafael. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Conde fails to land with a series of punches.
Conde lands a jab to the nose.

Rafael clinches up with Conde and pushes him back against the cage.
Conde is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Rafael is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rafael manages to break the clinch.
Rafael misses with a takedown attempt
and Conde counters with a straight right hand.
Conde throws a nice looking combination but Rafael bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Conde misses with a lunging right hand

and Rafael counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Conde!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Conde in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

Rafael is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Conde has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Conde!

Conde gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Conde clobbers Rafael with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.

Rafael takes the fight into the clinch.
Conde tries to circle away but Rafael has him pinned against the cage.
Conde taking a breather.

Rafael escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rafael takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Conde scores with a jab. Rafael acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Conde swings for the body but Rafael moves out of range.
Conde connects with a single shot there.
Rafael fails to land the takedown.
Conde throws a lazy uppercut

and Rafael counters with a single leg into guard. Conde didn't expect that.

Rafael drops back, looking for a kneebar! Conde looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Conde looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Conde!
Conde tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Conde decides to stand back up. Conde steps back and let's Rafael get back to his feet.
Thiago Conde is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rafael shoots in for a double leg but Conde sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Conde throws a series of punches but Rafael avoids them all with ease.

Conde tries to sprawl but Rafael drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Conde blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rafael.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Elpidio Rafael dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Conde swings widly with a right hand

so Rafael counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Rafael working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Conde is on top in guard.
Rafael is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Conde wants to control from the top but Rafael keeps moving.
Rafael wants to stand but Conde is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Conde won't allow Rafael to sweep him here.
Rafael has control of Conde's left arm, preventing Conde from doing any damage.
Elpidio Rafael overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Elpidio Rafael wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Rafael closes the distance and pushes Conde back into the cage.
Rafael tries for a takedown but Conde manages to get underhooks.
Rafael has Conde pressed against the cage, preventing Conde from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Rafael tries to pull guard but Conde holds him up against the cage and eventually Rafael drops back down to his feet.
Conde can't break the clinch.
Conde wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Rafael goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Conde tries to break the clinch but Rafael is controlling the position.
Rafael fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Elpidio Rafael. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Conde is trying to push Rafael away but Rafael has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Conde wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Rafael stalling against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rafael tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Conde smiles and moves away.
The fighters circling - Conde throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Rafael scores a takedown into full mount!
Rafael lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Rafael throwing strikes here but Conde is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.

Rafael swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Conde is now in Rafael's guard. A big mistake from Rafael there, giving up the dominant position!
Conde wanted to stand there but Rafael had control of the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Conde wants to stand up, so he's looking to wriggle free of Rafael's closed guard. He's half up but Rafael has locked on to an arm! Uh oh! Rafael pivots and extends the arm, Conde falls face first to the mat and taps??... does he?? YES! He's tapping! Excellent counter grappling there by Rafael! Well done that man!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:37 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Elpidio Rafael!