PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Raul Vieira (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kent Powell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Vieira
vs
Powell

185 cm
23
190 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

186 cm
25
197 lbs
11 - 11 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Raul Vieira!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Kent Powell!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Emerson Jorge and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Powell scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Powell scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Powell misses with a lunging right hand
and Vieira counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Powell throws the left hand but Vieira avoids the punch easily.
Powell swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Vieira.

Powell shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Vieira is trying to defend but Powell finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Powell thows a huge punch but Vieira dodges it nicely.
Ground and pound from Powell.
Vieira keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vieira wants to get back to full guard.
Powell throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Powell looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Vieira with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Vieira makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Vieira.
Powell works over Vieira with some ground and pound from guard.
Vieira keeping moving, preventing Powell from controlling successfully.
Vieira is trying to control the position but Powell postures up.
Vieira is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Powell is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Powell works over Vieira with some ground and pound from guard.
Vieira has momentary wrist control but Powell slips an elbow through the middle.
Powell working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Powell thows a big elbow that misses.
Powell keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Vieira's head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Powell stands up over Vieira, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Powell has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vieira trying to control the position.
Powell lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Powell's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Powell landing some decent shots from guard.
Vieira can't keep his opponent in guard - Powell advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Nice strikes from Powell there.
Powell stalling away here and it's allowed Vieira to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Powell in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Powell lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Powell keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Vieira's head.
Powell advances position into side control!
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Powell grinds an elbow into Vieira's temple.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Powell controlling the position.
Powell working the head and body with strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vieira is working to avoid the ground and pound but Powell connects with a decent elbow.
Vieira manages to work his way to half guard, despite Powell's best efforts.
Ground and pound from Powell.
Vieira is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Powell scores with a couple of nice shots.
Powell landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Powell prevents Vieira from improving his position.
Vieira has hold of Powell's hands but Powell slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Powell lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Powell looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vieira is trying to maintain the position but Powell is very close to passing his half guard.
Vieira taking some punishment here, with Powell in his half guard.
Powell slips a nice elbow through Vieira's hands, connecting with Vieira's forehead.
Still in half guard, Powell seems content to control.
Vieira on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Vieira on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Powell winds up and cracks Vieira with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Powell looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Powell working the head and body with strikes.
Vieira tries to get to full guard but Powell has control of the leg.
Vieira on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Powell throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Vieira moves forwards but Powell connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Vieira misses with a takedown attempt

and Powell counters with a single leg into guard. Vieira didn't expect that.

Vieira throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Powell landing with the ground and pound.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Vieira is on top in guard.
Powell keeping moving, preventing Vieira from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Powell is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Powell seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Kent Powell has got the better of the ground game so far.
Vieira is looking to improve his position.
Powell is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Powell winds up and cracks Vieira with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Powell lands strikes from half guard.
Powell looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Vieira with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Powell lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Well, if Powell is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Vieira taking some punishment here, with Powell in his half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ground and pound from Powell.
Vieira taking some punishment here, with Powell in his half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Powell lands a nice short elbow.
Vieira gets full guard.
Powell with a flurry of punches that miss.
Powell makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Vieira trying to keep a closed guard but Powell is proving a slippery customer.
Powell makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Powell postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Powell lands a couple of elbows.
Vieira has momentary wrist control but Powell slips an elbow through the middle.
Powell postures up in Vieira's guard and throws a big left but Vieira blocks it.

Vieira looking for subs off his back but Powell has passed one foot through into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Powell slips a nice elbow through Vieira's hands, connecting with Vieira's forehead.
Powell lands with a punch from half guard.
Powell landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Powell working over Vieira with some ground and pound. Vieira looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Vieira is looking for a sweep. Powell is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Powell trying to control the pace.
Powell scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Powell looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Vieira with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Powell working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Vieira taking some punishment here, with Powell in his half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Powell takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Powell has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Vieira is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Powell scores with a couple of nice shots.
Powell lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Powell is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Powell lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Powell is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Powell lands a nice short elbow.
Powell lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Powell is nestled in close to Vieira, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Powell is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Powell lands a nice short elbow.
Vieira is trying to maintain the position but Powell is very close to passing his half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kent Powell showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Vieira tries for a takedown but Powell circles away easily

and Powell counters with a single leg into guard. Vieira didn't expect that.
Powell connects with a couple of short punches.
Powell working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Vieira's head.
Powell 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.
Powell lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Vieira is trying to control the position but Powell postures up.
Powell wants to control from the top but Vieira keeps moving.
Powell works over Vieira with some ground and pound from guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Powell keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Vieira's head.
Powell is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Powell with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Vieira is on top in guard.

Powell scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Vieira shoots and misses
and Powell counters with a left to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Vieira doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Powell counters with a lovely shot to the body.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Raul Vieira. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Vieira slips a straight right by Powell.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vieira shoots and misses
and Powell counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
The fighters circle momentarily. Powell darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

Powell shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Vieira moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Powell lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Powell trying to control the position from guard on top but Vieira is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Powell stays in close to Vieira's body and controls the position.
Powell cracks Vieira with a solid left hand.
Powell is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Vieira is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Powell lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Powell trying to control but Vieira is working from the bottom.
Raul Vieira has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Powell slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Powell content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Powell throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Powell connects with a couple of short punches.

Vieira has his foot on Powell's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Powell works his way back into a safe position though.
Powell working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Powell is working Vieira over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Powell cracks Vieira with a solid left hand.
Powell content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Powell connects with a couple of short punches.
Vieira tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Powell is working Vieira over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Kent Powell is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Powell controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Powell content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Powell connects with a couple of short punches.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Powell wants to control from the top but Vieira keeps moving.
Powell postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kent Powell comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Powell 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 25:30
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 25:30
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kent Powell!