PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ricardinho Pancada (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raul Esteves (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Esteves's choice of entrance music: Before I Forgot-Skipknot. The key to victory for Ricardinho Pancada has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Pancada
vs
Esteves

187 cm
23
213 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

175 cm
28
219 lbs
13 - 8 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ricardinho Pancada!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Raul Esteves!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Thiago Cunha and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Esteves swats away the attempt to clinch by Pancada.
Pancada shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Esteves but Esteves pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Pancada tries to clinch up but Esteves circles away and keeps his distance.
Pancada shoots for a takedown but Esteves saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Esteves throws a head kick but Pancada moves out of range.
Pancada misses with a two punch combination.
Esteves scores with a one two! Pancada had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Esteves wants to slow Pancada down by chopping away at his legs.
Pancada is looking to clinch.

Pancada closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Pancada on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Esteves lands a nice elbow.

It looks like Ricardinho Pancada has been cut.
Esteves lands an elbow that stopped Pancada in his tracks for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Esteves lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Pancada has had enough of the clinch but Esteves keeps him there for the moment.
Pancada tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Esteves's elbow.
Esteves lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Pancada looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Esteves misses with a punch on the inside.
Esteves keeps control of Pancada as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Pancada is looking to break free of the clinch but Esteves has double underhooks.
Esteves working aggressively here.
Pancada has Esteves pushed against the cage.
Esteves has Pancada pressed against the cage, preventing Pancada from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Pancada looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Esteves lands an elbow just above Pancada 's eye.
A hook to the body from Esteves.
Esteves lands an elbow inside that Pancada shrugs off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pancada manages to break the clinch.
Pancada tries to close the distance and clinch but Esteves swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Esteves has closed the distance and engaged Pancada in a clinch.
Pancada trying to control the position but instead, Esteves has worked for underhooks and has pushed Pancada into the cage.
Esteves lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Esteves misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Pancada.
Pancada tries to throw a body punch but Esteves avoids it by throwing Pancada back against the cage.
Pancada struggles to land a body shot inside as Esteves controls his hands.
Esteves stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Esteves misses with a hook from the clinch.
Pancada lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Esteves prevents a body shot from Pancada.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Esteves stalling against the cage.
Pancada tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Esteves.
Esteves scores with a shoulder strike.
Still in the clinch, Pancada scores with a nice short uppercut.
Esteves misses with a hook from the clinch.
Pancada can't break the clinch.
Esteves lands a hook to the side of the head.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Esteves creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Pancada blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Esteves lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Esteves.
Good body shot from Esteves.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Esteves is trying to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pancada taking a breather.
Pancada misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Pancada is looking to break free of the clinch but Esteves has double underhooks.
Pancada is pushing Esteves up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Esteves throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Esteves blocks a body shot from Pancada.
Pancada with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Pancada lands a right hand.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Esteves misses with a punch on the inside.
Pancada is trying to force a seperation but Esteves has the dominant position.
Esteves scores with a shoulder strike.
Pancada is trying to break the clinch but Esteves has him pressed against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raul Esteves dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ricardinho Pancada's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Pancada moves into the clinch successfully.
Pancada wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Esteves misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Pancada lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Esteves backwards.
Pancada is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Esteves lands with a right to the head.
Esteves working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

Pancada breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Esteves swats away the attempt to clinch by Pancada.
Pancada pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Pancada tries to clinch but Esteves is having none of it.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Esteves.
Pancada fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Esteves turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Pancada throws a looping overhand right but Esteves ducks down to avoid it.
Ricardinho Pancada seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Esteves lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Pancada has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Pancada and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Esteves tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Pancada swivels and escapes.

Pancada gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Esteves lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Esteves misses with a short punch on the inside.
Esteves working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Esteves lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Pancada or not.
A right hook to the body lands for Esteves.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Pancada.

Pancada breaks the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pancada misses with a body punch
and Esteves counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Ricardinho Pancada is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Esteves misses with a head kick.
Pancada fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Esteves avoids it really well and circles away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
No joy there for Pancada, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Pancada tries for a takedown but Esteves sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Pancada wants to clinch.
Pancada has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ricardinho Pancada. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pancada tries to clinch up but Esteves circles away and keeps his distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Esteves pivots, looking for a leg kick but Pancada is out of range and Esteves settles back down.
Pancada connects with the punch.

It looks like Raul Esteves has been cut.
Esteves does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Pancada misses with an uppercut.
Pancada tries to clinch
and Esteves counters with a two punch combo.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Pancada manages to break the clinch.
Pancada throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Esteves stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Nice sprawl there from Esteves as Pancada shoots in.
Pancada throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Esteves's waist but Esteves gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Pancada off to one side.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pancada shoots in looking for a takedown but Esteves manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Pancada's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Pancada tries to bum rush Esteves with a series of wild strikes but Esteves uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Esteves moves into the clinch.
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!
Esteves taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Esteves working aggressively here.
Pancada goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Pancada is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Esteves is keeping busy.
Pancada's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Pancada blocks an elbow strike from Esteves.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Esteves misses with a hook to the ribs.
Esteves swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Pancada fails to pull guard.
Esteves is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raul Esteves showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Sloppy strikes from Pancada. Those never looked like landing.
Pancada stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Pancada wants it to stay on the feet.
Pancada misses with a hook to the body

and Esteves decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Pancada's guard.
Pancada wants to stand and escape but Esteves is having none of it.
Pancada working a defensive guard here.
Esteves keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Pancada's head.
Esteves throws and elbow that misses. Pancada uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Esteves's guard. Nice move by Pancada!
Pancada prevents Esteves from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Esteves is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Pancada is aware though and is defending well.
Esteves keeping moving, preventing Pancada from controlling successfully.
Esteves is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Pancada landing with the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Esteves looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Pancada scoring with punches to the head and body.
Esteves has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Pancada has passed into side control.

Pancada decides to stand back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pancada doesn't manage to clinch there - Esteves circles away.
Ricardinho Pancada is winning the standup battle so far.
Pancada throws a low kick but Esteves moves out of range easily.
Pancada connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Esteves wants to land a leg kick but Pancada is out of range.
Esteves checks the leg kick nicely there.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nice sprawl there from Esteves as Pancada shoots in.
Esteves scores with a decent looking hook.

Pancada closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Esteves dodges the ground and pound from Pancada.
Esteves tries to bench press Pancada off him but Pancada keeps the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pancada passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Esteves!
Esteves is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Pancada trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Pancada is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Esteves can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Pancada landing strikes, looking to finish!
Esteves is trying to escape the mount.
Pancada breaks from Esteves's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Pancada postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Esteves looks a forlorn figure.
Pancada throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Raul Esteves is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pancada controlling the pace for now.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Esteves is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Pancada with the ground and pound from mount.
Esteves is working to get back to half guard.
Pancada lands a nice shot to the head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pancada trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Pancada looking to control and managing it successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ricardinho Pancada showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Esteves has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Raul Esteves!