PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rozafa Arben (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joaozinho Gurgel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Arben kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is P.O.D. - The Messenjah. 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.

Arben
vs
Gurgel

198 cm
26
205 lbs
10 - 9 - 1

193 cm
25
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
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 10 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rozafa Arben!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Joaozinho Gurgel!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Paulo Santos and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gurgel throws a hook but Arben avoids it easily.
Gurgel avoids the body shot from Arben.
Gurgel throws a low kick but Arben avoids it.
Gurgel avoids a punch combination nicely.
Gurgel swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
A punch combination from Arben misses.
Arben throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Gurgel stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Arben is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Gurgel.
Gurgel throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Arben works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
A leg kick checked by Arben.
Arben lands a body shot.
A head kick misses from Gurgel.
Gurgel throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Arben lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Gurgel circles away quickly and effectively.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arben tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Gurgel tries to clinch but Arben moves out of range.
Gurgel is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Gurgel tries to clinch but Arben moves out of range.
Arben connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Arben sizes up Gurgel with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Arben scores with a shot to the body.
Sloppy strikes from Arben. Those never looked like landing.
Gurgel throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Gurgel lands a jab to the nose.
A slow jab from Arben misses its intended target.
Gurgel takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Arben throws a hook but Gurgel blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arben jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Arben connects with a body shot that sends Gurgel's belly button to the back.
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!
Arben throws a lazy right hand but Gurgel sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Arben swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Gurgel counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Gurgel misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Arben lands an overhand right.

Gurgel closes the distance and clinches.
Gurgel misses with a knee to the head.
Arben is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Gurgel lands a nice knee to the body.
Gurgel misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Gurgel lands a nice uppercut.
The referee calls for Gurgel to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A left hand lands to the body for Gurgel.
Gurgel fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Gurgel is working Arben over against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Arben.
Gurgel working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
A short uppercut from Gurgel.

Gurgel's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Arben stuns Gurgel with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Arben scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Rozafa Arben seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Arben circles away from the clinch attempt.
Gurgel keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Arben throws a right hand that Gurgel ducks under and follows up with a left that Gurgel also avoids with ease.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gurgel throws a right and a left that Arben avoids nicely.
Gurgel misses with an uppercut. Arben saw that one coming.
Gurgel keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Arben.
Gurgel wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Arben scores with a nice head shot.
Gurgel connects with a crisp jab.
Gurgel tries to close the distance and clinch but Arben swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Arben fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gurgel manages to avoid it.
Arben throws a right and a left that both miss.
Arben throws the left hand but Gurgel avoids the punch easily.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Arben scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Gurgel doesn't seem bothered though.
A slapping leg kick lands for Gurgel.
Arben tries to score with a low kick but Gurgel moves his leg out of the way.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joaozinho Gurgel dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Gurgel tries to clinch up but Arben circles away and keeps his distance.
Arben throws a body punch but Gurgel moves out of range.
Joaozinho Gurgel is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A chopping leg kick lands by Gurgel.
Arben throws the left hand but Gurgel avoids the punch easily.
Arben fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gurgel manages to avoid it.
Nice jab there from Gurgel.

It looks like Rozafa Arben has been cut.
Arben misses with a body shot.
Arben sizes up Gurgel with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Gurgel throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Arben showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Gurgel.
Gurgel uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Arben.
Arben takes one to the side of the head.
Nice body punch from Arben.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arben lands with a nice body punch.
Arben is looking to wear down Gurgel with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Gurgel thows a leg kick but Arben checks it
enabling Arben to counter with a crisp jab.
Arben darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Gurgel lands a right hook to the body.
Gurgel fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
A shot to the body from Arben misses
and Gurgel counters with a thumping low kick.
Arben wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Gurgel doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.

Gurgel forces Arben back against the cage and clinches.
Arben wants to break free but Gurgel has control.

Gurgel manages to break the clinch.
Gurgel tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Arben is able to avoid easily.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Gurgel, right into the meat.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Arben fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Gurgel.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arben waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Gurgel.
Joaozinho Gurgel seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Arben falls off balance throwing a combination
and Gurgel counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Arben cracks Gurgel with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Arben throws a jab but it's blocked by Gurgel.
Gurgel avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Gurgel throws a powerful right kick. Arben tried to block low but the kick was high! Arben was taken right off of his feet! Gurgel jumps in to finish the job and the ref tackles him! The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:37 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Joaozinho Gurgel!
During a confident post fight interview, Joaozinho Gurgel thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.