PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rex Ronny Samuelsen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gabriel Francisco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Ronny Samuelsen
vs
Francisco

196 cm
22
270 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

225 cm
22
280 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rex Ronny Samuelsen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Gabriel Francisco !
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Luis Engracia and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Francisco uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Samuelsen.
Samuelsen circles away from the clinch attempt.
Francisco slips a jab and a cross from Samuelsen.
Francisco slips a straight right by Samuelsen.
Francisco tries for a takedown but Samuelsen sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Francisco is looking to clinch.
Samuelsen misses with a wild combination.
Samuelsen tries to bum rush Francisco with a series of wild strikes but Francisco uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Francisco shoots in for a double leg but Samuelsen sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Samuelsen works over Francisco 's head and body with a nice combination.
Francisco tries to close the distance and clinch up but Samuelsen swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Francisco closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Francisco working away.
Samuelsen knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Francisco on the ground.
Samuelsen tries to contro but end up mounted... ooooh, that's bad.
Samuelsen is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Samuelsen slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Samuelsen tries to roll over but Francisco keeps him under control.
Samuelsen is holding on to half guard well.

Francisco is looking for a kimura here.
Francisco wants to pass to mount but Samuelsen is defending the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Samuelsen has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Francisco is working away from the top position though.
Francisco wants to free his trapped foot but Samuelsen is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Samuelsen is trying to maintain the position but Francisco is very close to passing his half guard.
Samuelsen is refusing to be controlled, as Francisco sits in half guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A jab lands there for Samuelsen.
Gabriel Francisco seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Francisco changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Samuelsen tries to avoid it but Francisco manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Samuelsen to the ground. Samuelsen escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Rex Ronny Samuelsen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gabriel Francisco .
Francisco takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Samuelsen misses with a jab, cross combination.
Samuelsen swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Samuelsen swings for the body but Francisco moves out of range.
Samuelsen throws a big shot that misses.
The fight stays on the outside here - Francisco looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Francisco shoots in for a takedown but Samuelsen shows good takedown defense.
Samuelsen misses with the combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Francisco displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Samuelsen throws out the jab.
Francisco tries to clinch but Samuelsen moves out of range.
Samuelsen could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Francisco looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Samuelsen is fending him off so far but Francisco persists. Nope, Samuelsen circles away and we're back to standing.
Samuelsen throws a big shot that misses.
Francisco showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Samuelsen.
Some wild striking there from Samuelsen.
Francisco tries to clinch but Samuelsen is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rex Ronny Samuelsen dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Francisco shoots in for a takedown but Samuelsen shows good takedown defense.
Francisco defending well as Samuelsen loads up on a big left hand.
Samuelsen scores with a hook to the body. Francisco takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Francisco dodges the punch combination from Samuelsen.
Samuelsen is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Samuelsen's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Samuelsen throws a series of punches but Francisco moves out of range.
Left hook, right uppercut from Samuelsen.
Samuelsen throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Francisco is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Francisco throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Samuelsen's waist but Samuelsen gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Francisco off to one side.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Samuelsen misses with a straight right.
Francisco uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Samuelsen.
Francisco shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Samuelsen as he jumps to the side.
Rex Ronny Samuelsen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gabriel Francisco .
Samuelsen swinging wilding here.
Some wild striking there from Samuelsen.
Francisco will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Francisco slips a jab and a cross from Samuelsen.

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.
A jab from Samuelsen misses.
Good exchange - Samuelsen coming out on top.
Francisco shoots in but no luck this time.
Francisco is breathing heavily.
Samuelsen misses with a wild combination.
Samuelsen misses with a wild combination.
Francisco has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Samuelsen finds it's way round the side to connect with Francisco 's head.
Francisco shoots in but no luck this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A choreographed right hand from Samuelsen misses the target.
Samuelsen bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Samuelsen tries to bum rush Francisco with a series of wild strikes but Francisco uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A punch combination from Samuelsen misses.
Francisco shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Samuelsen looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Samuelsen lands an overhand right.
Rex Ronny Samuelsen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Francisco shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Samuelsen but Samuelsen pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Francisco dodges the punch combination from Samuelsen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Francisco takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Samuelsen pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Samuelsen misses with a double jab.
A big left from Samuelsen misses.
Samuelsen punishes Francisco 's body with a nice straight punch.
Samuelsen will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Francisco misses with a takedown attempt - Samuelsen sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rex Ronny Samuelsen dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Samuelsen connects with a good right hand that stumbles Francisco . Francisco circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Samuelsen throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Samuelsen misses with a wild body shot.
Samuelsen throws a combination. Francisco tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Samuelsen stuffs the takedown.
Good exchange - Samuelsen coming out on top.
No joy there for Samuelsen, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Francisco tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Samuelsen paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Samuelsen cracks Francisco with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Francisco has a takedown stuffed.
Francisco takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Francisco tries to clinch there but Samuelsen circles away.
Samuelsen misses the shot to the body.
Some wild striking there from Samuelsen.

Francisco feints and as Samuelsen raises his hands in defense, Francisco changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Francisco stopping the sweep attempt from Samuelsen.
Samuelsen manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Francisco manages to get himself to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Samuelsen slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Samuelsen avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Samuelsen has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Francisco has his foot on Samuelsen's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Samuelsen works his way back into a safe position though.
Samuelsen wants to pass the guard but Francisco is keeping the position.

Samuelsen decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Samuelsen digs a good body shot into Francisco 's ribs.
Samuelsen misses with a double jab.
Francisco displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Samuelsen throws out the jab.
Samuelsen misses with a series of wild punches.
Francisco shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Samuelsen but Samuelsen pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Rex Ronny Samuelsen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gabriel Francisco .
Francisco uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Samuelsen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Samuelsen swinging wilding here.
Samuelsen misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Francisco moves in looking to clinch but Samuelsen pushes him off.
Francisco is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Francisco changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Samuelsen tries to avoid it but Francisco manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Samuelsen to the ground. Samuelsen escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Samuelsen throws a right and a left that Francisco avoids nicely.
Francisco tries to clinch there but Samuelsen circles away.
Francisco tries to clinch up but Samuelsen circles away and keeps his distance.
Gabriel Francisco has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Samuelsen throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rex Ronny Samuelsen showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Samuelsen, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:26
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 30:26
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rex Ronny Samuelsen!