PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Magatsu Taito (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nando Rafael (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Taito
vs
Rafael

164 cm
28
140 lbs
17 - 6 - 0

170 cm
26
145 lbs
15 - 4 - 2

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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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 17 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Magatsu Taito!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 4 - 2, fighting out of New York, Nando Rafael!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, Franklyn Lucas and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Taito fails with a takedown attempt.
Rafael has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Taito.
Nando Rafael seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Taito, right into the meat.
Rafael throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Rafael with a nice cross.
Taito is trying hard to land a takedown here. Rafael sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Rafael scores with a punch to the head.
Rafael misses with a head kick.
Taito attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Taito connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Rafael leaves Taito with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Magatsu Taito. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rafael fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Taito checks it well.
A jab from Rafael misses.
Rafael scores with a hook to the body. Taito takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Rafael throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rafael throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rafael pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Taito lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Taito takes a swing at Rafael's ribcage but misses.
Rafael dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Taito. That did some damage!
Rafael just misses with a punch to the body.
Taito has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Rafael finds it's way round the side to connect with Taito's head.
Taito lunges at Rafael with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Rafael's hand.
Taito checks a low kick from Rafael.
Taito misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rafael.
Taito thows a body shot but no joy.
Nice sprawl there from Rafael as Taito shoots in.
Rafael scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Taito swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Rafael moves out of range of the strikes.
Taito fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rafael manages to avoid it.
Nando Rafael is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taito tries for a takedown but Rafael sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Taito blocks a head kick by Rafael.
Rafael misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Taito.
Taito tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Rafael connects with a solid leg kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Taito fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Rafael moves away from the strike by Taito.
Taito on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Rafael. Rafael obviously looking to wear him down.
Taito tests Rafael's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Rafael tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
A head kick misses from Taito.
Rafael tries to land a leg kick but Taito saw it coming and moves away.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Rafael. Taito shrugs it off though.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Rafael checks a leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rafael moves into range and connects with a jab.
Rafael misses with a straight right.
Rafael wants to clinch up but Taito keeps it at a distance.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Taito.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Taito.
An inside leg kick from Rafael misses.
Rafael connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Rafael takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Rafael moves out of range of the leg kick from Taito.
Taito throws a leg kick that is checked
and Rafael counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Taito throws a body kick that misses.
Taito takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Taito throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rafael lands a nice looking kick to the body. Taito takes a step back to recover.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taito shoots for a double leg takedown but Rafael sprawls well. He's pushed Taito's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Rafael scores with a jab. Taito acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Taito swats away the attempt to clinch by Rafael.
Taito swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Rafael fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rafael ducks under a wild hook from Taito.
Rafael throws a sloppy head kick and Taito moves out of range easily.
Taito connects with a jab.
Rafael avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Taito shoots for a double leg takedown but Rafael sprawls well. He's pushed Taito's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Good leg kick by Rafael there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Taito keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Rafael swinging wildly here.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Taito 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 Rafael has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Rafael and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Taito gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Rafael.
Rafael pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Taito throws a looping overhand right but Rafael ducks down to avoid it.
Rafael throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Rafael misses with a leg kick
and Taito counters with a right hand to the body.
Good shot there by Rafael.
Rafael looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

Taito shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Rafael napping and manages to drive through into side control!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Taito misses with the ground and pound.
Taito working the strikes but Rafael uses the opportunity to regain half guard.

Taito seems to be looking for submissions.
Taito throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Taito sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Rafael defending well though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rafael wants to get back to his feet.

Rafael is defending against the submission attempts here by Taito.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Rafael is trying to stand back up but Taito is controlling him
Taito thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rafael's head.

Taito is trying to work for a kimura but Rafael is defending well.

Rafael is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Taito pulls his head out easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taito thows a huge punch but Rafael dodges it nicely.
Taito wants to pass the guard but Rafael is defending well.
Rafael is looking to control Taito's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Rafael avoid being mounted?
Rafael wants to get back to his feet.
Rafael is doing well to control the position and prevent Taito from advancing to side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taito sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Rafael defending well though.

Taito is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Rafael sees it coming and defends easily.
Rafael has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Taito is working away from the top position though.

Taito is looking for a kimura but Rafael is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Taito to get the leverage.
Taito wants to pass the guard but Rafael is defending well.

Rafael is defending against the submission attempts here by Taito.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taito thows a huge punch but Rafael dodges it nicely.
Taito trying to pass the guard but Rafael defending well.

Taito is working for a submission of some sort.
Taito throwing shots but Rafael is blocking nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Magatsu Taito dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Taito tries to score with a low kick but Rafael moves his leg out of the way.
Rafael misses with a wild combination.
Taito misses with a lunging right hand
letting Rafael counter with a right hand.
Rafael chopping away at his opponent's legs.
The fighters circling - Rafael throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Taito keeps the fight on the outside.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Rafael.
Rafael bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Taito's head backwards.
Nando Rafael seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Rafael misses with a leg kick
and Taito counters with a thumping low kick.
Taito looks for the body kick but Rafael saw that one coming.
Nice shot by Rafael.
Rafael fails with an attempt to clinch.
A big right from Taito misses.
Taito blocks a jab.
Taito checks the leg kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Taito looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taito closes this distance looking for a takedown but Rafael circles away.
Rafael takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Rafael misses with a head kick.
Rafael slaps away a takedown attempt from Taito, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Rafael lands a right hook to the body.
Rafael throws a low kick but Taito avoids it.
Rafael stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Taito.
Rafael fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Rafael misses with an uppercut.
Taito chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Rafael can pounce on him.
Rafael misses with a body kick.
Rafael looks to land a right hand but Taito moved out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taito lands with a thumping leg kick.
Taito throws out a loose jab but Rafael uses good head movement to avoid it.
Taito circles away from the clinch attempt
and Taito counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Rafael thinking.

Taito drives through with a takedown into guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rafael keeping moving, preventing Taito from controlling successfully.
Rafael looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Rafael is trying to keep Taito in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Nando Rafael hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
The fighters circling - Taito throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Rafael throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Rafael throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Taito takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Rafael misses the jab.
Taito tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Rafael is able to avoid easily.
Taito sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Rafael tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Taito manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rafael fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Taito checks it well.
Taito swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Rafael.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rafael misses with a double jab.
Rafael's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.

Rafael has managed to clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rafael.
Taito lands a right hand that snaps the head of Rafael backwards.
Rafael is leaning against Taito and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Taito.
A hook to the body from Rafael.

Rafael breaks from the clinch.
Rafael throws a one two combo.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Taito lands a head kick!
Taito checks a leg kick nicely.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Taito shoots in but Rafael avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Magatsu Taito. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rafael uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Taito.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nando Rafael comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Rafael 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 Jonathan Paton scores the fight 28:29
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 28:29
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nando Rafael!
A very excited looking Nando Rafael made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.