PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Diego Minotauro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Balboa Batista (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Minotauro
vs
Batista

197 cm
25
199 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
25
199 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Good in bed

Good wrestler
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Diego Minotauro!
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, Balboa Batista!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Felipe Paraventi and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Batista has closed the distance and engaged Minotauro in a clinch.
Batista gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Minotauro.
Minotauro can't break the clinch.

Minotauro has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Batista uses from the top position.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Batista pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Minotauro is keeping the position for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Minotauro is trying to control the position but Batista postures up.
Batista passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Minotauro can't do much from the bottom here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Batista is looking to take a break and control but Minotauro is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Batista controls the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Minotauro is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Minotauro tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Batista wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Batista is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Minotauro is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Batista wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Minotauro, who protects the arm well.
Batista trying to control the action but Minotauro is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Minotauro's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Batista stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Batista tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Minotauro paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Minotauro walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Batista checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
A head kick misses from Minotauro.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Minotauro tries to bench press Batista off him but Batista keeps the position.
Batista working away.
Batista wants to lay and pray for a moment but Minotauro keeps working.

Batista decides to stand up, so the ref orders Minotauro to his feet.
Batista throws a sloppy head kick and Minotauro moves out of range easily.
A punch combination from Minotauro misses.

Minotauro scores a takedown into full mount!
Batista is trying to escape the mount.

Minotauro stands up from mount. Strange move.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Minotauro closes the distance and clinches up with Batista, looking for a takedown. Minotauro pushes Batista against the cage but Batista circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Batista closes the distance and clinches up with Minotauro, looking for a takedown. Batista pushes Minotauro against the cage but Minotauro circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Minotauro closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Batista regains full guard. Nicely done.
Batista has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Minotauro has passed into side control.
Batista strikes from the bottom but Minotauro takes advantage and advances to full mount!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Batista working to try and regain half guard.
Batista tries to hold on but Minotauro postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Balboa Batista will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Minotauro shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Batista napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Batista tries to buck Minotauro off but Minotauro is having none of it.
Batista is holding Minotauro down, trying to stall.
Batista is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
A bit of a lull in the action here.
Batista is not content to let Minotauro control the position.
Minotauro slows the pace down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Minotauro trying to control the position but Batista is working away.
Minotauro is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Batista is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Diego Minotauro just wasn't active enough.

Minotauro shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Minotauro showed some decent athleticism there.
Batista looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Minotauro prevents Batista from improving his position.
Batista trying to hold on to Minotauro's head to control him but Minotauro postures up.
Batista is staying active underneath Minotauro, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Batista gets full guard.
Minotauro wants to control from the top but Batista keeps moving.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Minotauro postures up.
Batista is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Minotauro is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Minotauro is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Diego Minotauro has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Minotauro gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Minotauro lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Batista misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Batista is trying to escape back to his feet but Minotauro uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Minotauro is looking to take a break and control but Batista is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Batista seems a little lost for a moment, as Minotauro dominates the positioning.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Batista tries to escape but Minotauro is in control.

Minotauro is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Batista is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Batista gets back to half guard.
Minotauro tries to pass to full mount but Batista defends it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Minotauro stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Minotauro scores a takedown into full mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Diego Minotauro dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Batista throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Batista looks to clinch

and Minotauro counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Minotauro.
Diego Minotauro overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Batista being controlled here, momentarily.
Minotauro wants to control from the top but Batista keeps moving.
Batista wants to sweep but no luck.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Batista is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

We're going to have a standup here because Diego Minotauro wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Batista tries for a takedown but Minotauro sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Batista throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Minotauro sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Batista fails with an attempt to clinch.
Diego Minotauro is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Batista wants to clinch.

Minotauro gets a double leg takedown into Batista's guard.

Batista has his foot on Minotauro's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Minotauro works his way back into a safe position though.
Minotauro looking to sit in guard and control but Batista gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Minotauro looking for a sweep. Not yet Minotauro, not yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Batista gets to his feet. Minotauro looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Minotauro will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Batista tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Minotauro throws a push kick but Batista slaps the foot to one side.
Batista throws a head kick but Minotauro moves out of range.

Batista shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Minotauro is trying to defend but Batista finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Minotauro manages to get to full guard.
Batista takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Minotauro working a defensive guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Batista slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Minotauro not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Batista trying to control the position from guard on top but Minotauro is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Minotauro wants to get back to his feet but Batista is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Minotauro wants to sweep but no luck.

Diego Minotauro has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Batista darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Batista wants to free his trapped foot but Minotauro is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Batista wants to take a breather but Minotauro is having none of it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Minotauro trying to control here.
Minotauro tries to kick Batista off but Batista keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Balboa Batista.
I think Batista 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 28:29
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Balboa Batista!