PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rafael Carneiro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mateusz Dowdak (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Rafael Carneiro has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Carneiro
vs
Dowdak

186 cm
29
197 lbs
6 - 9 - 0

189 cm
19
189 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
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 6 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rafael Carneiro!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mateusz Dowdak!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Carneiro tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Dowdak swivels and escapes.
Dowdak shoots in but no luck this time.
Dowdak closes this distance looking for a takedown but Carneiro circles away.
Rafael Carneiro seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Dowdak looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Carneiro trying to strike off his back.
Carneiro has a closed guard, preventing Dowdak from standing up.

Carneiro escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Dowdak gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Carneiro is on top in guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Dowdak looking to hit a scissor sweep but Carneiro is one step ahead there.

Dowdak escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Carneiro gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Dowdak looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Dowdak is working an open guard so Carneiro takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Dowdak tries to score a power double leg takedown but Carneiro sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Dowdak somewhat.
Rafael Carneiro has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mateusz Dowdak.
Dowdak looks winded!
Dowdak keeps the fight on the outside.
Horrible takedown by Carneiro or perhaps it was just good defense by Dowdak which made him look bad.
Carneiro is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Carneiro shoots in but no luck this time.
Carneiro shoots in but Dowdak avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Carneiro tries to clinch

and Dowdak counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Dowdak.

Carneiro jumps into guard, dragging Dowdak to the mat.
Dowdak trying to control but Carneiro is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Dowdak drops back looking for a leg! Carneiro is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Carneiro manages to kick Dowdak off! Dowdak jumps back into Carneiro's guard.

Dowdak drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Carneiro manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Dowdak has Carneiro in his guard.

Dowdak isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Carneiro stacks Dowdak on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Carneiro!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Carneiro decides to stand back up.

Carneiro scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Carneiro decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.

Carneiro gets a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carneiro can't break the clinch.

Dowdak manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Carneiro wants to get up but he can't break Dowdak's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Dowdak has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Carneiro can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Carneiro is looking to stand up but Dowdak won't let him.
Dowdak throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Carneiro is looking to stand up but Dowdak won't let him.
Dowdak wants to sweep here but Carneiro controlling him for the moment.
Dowdak is trying to control the position but Carneiro postures up.
Carneiro trying to stand up but can't free himself from Dowdak's guard.

Dowdak looking for a guillotine here but Carneiro defends easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Carneiro has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Dowdak is proving hard to escape from.
Carneiro postures up.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Carneiro is looking to stand up but Dowdak won't let him.

Dowdak is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Carneiro wants to stand but Dowdak has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Dowdak is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Carneiro is aware though and is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Carneiro tries to clinch but Dowdak is having none of it.
Dowdak tries for a takedown but Carneiro circles away easily
and Carneiro counters with a stiff right hand.
Rafael Carneiro is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nice sprawl there from Carneiro as Dowdak shoots in.
Carneiro tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Dowdak paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Carneiro closes the distance but Dowdak moves to the side
enabling Dowdak to counter with a crisp jab.
Carneiro darts in trying to clinch

and Dowdak counters with a takedown into side control.
Carneiro prevents Dowdak from moving into mount.
Carneiro tries to buck Dowdak off but Dowdak is having none of it.
Carneiro sneaks back into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Carneiro is trying to get back to full guard.

Carneiro looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carneiro tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

Carneiro is defending against the submission attempts here by Dowdak.
Carneiro punching from the bottom.

Carneiro looking for submissions off his back.
Dowdak trying to control the action but Carneiro is working from the bottom.

Dowdak is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Carneiro has managed to free his arm - good work.
Carneiro wants to control but Dowdak is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Carneiro is defending against the submission attempts here by Dowdak.
Carneiro slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Carneiro wants to stand and escape but Dowdak is having none of it.
Dowdak wants to get up but he can't break Carneiro's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Carneiro has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Dowdak can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Carneiro is looking for a triangle but Dowdak pushes his legs off easily.

Dowdak is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Dowdak is sitting in close to Carneiro's body. Carneiro has gone for a guillotine from the bottom. Oh damn, that looks pretty tight! Dowdak is panicking - it looks like this one could be all over! Yes, Dowdak is tapping! That was a very nice submission by Carneiro.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:21 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Rafael Carneiro!
Rafael Carneiro took to the mic after the fight and begged the organizational hierarchy for a shot at the title.