PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Barbados Slim (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Botello (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Botello has chosen Candlekeep as his entrance music. John Botello looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Slim
vs
Botello

185 cm
31
220 lbs
16 - 8 - 2

170 cm
31
212 lbs
15 - 14 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Knockout power

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 16 - 8 - 2, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Barbados Slim!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, John Botello!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Edson Gomes and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Slim lands a nice shot that snaps Botello's head back.

Botello shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Botello was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Slim is looking to reverse the position.
Botello wants to stand but Slim is controlling his arm.
Slim manages to get back to half guard.
Botello trying to control from half guard but Slim is working away.
Still in half guard, Botello seems content to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. John Botello was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Botello has his takedown stuffed
and Slim counters with a right hand to the body.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Slim.
Slim controlling the position.
Slim working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Slim works to advance to full mount. Botello defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Botello is squirming around, avoiding Slim's attempts to control the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Slim is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Botello has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Botello!
Slim looking to hit a scissor sweep but Botello is one step ahead there.
Botello must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Botello wants to stand but Slim has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Botello wants to control from the top but Slim keeps moving.
Slim can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Botello controls the pace.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by John Botello.
Botello throws a head kick that misses.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Botello tries to clinch up but Slim circles away and keeps his distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice cross by Slim.
Botello tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Slim paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Botello avoids the body shot from Slim.
A big left from Slim misses.
Slim shoots for a takedown but Botello saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Botello punishes Slim's body with a nice straight punch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Slim misses with a hook. Botello ducked under it nicely.
A solid leg kick lands there for Botello.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Barbados Slim will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Botello slips a jab and a cross from Slim.
Slim tries for a takedown but Botello sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Jab by Slim.
Slim checks a low kick from Botello.
Slim is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Botello with a poor takedown
letting Slim counter with a right hand.
Slim fails with the takedown.
Decent striking displayed by Botello there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Slim works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Botello looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Slim looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Botello is looking to stand up but Slim isn't so interested in that idea.
Slim trying to control but Botello is working from the bottom.
Botello wants to get back to his feet but Slim is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Slim pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Botello is keeping the position for now.
Slim wants to control from the top but Botello keeps moving.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Slim looking to sit in guard and control but Botello gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Barbados Slim overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Slim utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Slim looking to hit a scissor sweep but Botello is one step ahead there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Slim can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Botello controls the pace.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Barbados Slim.
Botello misses with a double jab
enabling Slim to counter with a crisp jab.
Botello misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Slim.
Slim throws the left hand but Botello avoids the punch easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Slim connects with a looping right hand.
Slim throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Botello sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Slim moves out of range as Botello strikes.
A looping hook to the body misses from Botello. Slim does a little dance to reset his feet.
Slim will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Barbados Slim. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A big right from Botello misses.
Botello swings and misses with a hook to the body.
John Botello is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Slim avoids the body shot from Botello.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Barbados Slim will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

No luck for Botello with that takedown attempt.
Slim is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Botello takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Slim fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Botello manages to avoid it.
The crowd cheers as Slim lands an impressive looking overhand right. Botello doesn't seem phased though.
Slim misses with a wild combination.

Botello closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Slim to the mat! Slim manages to get full guard.
Botello takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Slim is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Slim is controlling the pace.
Botello is trying to stand.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Slim in particular looking to stall.
Slim wants to control but Botello is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Barbados Slim wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Slim misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Botello fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Slim has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Slim swats away the attempt to clinch by Botello.

Slim bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Slim content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Botello stops Slim from passing to mount.
Slim controlling from side mount.

Slim is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Botello knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Barbados Slim is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Slim trying to control the position but Botello is working away.
John Botello has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Slim is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Botello will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.

And that's the end of the fight!
Barbados Slim showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Slim has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Barbados Slim!
Barbados Slim looked relieved post fight as he said the following; 'get on your knees and suck it while i smoke this skunky bong mother FUCKERS!'.