PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Eric Lawson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Antonio Pinto Pinto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Pinto has chosen Bibiano Fernandes Highlights [HELLO JAPAN] as his entrance music. Eric Lawson has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Lawson
vs
Pinto Pinto

190 cm
29
190 lbs
20 - 11 - 0

150 cm
28
202 lbs
14 - 8 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Rush Supplements 160Q-STEEL PENN

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 20 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Eric Lawson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Antonio Pinto Pinto!
The judges for this bout are Paulsen Ambrosius, Paul Aken and Radbod Blank.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pinto shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Pinto has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Lawson is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Pinto tries for a takedown but Lawson sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Pinto showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Lawson.
Lawson throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Pinto.
Pinto fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Lawson manages to avoid it.
Lawson throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Lawson lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Pinto has a takedown stuffed.
Eric Lawson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Antonio Pinto Pinto.

Pinto throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Lawson tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Pinto is in Lawson's guard.
Pinto trying to control but Lawson is working from the bottom.
Pinto is stalling in the full guard.

Pinto drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Lawson dives on top into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pinto has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Lawson can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Pinto controls Lawson momentarily but Lawson frees himself.
Lawson keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Pinto's head.
Lawson trying to control but Pinto is working from the bottom.
Pinto not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lawson slips nicely into half guard.
Pinto is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Pinto works his way to full guard. Good work.
Lawson wants to control from the top but Pinto keeps moving.
Pinto is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Pinto wants to sweep but no luck.
Lawson will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Pinto has his foot on Lawson's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Lawson works his way back into a safe position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lawson content to stall in guard here.
Lawson wants to get up but he can't break Pinto's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Pinto is looking for a triangle here but Lawson uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Lawson wants to stand but Pinto is controlling his arm.
Pinto is looking to regain half guard here but Lawson keeps moving and retains side control.
Lawson trying to control the action but Pinto is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pinto is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Lawson off and has taken his back!
Lawson is keeping busy.
Pinto struggling to land strikes to the head as Lawson covers up.
Lawson has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Pinto.

Lawson defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lawson tries to escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antonio Pinto Pinto dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Lawson pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Lawson, right into the meat.
Eric Lawson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Pinto doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Lawson counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Pinto tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Lawson counters with a straight right hand.

Pinto shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Lawson napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Pinto tries to move to mount but Lawson blocks the move with his legs.
Lawson regains half guard, as Pinto was trying to land strikes.

Pinto is trying to work for a kimura but Lawson is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lawson tries to kick Pinto off but Pinto keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Pinto is trying to work for a kimura but Lawson is defending well.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Lawson pushes Pinto off looking to stand but Pinto dives back in and keeps control.
Lawson is staying active underneath Pinto, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pinto is looking to pass Lawson's guard but actually Lawson recovers to full guard.
Lawson wants to stand and escape but Pinto is having none of it.
Pinto preventing the sweep.
Pinto slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
You can see the frustration on Lawson's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Pinto wants to control but Lawson is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pinto tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Pinto looking to control but instead Lawson has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Lawson is looking for a sweep. Pinto is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pinto stalling away here and it's allowed Lawson to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Pinto stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Lawson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Lawson seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
Pinto trying to control but Lawson is working from the bottom.
Lawson trying to keep a closed guard but Pinto is proving a slippery customer.
Lawson seems keen to control Pinto's posture.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antonio Pinto Pinto showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Pinto shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Lawson pinned against the ropes. Lawson gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Nice takedown defense from Lawson. No joy for Pinto on that attempt.
Lawson misses with a head kick.
Lawson avoids the head kick by Pinto.
Antonio Pinto Pinto seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pinto tries to clinch but Lawson moves out of range.
Pinto doesn't manage to clinch there - Lawson circles away.
Nice sprawl there from Lawson as Pinto shoots in.
Eric Lawson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Antonio Pinto Pinto.
Lawson throws a series of punches but Pinto avoids them all with ease.
Lawson fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
A looping hook to the body misses from Lawson. Pinto does a little dance to reset his feet.
Pinto looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Lawson is fending him off so far but Pinto persists. Nope, Lawson circles away and we're back to standing.
Lawson scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pinto changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Lawson tries to avoid it but Pinto manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Lawson to the ground. Lawson escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Pinto's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Lawson connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Pinto scrambles back to his feet.

Pinto darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Pinto takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Pinto wants to pass the guard but Lawson is defending well.
Lawson moves into full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pinto stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Lawson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Pinto trying to control the position from guard on top but Lawson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pinto pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lawson is keeping the position for now.
Pinto advances to half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Pinto seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Lawson does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pinto wants to pass the guard but Lawson is defending well.
Antonio Pinto Pinto has got the better of the ground game so far.
Pinto seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Lawson does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Pinto is working for a kimura but Lawson is defending it quite comfortably.
Lawson is looking to improve his position.
Antonio Pinto Pinto is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Pinto trying to control from half guard but Lawson is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pinto sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Lawson defending well though.

Pinto is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Lawson has managed to free his arm - good work.
Pinto not doing much here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pinto stalling away here and it's allowed Lawson to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Antonio Pinto Pinto comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Pinto winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 27:30
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Antonio Pinto Pinto!
During a confident post fight interview, Antonio Pinto Pinto thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.