PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Brandon Harper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Victor Lima (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Harper
vs
Lima

187 cm
24
120 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

175 cm
25
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very confident

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 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brandon Harper!
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, Victor Lima!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Edson Gomes and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lima throws a right and a left that both miss.
Harper slaps away a takedown attempt from Lima, before circling back to the center of the mat.
No luck for Harper with that takedown attempt.
Lima dives in and grabs Harper's left leg, looking for a takedown. Harper pushes down on Lima's head and hops out.
Harper takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Harper blocks a head kick by Lima.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Harper is defended easily by Lima.
Harper swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Lima throws a head kick that half lands.
Harper really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Harper goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Lima shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Harper but Harper pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Brandon Harper has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Victor Lima.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lima defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Harper.
Lima displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Harper.
Lima is looking to clinch but Harper is avoiding it.
Lima shoots in but no luck this time.
Lima tries to clinch

and Harper moves into the clinch.

Lima jumps guard.
Harper's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Harper postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lima can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Harper controls the pace.
Harper wants to control from the top but Lima keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Brandon Harper.
Lima shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Harper as he avoids it easily.
Lima shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Harper as he jumps to the side.
Lima looks winded!
Lima shoots in and drives through. Harper sprawls well.
Harper fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Nice shot lands for Harper.

Harper clinches up with Lima and pushes him back against the cage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Harper pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Lima rushes Harper and presses him up against the cage.
Lima fails to pull guard.
Harper manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lima is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Harper gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Harper tries to pull guard but Lima holds him up against the cage and eventually Harper drops back down to his feet.
Harper is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Lima pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Lima lands with a right to the head.

Lima escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Harper lets loose with a powerful body kick. Lima will feel that in the morning.
Harper shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Lima but Lima pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Lima shoots for a takedown but Harper saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harper throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Lima's waist but Lima gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Harper off to one side.
Lima thows a left - swing and a miss!
Harper pushes Lima away with a front kick.
Harper closes the distance and clinches up with Lima, looking for a takedown. Harper pushes Lima against the cage but Lima circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Harper circles away from the clinch attempt.

Lima clinches with his opponent.
Harper stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Lima trying to land knees to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lima's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Harper leaning his opponent against the cage.
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 Brandon Harper will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Lima shoots in and drives through. Harper sprawls well.
Harper changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Lima tries to avoid it but Harper manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Lima to the ground. Lima escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Harper.
Harper tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Harper closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Lima's guard.
Lima is striking but Harper is not phased and passes to half guard.
Harper thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Lima's head.
Lima keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lima wants to get back to full guard but Harper has passed into side control.
Lima is looking for a sweep.
Lima is in a bad spot here and he knows it... just holding on for now.
Harper looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Lima is avoiding damage well.

Harper decides to take the fight back to the feet.

Harper clinches up with Lima and pushes him back against the cage.
Harper is looking for a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Brandon Harper. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Harper escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Lima closes the distance and clinches up with Harper, looking for a takedown. Lima pushes Harper against the cage but Harper circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Harper misses with a takedown attempt - Lima sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Harper fails with a takedown attempt.
Lima circles away from the clinch attempt.
Lima fails with a takedown attempt.

Harper rushes Lima and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lima misses with a punch to the body.
Harper tries to pull guard but Lima forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Lima breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Lima pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Harper shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Lima but Lima pushes him off and we're back to square one.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Harper.
Lima shoots in for a takedown but Harper shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Harper moves out of range as Lima throws a body kick.
Brandon Harper is winning the standup battle so far.

Lima moves into the clinch successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lima has Harper pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Harper manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Lima stops a takedown attempt from Harper.
Harper stalling against the cage.

Lima successfully pulls guard.
Lima looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Lima is looking for a triangle but Harper pushes his legs off easily.
Harper is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Harper will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lima wants to sweep here but Harper controlling him for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brandon Harper dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Harper closes the distance and clinches up with Lima, looking for a takedown. Harper pushes Lima against the cage but Lima circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Lima darts in looking for a takedown but Harper gets double underhooks and turns Lima into the cage.
Harper drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Harper jumps guard but Lima stands there with Harper around his waist. Harper gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Brandon Harper. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Lima breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Lima is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Harper throws a head kick that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harper stuffs the takedown.

Lima fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Harper, pushing him back against the cage.
Lima is pushing Harper up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Harper breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Lima shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Harper as he jumps to the side.
Lima takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Harper fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Lima avoids it really well and circles away.
Harper with a poor takedown

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

Harper's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Brandon Harper is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Harper keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lima tries to clinch up.
Harper will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Lima closes the distance and clinches.
Lima has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Harper avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Harper is trying to break free.
Lima wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Harper has him pressed against the cage.
Harper wants a takedown but no success here.

Harper manages to break the clinch.
Lima closes this distance looking for a takedown but Harper circles away.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Lima wants to clinch up but Harper keeps it at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harper dives in for a single leg takedown but Lima sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Lima's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A looping hook to the body misses from Lima. Harper does a little dance to reset his feet.
Lima tries to clinch but Harper moves out of range.
Harper looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Lima displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Harper displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Lima.
Harper tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Lima defends well and Harper ends up having to push Lima into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Lima is trying to break the clinch but Harper is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lima fails to pull guard.

Harper breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Harper rushes Lima and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Harper prevents a takedown attempt there.
Harper has Lima pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Lima manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Harper tries to score a body lock takedown but Lima shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Stalling in the clinch from Lima.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lima can't get the takedown.
Lima takes an elbow to the temple.
Victor Lima has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Brandon Harper is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Lima tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Victor Lima.
I think Harper has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 29:28
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Brandon Harper!