PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ignacio Pickett (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fabricio Cabral (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Pickett
vs
Cabral

210 cm
18
214 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

188 cm
25
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Likes musicals

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 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ignacio Pickett!
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, Fabricio Cabral!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Felipe Paraventi and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cabral forces Pickett back against the cage and clinches.
Pickett being controlled against the cage.
Pickett keeps control of Cabral as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Cabral wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Pickett has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Cabral uses from the top position.
Cabral trying to control but Pickett is working from the bottom.
Cabral slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Pickett looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Cabral puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Cabral prevents Pickett from standing back up.
Cabral is looking to take a break and control but Pickett is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pickett flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Cabral prevents Pickett from standing back up.

Pickett is defending against the submission attempts here by Cabral.
Pickett is looking to improve his position.

Cabral is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pickett moves into full guard.

Cabral got a little sloppy there for a moment and Pickett has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Cabral has managed to get both his arms back between Pickett's legs - danger averted.
Cabral slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Cabral being controlled here momentarily.
Pickett looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cabral is one step ahead there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pickett being controlled here, momentarily.

Pickett has his foot on Cabral's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Cabral works his way back into a safe position though.
Pickett will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Cabral pushes down on Pickett's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Cabral wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pickett keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cabral stalling away here and it's allowed Pickett to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Cabral throws a big elbow that misses.

Pickett is looking for a triangle but Cabral pushes his legs off easily.
Pickett looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Cabral is looking to stand up but Pickett won't let him.

Pickett has his foot on Cabral's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Cabral works his way back into a safe position though.
Pickett not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Fabricio Cabral will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Pickett keeps the fight on the outside.
Cabral gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Pickett counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Pickett.
Pickett has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Cabral after a bit of a struggle.
Cabral prevents a takedown attempt there.
Cabral tries to pull guard but Pickett won't allow it.
Pickett tries for a takedown but Cabral manages to get underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ignacio Pickett. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pickett goes for a takedown attempt but Cabral pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Pickett fails with the takedown.
Cabral fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cabral tries to clinch but Pickett moves out of range.
Cabral tries to close the distance and clinch up but Pickett swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Pickett fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Pickett takes a head kick and keeps coming.

It looks like Ignacio Pickett has been cut.
Pickett shoots for a double leg takedown but Cabral sprawls well. He's pushed Pickett's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Pickett gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Cabral landing knees to the body.
Pickett stops a takedown attempt from Cabral.
Cabral tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Pickett just stands there and leans against the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Cabral pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Pickett tries to clinch up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cabral shoots in looking for a takedown but Pickett manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Cabral's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Cabral fails to land the takedown.
Cabral tries to clinch there but Pickett circles away.
Cabral doesn't manage to clinch there - Pickett circles away.
Cabral gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

so Pickett counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Cabral has a closed guard, preventing Pickett from standing up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Cabral is on top in guard.
Pickett controlling Cabral's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cabral trying to control but Pickett is working from the bottom.

Cabral thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Pickett pulls Cabral in close to his closed guard and prevents Cabral from doing any damage or advancing position.

Pickett escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Cabral gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Pickett on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Pickett tries to get out of the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cabral avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Cabral preventing the sweep.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cabral wants to get up but he can't break Pickett's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Cabral trying to control the position from guard on top but Pickett is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cabral might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Pickett haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Fabricio Cabral will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Ignacio Pickett's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Pickett doesn't manage to clinch there - Cabral circles away.
Cabral looks for the body kick but Pickett saw that one coming.
Cabral looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Pickett is fending him off so far but Cabral persists. Nope, Pickett circles away and we're back to standing.
Cabral shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Pickett as he jumps to the side.
Pickett dives in for a single leg takedown but Cabral sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Pickett tries to pull guard but Cabral won't allow it.
Pickett is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Cabral gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ignacio Pickett. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cabral goes for a takedown attempt but Pickett pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Pickett throws a sloppy head kick
and Cabral counters with a left and a right that stings Pickett.
Pickett fails with a takedown attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
No luck for Pickett with that takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cabral avoids the head kick by Pickett.
Cabral tries to score a power double leg takedown but Pickett sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Cabral somewhat.
Cabral shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Pickett pinned against the cage. Pickett gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Cabral gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Pickett counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Pickett throws a sloppy head kick
and Cabral counters with a flying knee. Nice.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cabral tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Pickett swivels and escapes.
Cabral looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Pickett pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Cabral gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Pickett presses Cabral against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Cabral is looking for a takedown.
Pickett is trying to pull guard but Cabral turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Pickett is trying to drag Cabral to the mat but Cabral just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Pickett successfully pulls guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cabral's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Cabral wants to control from the top but Pickett keeps moving.
Cabral is looking to stand up but Pickett won't let him.
Pickett is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Ignacio Pickett just wasn't active enough.
Pickett tries to close the distance and clinch but Cabral swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cabral forces Pickett back against the cage and clinches.
Cabral lands an elbow that stopped Pickett in his tracks for a moment.

Cabral's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Pickett really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Pickett looks for a takedown but Cabral sprawls well.

Cabral gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Cabral breaks the clinch.

Cabral drives through and clinches with Pickett against the cage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pickett prevents a takedown attempt there.
Cabral lands a good knee to the midsection. Pickett won't want to take too many of those.

And that's the end of the fight!
Fabricio Cabral comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Cabral 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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Fabricio Cabral!