PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rhett Figueroa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Florian Knaf (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Florian Knaf has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Rhett Figueroa's chin.

Figueroa
vs
Knaf

195 cm
22
193 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

200 cm
25
194 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
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 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rhett Figueroa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Florian Knaf!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Felipe Paraventi and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Knaf fails with the takedown.

Knaf takes the fight into the clinch.
Figueroa tries to stall but Knaf uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Knaf breaks the clinch.
Figueroa throws a head kick that misses

and Knaf counters by clinching up.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Knaf lands a shot to the body.
Figueroa stalls.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Rhett Figueroa.
Knaf scores with a shot to the body.
Knaf misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Figueroa shoots in and bounces Knaf off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Knaf is looking to stand up but Figueroa isn't so interested in that idea.
Knaf trying to keep a closed guard but Figueroa is proving a slippery customer.
Figueroa seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Figueroa postures up.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Rhett Figueroa just wasn't active enough.
Knaf gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Figueroa moves into the clinch.
Rhett Figueroa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Florian Knaf.
Figueroa is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Figueroa takes an elbow to the temple.

It looks like Rhett Figueroa has been cut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Figueroa tries a knee to the head but Knaf blocks it.
Figueroa is pushing Knaf up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Knaf has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Figueroa is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Knaf is looking to control Figueroa's arms but Figueroa gets an underhook and turns him. Now Knaf has his back to the cage.
Figueroa is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Figueroa lands a shot to the body.

Knaf has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Figueroa is trying to keep an underhook but Knaf manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Knaf wants to take a breather but Figueroa is having none of it.
Figueroa is holding on to half guard well.
Figueroa is refusing to be controlled, as Knaf sits in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Figueroa moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Knaf is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Knaf trying to control the position from guard on top but Figueroa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Figueroa looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Florian Knaf hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Knaf scores with a jab.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Knaf clinches up with Figueroa and pushes him back against the cage.

Knaf has picked Figueroa up - he's going for a ride! Knaf dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Figueroa holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Florian Knaf will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Rhett Figueroa's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Knaf misses with a low kick.
Figueroa has a takedown stuffed.

Knaf closes the distance and clinches.
Knaf is looking to take this one to the mat.
A short right from Knaf on the inside.

Knaf breaks the clinch.
Knaf closes this distance looking for a takedown but Figueroa circles away.
Florian Knaf seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Knaf has his takedown stuffed

and Figueroa counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Knaf!
Rhett Figueroa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Florian Knaf.
Figueroa takes a little break here. Knaf wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Figueroa has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Knaf shoots in but no luck this time.

Knaf drives through with a takedown into guard.
Knaf is breathing heavily.
Figueroa tries to strike from the bottom.
Figueroa is adopting a defensive guard.
Figueroa keeping moving, preventing Knaf from controlling successfully.
Figueroa has Knaf pulled in close to control his posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rhett Figueroa has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Knaf ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Figueroa moves away.
Knaf has a takedown stuffed.
Knaf shoots in looking for a takedown. Figueroa tries to sprawl out of it but Knaf keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Figueroa manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Knaf rushes Figueroa and presses him up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Figueroa stalling in the clinch but Knaf improves position.
Figueroa tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Knaf just stands there and leans against the cage.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

Knaf drags the fight down to the ground.

Knaf is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Figueroa is aware though and is defending well.
Figueroa sitting in guard here, content to control.
Figueroa is looking to work some ground and pound but Knaf has wrist control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Figueroa is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Rhett Figueroa just wasn't active enough.

Knaf clinches up with Figueroa and pushes him back against the cage.
Figueroa jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Knaf walks away with a smile on his face. Figueroa gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Figueroa slaps away a takedown attempt from Knaf, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Figueroa stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Figueroa wants it to stay on the feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Knaf tries a head kick but it misses.
Knaf lands a body shot.
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 Rhett Figueroa will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Rhett Figueroa's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Knaf checks the leg kick.
Florian Knaf is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Knaf closes the distance and pushes Figueroa back into the cage.

Knaf breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Knaf fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Figueroa avoids it really well and circles away.

Knaf gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Figueroa content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Knaf drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Figueroa gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Knaf looking to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knaf blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Figueroa tries to stall but Knaf uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Knaf stalling.

Knaf breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Knaf has his takedown stuffed

and Figueroa holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Rhett Figueroa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Florian Knaf.
Knaf takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Knaf looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Figueroa tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Knaf just stands there and leans against the cage.
Figueroa just leaning against Knaf, taking a breather.
Knaf is trying to pull guard but Figueroa has him pressed against the cage.
Figueroa is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

Figueroa gets control of Knaf's arms and successfully pulls guard. Figueroa will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Knaf must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Figueroa managing to control the position.
Figueroa manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Knaf manages to get himself to full guard.
Figueroa controls from within his opponent's guard.
Figueroa has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

We're going to have a standup here because Rhett Figueroa wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Knaf closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Figueroa regains half guard.
Figueroa works his way to full guard. Good work.
Figueroa is pulling down on Knaf's head. It's preventing any offense from Knaf, at least for the moment.
Knaf wants to stand but Figueroa is controlling his posture from full guard.

Figueroa is actively looking for submissions from his back. He's worked himself a little space on the bottom and seems to be going for a triangle. No, he's switched into an armbar! That was slick! Knaf rolls with it to try and escape but Figueroa cranks on the arm and Knaf is forced to tap out! This one is aaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Rhett Figueroa!