PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Antonio Braga (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Isaias Vasconcelos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Antonio Braga looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Braga
vs
Vasconcelos

191 cm
25
186 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
20
200 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Brawler
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Granite chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Antonio Braga!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Isaias Vasconcelos!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Matheus Silva and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Vasconcelos fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Braga to the ground. Vasconcelos is now in Braga's guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Braga preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Braga is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Braga keeping moving, preventing Vasconcelos from controlling successfully.
Braga will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Vasconcelos controlling from the top position.
Braga trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Braga is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Vasconcelos drives through and clinches with Braga against the cage.
Vasconcelos's coach down at Lethal Tech Academy was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Vasconcelos's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.

Vasconcelos is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Braga can't fight it off and eventually Vasconcelos manages to take the fight to the floor. Braga looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Braga is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vasconcelos controls from within his opponent's guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Vasconcelos misses with a leg kick.

Vasconcelos fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Braga sprawls well initially but Vasconcelos persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Vasconcelos is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Vasconcelos is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vasconcelos scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Vasconcelos is looking to advance position but Braga won't allow it.
Vasconcelos working Braga over with strikes.
Braga is trying to get back to full guard.
Braga is breathing heavily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Vasconcelos slows the pace down in half guard.
Braga tries to roll over but Vasconcelos keeps him under control.
Vasconcelos not doing much here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Braga taking some punishment here, with Vasconcelos in his half guard.
Well, if Vasconcelos is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Let's hope that Vasconcelos has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

Isaias Vasconcelos has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Braga tries to keep at a distance but Vasconcelos has taken the fight into the clinch.

Vasconcelos manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Braga would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Vasconcelos looking to hit a scissor sweep but Braga is one step ahead there.
Braga postures up.
Braga stops Vasconcelos from standing up.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Vasconcelos can do anything to dispel that myth.
Vasconcelos wants to sweep but no luck.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Vasconcelos is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Isaias Vasconcelos dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Braga misses with a takedown

and Vasconcelos counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Braga!
Vasconcelos in side control lands a decent elbow.
Vasconcelos wants to lay and pray for a moment but Braga keeps working.
Vasconcelos controls the position.
Vasconcelos lands some shots froms side control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A lull in the action here as Vasconcelos stalls from top position.
Braga is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Vasconcelos asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vasconcelos working the head with strikes.
Vasconcelos wants to lay and pray for a moment but Braga keeps working.
Vasconcelos connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Braga some visible discomfort.
Vasconcelos slows the pace down.
Vasconcelos landing strikes.
Isaias Vasconcelos has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vasconcelos lands a decent elbow from side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vasconcelos landing strikes.
Vasconcelos moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Vasconcelos really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Braga. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Vasconcelos lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Braga down.
Vasconcelos scores with a couple of short elbows.
Braga seems a little lost for a moment, as Vasconcelos dominates the positioning.

Vasconcelos is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Braga is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Braga is trying to improve his position.
Vasconcelos happy to just control the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vasconcelos tries to move into full mount but can't pass Braga's legs.
Vasconcelos has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Vasconcelos scores with punches from side control.
Vasconcelos controlling the position from side mount.
Vasconcelos looks up at the clock and then as Braga takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Vasconcelos smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Vasconcelos looks up at the clock and then as Braga takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Vasconcelos smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Vasconcelos slows the pace down.
Vasconcelos in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vasconcelos wants to lay and pray for a moment but Braga keeps working.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Vasconcelos content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.

Vasconcelos thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Vasconcelos thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Isaias Vasconcelos showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Vasconcelos scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Vasconcelos performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Braga is trying to get back to full guard.
Vasconcelos not doing much here.
Vasconcelos landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Vasconcelos lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vasconcelos slows the pace down in half guard.
Vasconcelos working the head and body with strikes.
Vasconcelos seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Vasconcelos is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

Vasconcelos is working for a kimura but Braga is defending it quite comfortably.
Braga wants to improve his position but Vasconcelos is controlling well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vasconcelos slows the pace down in half guard.
Vasconcelos works his way into full mount!
Vasconcelos looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Vasconcelos takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vasconcelos landing punches.
Vasconcelos looking to finish Braga with some ground and pound. This is bad for Braga!
Vasconcelos fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Braga takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Braga tries to hold on but Vasconcelos postures up.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Vasconcelos lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Vasconcelos working away from the top, dropping strikes.

Braga is rocked!
Vasconcelos lands a big shot there that rocks Braga but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Oh Braga is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Vasconcelos looking to control and managing it successfully.
A big strike lands for Vasconcelos! That's really hurt Braga and he's turned his back - Vasconcelos keeps firing away and the ref dives in to stop the fight! Vasconcelos jumps to his feet to celebrate the victory!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Isaias Vasconcelos!