PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rafael Almeida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ronaldo Abreu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Almeida
vs
Abreu

191 cm
30
195 lbs
11 - 10 - 0

191 cm
20
211 lbs
9 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Solid Muay Thai
Experienced

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Solid chin

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 11 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rafael Almeida!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ronaldo Abreu!
The judges for this bout are Paulsen Ambrosius, Wagner Zegers and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Abreu misses with an uppercut
and Almeida counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Abreu closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Abreu lands in his opponent's guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Almeida wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Abreu wants to pass the guard but Almeida is keeping the position.
Almeida keeping moving, preventing Abreu from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Abreu pushing down on Almeida's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Abreu trying to control from half guard but Almeida is working away.

Abreu is looking for a kimura but Almeida is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Abreu to get the leverage.

Abreu is working for a kimura from half guard. He's really concentrating on the hold and it's allowed Almeida to slip a leg under and get back to full guard.
Abreu tries to free his leg and advance position but Almeida is retaining full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Almeida is controlling Abreu's posture.
Abreu looking to sit in guard and control but Almeida gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Abreu looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Almeida passes into half guard.
Almeida wants to stand but Abreu has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Almeida stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Rafael Almeida seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Abreu shoots and misses
and Almeida counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Abreu thinking.
Almeida fails in his attempt to clinch.
Almeida lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

It looks like Ronaldo Abreu has been cut.

Almeida takes the fight into the clinch.

Almeida breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Abreu shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Almeida counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Almeida gets a clinch.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Abreu tries to pull guard but Almeida forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Rafael Almeida has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ronaldo Abreu.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Almeida's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rafael Almeida dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ronaldo Abreu's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

A punch combination from Almeida misses.
Abreu tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Almeida swivels and escapes.
Abreu with a poor takedown
and Almeida counters with an inside leg kick.
Almeida throws a sloppy head kick and Abreu moves out of range easily.
Almeida throws a combination that misses
and Abreu connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Almeida tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Abreu manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
A combination from Almeida does no damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Abreu misses with a hook. Almeida ducked under it nicely.
Almeida tries to clinch there but Abreu circles away.
Abreu shoots and misses
and Almeida counters with a body kick that stops Abreu in his tracks momentarily.
Rafael Almeida has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ronaldo Abreu.
Abreu misses with a wild body shot.
Abreu dodges the punch combination from Almeida.
Almeida throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Almeida gets a clinch.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Almeida obliges.
Almeida tries to throw a body punch but Abreu avoids it by throwing Almeida back against the cage.

Almeida breaks the clinch.

Almeida clinches with his opponent.

Almeida pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Abreu has his takedown stuffed
and Almeida counters with a left and a right that stings Abreu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Almeida scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Almeida misses with a series of wild punches.
Abreu showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Almeida.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Almeida swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Abreu counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Almeida keeping moving, preventing Abreu from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Abreu is stalling in the full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Almeida is adopting a defensive guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Almeida misses with a double jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rafael Almeida dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Ronaldo Abreu's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Almeida throws a nice looking combination but Abreu bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Almeida pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Abreu back to the cage. Almeida follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Abreu misses with a takedown
and Almeida makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Rafael Almeida is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
An inside leg kick lands from Almeida.
A nice inside leg kick there by Almeida. That's going to slow Abreu down.
Almeida tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Almeida throws a looping overhand right but Abreu ducks down to avoid it.
Almeida throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Abreu.
Abreu shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Almeida counters with a nice low kick that buckles Abreu's knee momentarily.
Abreu shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Almeida counters with a one-two to the body.
Rafael Almeida has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ronaldo Abreu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Almeida tries to close the distance and clinch but Abreu swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Almeida throws a series of strikes that have Abreu backpedaling.

Almeida gets in close and instigates a clinch.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Almeida here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.

Almeida breaks the clinch.
Abreu checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Almeida throws a series of punches but Abreu avoids them all with ease.
Abreu checks a low kick from Almeida.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Almeida misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Abreu misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Almeida rushes Abreu and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Abreu wants a takedown.

Almeida manages to break the clinch.

Almeida darts in and clinches Abreu up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Almeida manages to break the clinch.
Abreu shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Almeida as he avoids it easily.
Good leg kick by Almeida there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Abreu shoots and misses
and Almeida counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Almeida tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Abreu paws at him with a jab and circles away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Almeida fails with an attempt to clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rafael Almeida showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Almeida, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 30:27
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight 30:27
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rafael Almeida!