PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Renato Cardoso (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sergei Simenkov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cardoso's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Samba de Janeiro. Renato Cardoso had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 156.4lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Cardoso
vs
Simenkov

170 cm
33
172 lbs
17 - 13 - 0

165 cm
38
169 lbs
18 - 10 - 0

BJJ Red Belt
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 17 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Renato Cardoso!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 10 - 0, fighting out of New York, Sergei Simenkov!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Jonathan Paton and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Simenkov closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Cardoso quickly recovers to half guard.
Cardoso trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
A nice elbow there by Simenkov.
Cardoso bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Simenkov wants to stand up but Cardoso is controlling him.
Cardoso pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Simenkov is keeping the position for now.
Cardoso throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Simenkov works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Cardoso accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Cardoso working some strikes from top position.
Cardoso has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Cardoso preventing the sweep.
Simenkov is trying to keep Cardoso in close.
Simenkov wants to stand up but Cardoso is controlling him.
Simenkov has momentary wrist control but Cardoso slips an elbow through the middle.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Simenkov wants to sweep but no luck.
Simenkov is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Cardoso is controlling him.
Cardoso trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Simenkov wants to sweep here but Cardoso controlling him for the moment.
We've been hearing that Cardoso has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Cardoso cracks Simenkov with a solid left hand.
Cardoso loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Cardoso connects with a couple of short punches.
Cardoso is in close to Simenkov's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Simenkov is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Cardoso postures up in Simenkov's guard and throws a big left but Simenkov blocks it.
Cardoso stopping the sweep attempt from Simenkov.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cardoso throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Cardoso with a flurry of punches that miss.
Cardoso scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Cardoso trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Cardoso trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Cardoso in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Cardoso working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Simenkov's head.

Cardoso thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Simenkov will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Cardoso wants to control from the top but Simenkov keeps moving.
Cardoso prevents Simenkov from getting back to his feet.
Simenkov keeping moving, preventing Cardoso from controlling successfully.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cardoso stopping the sweep attempt from Simenkov.
Simenkov controls Cardoso momentarily but Cardoso frees himself.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Cardoso throws the kick towards the body but Simenkov avoids it.
Simenkov tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Cardoso counters with a thumping low kick.
Cardoso tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Simenkov was well out of range. Poor timing from Cardoso.
Simenkov takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.

Simenkov bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Cardoso is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Simenkov's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Simenkov wants to pass the guard but Cardoso is defending well.
Simenkov prevents Cardoso from improving his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cardoso moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Cardoso is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Cardoso is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Cardoso is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cardoso with good strikes from the mount here!
Cardoso scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Simenkov tries to reverse the position but Cardoso maintains control.
Cardoso is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Simenkov can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Simenkov tries to reverse the position but Cardoso maintains control.
Cardoso is landing with some decent strikes but Simenkov is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
The referee warns Simenkov that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Renato Cardoso dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Simenkov moves in looking to clinch but Cardoso pushes him off.
Cardoso takes a swing at Simenkov's ribcage but misses.
Cardoso lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

Simenkov is rocked!
Simenkov wants to stay close but Cardoso steps back to make room for something. Simenkov seems frozen to the spot and bam! huge swing of the leg from Cardoso and Simenkov drops like he has been shot! A huge head kick and it's all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:18 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Renato Cardoso!
Renato Cardoso decided to hype himself up post fight. It was going well but he went on about it a bit too long and the crowd turned on him a little.