PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Franco Gomez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Luca Rinaldi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gomez comes to the ring accompanied by Bad Motherfucker. Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the prize buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Gomez
vs
Rinaldi

172 cm
31
200 lbs
21 - 24 - 0

180 cm
29
190 lbs
7 - 9 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Decent elbows
KO power

Good wrestler
Brawler
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 21 - 24 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Franco Gomez!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Luca Rinaldi!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Paulo Santos and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rinaldi shoots and misses

and Gomez counters by moving into the clinch.

Gomez decides to pull guard.
Gomez looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Rinaldi works over Gomez with some ground and pound from guard.
Rinaldi with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rinaldi content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Gomez preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Gomez wants to stand but Rinaldi is controlling the position.
Rinaldi scoring with punches to the head and body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gomez working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Rinaldi.
Rinaldi must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Rinaldi missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Gomez wants to stand and escape but Rinaldi is having none of it.
Gomez tries to land a sweep but no joy.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Rinaldi working his ground and pound in the gym.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rinaldi working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Gomez bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Gomez in side control, throwing shots but Rinaldi defends.
Gomez has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
You can see the frustration on Rinaldi's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Gomez tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Gomez has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Gomez thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Gomez tries for a kimura but Rinaldi is defending well.

Gomez is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Rinaldi is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rinaldi manages to work his way to half guard, despite Gomez's best efforts.
Rinaldi wants to get back to full guard.

Gomez seems to be working for a kimura but Rinaldi defends the submission attempt.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Rinaldi tries to roll over but Gomez keeps him under control.

Gomez wants to work for an arm triangle but Rinaldi is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Gomez seems to be looking for submissions.
Gomez trying to pass the guard but Rinaldi defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rinaldi trying to control from the bottom.

Gomez is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Rinaldi gets back to full guard.
Gomez trying to control the position from guard on top but Rinaldi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rinaldi trying to control the position.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Rinaldi keeping moving, preventing Gomez from controlling successfully.
Gomez's corner is telling him to maintain position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rinaldi with a lazy takedown attempt
and Gomez counters with a three punch combo that has Rinaldi backing up. Rinaldi nods at Gomez to acknowledge the strikes.
Gomez dives in for a single leg takedown but Rinaldi sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the ropes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gomez feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Gomez content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Rinaldi wants to sweep here but Gomez controlling him for the moment.
Gomez wants to pass the guard but Rinaldi is keeping the position.
Gomez scoring with some ground and pound.
Rinaldi wants to sweep here but Gomez controlling him for the moment.
Gomez wants to control from the top but Rinaldi keeps moving.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rinaldi is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Rinaldi controls Gomez momentarily but Gomez frees himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Franco Gomez dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Rinaldi shoots in and drives through. Gomez sprawls well.
Horrible takedown attempt by Gomez or perhaps it was just good defense by Rinaldi, which made it look bad.

Gomez shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Gomez showed some decent athleticism there.
Gomez is trying to control the action in half guard but Rinaldi is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Franco Gomez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Gomez looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Rinaldi tries to get to full guard but Gomez has control of the leg.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rinaldi wants to control but Gomez is keeping busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gomez is looking to advance position but Rinaldi won't allow it.

Gomez is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Rinaldi wants to control but Gomez is keeping busy.
Rinaldi is looking for a sweep. Gomez is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Gomez is just content to waste time from the top position. Rinaldi takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.

Gomez postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Rinaldi is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Gomez, into his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gomez tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Rinaldi postures up and lands a big shot to Gomez's brow.
Rinaldi postures up and lands a big shot to Gomez's brow.
Gomez utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Rinaldi throws a big elbow that misses.
Rinaldi trying to control but Gomez is working from the bottom.
Rinaldi throws a big elbow that misses.
Rinaldi wants to control from the top but Gomez keeps moving.
Rinaldi landing some decent shots from guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gomez tries to land a sweep but no joy.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Gomez lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Gomez trying to control but Rinaldi is working from the bottom.
Rinaldi is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Gomez working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Rinaldi tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Rinaldi trying to control the position.
Rinaldi managing to control the position.
Gomez stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rinaldi swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rinaldi utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Gomez has gone for a leg lock! Rinaldi slips out almost immediately though and dives into Gomez's guard.

Rinaldi working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Gomez's head.
Rinaldi trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Gomez had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Rinaldi defends it easily.
Gomez has control of Rinaldi's left arm, preventing Rinaldi from doing any damage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rinaldi trying to control the position from guard on top but Gomez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Franco Gomez dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Rinaldi takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Gomez is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Rinaldi can do to turn this around?

Gomez gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Rinaldi cracks Gomez with a solid left hand.
Rinaldi with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Rinaldi throws a strike but Gomez rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Rinaldi looking to control.
Gomez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rinaldi is keeping the position for now.

Gomez has gone for a leg lock! Rinaldi slips out almost immediately though and dives into Gomez's guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gomez trying to keep a closed guard but Rinaldi is proving a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gomez is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Gomez is looking to advance position but Rinaldi won't allow it.
Gomez thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rinaldi's head.

Gomez is working for a kimura but Rinaldi is defending it quite comfortably.

Gomez maintaining the dominant position here and is working for a kimura. He's locked it up! Rinaldi could be in real trouble here! He's trying to wriggle out but Gomez has cracked it and Rinaldi is screaming in pain - he's tapped out! Great finish by Gomez!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Franco Gomez!
Franco Gomez retains his middleweight title!
After winning the bout, Franco Gomez thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.