PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Blake Wightman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rodrigo Cabral (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Wightman
vs
Cabral

178 cm
21
155 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

169 cm
21
145 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Excellent MT
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Blake Wightman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rodrigo Cabral!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Fedor Mirinova and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cabral misses with a looping right.
Cabral scores with a jab. Wightman acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Cabral throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Wightman lands a body shot.
Cabral throws a leg kick but Wightman sees it coming and moves out of range.
Wightman takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Wightman is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Cabral.
Wightman tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cabral was well out of range. Poor timing from Wightman.
Cabral throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Wightman lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Wightman tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cabral was well out of range. Poor timing from Wightman.
Wightman throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Wightman bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Wightman scoring with punches from side control.
Wightman working away.
Wightman lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Cabral down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cabral manages to work his way to half guard, despite Wightman's best efforts.
Cabral felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Wightman looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Cabral with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Wightman wants to lay and pray for a moment but Cabral keeps working.
Wightman lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Cabral is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Wightman scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Cabral is positioning himself well to prevent Wightman advancing to mount.
Wightman throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wightman throws a strike but Cabral avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Wightman postures up in Cabral's guard and throws a big left but Cabral blocks it.
Wightman scoring with punches to the head and body.
Wightman wants to control from the top but Cabral keeps moving.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Wightman accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Wightman won't allow Cabral to sweep him here.
Wightman cracks Cabral with a solid left hand.
Wightman postures up and lands a big shot to Cabral's brow.
Wightman won't allow Cabral to sweep him here.
Wightman missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Cabral has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Wightman is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Cabral.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Wightman happy to just control the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wightman connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Cabral some visible discomfort.
Check out the look on Wightman's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Cabral wants to get back to his feet but Wightman drags him back down.
Cabral holding on.
Cabral manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Cabral trying to hold on to Wightman's head to control him but Wightman postures up.
Cabral makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Cabral.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wightman advances position into side control!
Cabral wants to control but Wightman postures up.
Wightman creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Cabral gets back to half guard.
Wightman lands with a punch from half guard.
Wightman scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Cabral is trying to maintain the position but Wightman is very close to passing his half guard.
Wightman lands strikes from half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Blake Wightman dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Wightman does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Wightman misses with a right hand
and Cabral counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Cabral throws a body shot but no joy.
Cabral thuds a left hand into Wightman's body.
Wightman keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Wightman tries to counter with a takedown but Cabral is quick to defend against it.
Wightman blocks the body kick.
Wightman scores with a jab.
Cabral slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Wightman takes one to the chin there.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Wightman.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Wightman trying to control the action but Cabral is working from the bottom.
Cabral is looking to reverse the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Cabral's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Wightman grinds an elbow into Cabral's temple.
Wightman is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Cabral can do to turn this around?
Wightman working the ground and pound from side control.
Wightman remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Wightman lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Cabral down.
Cabral is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Wightman asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Wightman cracks Cabral with a big right hand but Cabral just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Wightman is working Cabral over with some ground and pound from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wightman lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Wightman working the ground and pound from side control.

Cabral is rocked!
Wightman cracks Cabral with a big elbow. Oh, he's hurt! Wightman immediately mounts and start dropping bombs! Cabral is done! The referee jumps in and saves him from any more punishment - a quick and decisive finish by Wightman!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:33 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Blake Wightman!