PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Malcolm Reynolds (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Luiz Araujo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Reynolds comes to the cage accompanied by Ballad Of Serenity. Araujo is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Who Shot Ya?. This should be fireworks!

Reynolds
vs
Araujo

185 cm
31
218 lbs
15 - 8 - 0

187 cm
27
225 lbs
8 - 9 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Malcolm Reynolds!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Luiz Araujo!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Don Winkell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Reynolds stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Araujo.
Araujo stalks Reynolds and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Reynolds's face. Reynolds staggers backwards, shaken.

It looks like Malcolm Reynolds has been cut.

Reynolds clinches up with Araujo and pushes him back against the cage.
Reynolds gets underhooks to prevent Araujo's takedown attempt.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Reynolds.
Araujo tries to land a knee to the head but Reynolds blocks with his arms.
A nice right hand lands inside from Reynolds.

Reynolds breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Araujo throws a nice inside leg kick.
Reynolds seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Araujo lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Araujo takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Araujo throws a sloppy head kick and Reynolds moves out of range easily.
Reynolds darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Araujo shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Reynolds cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Reynolds darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Luiz Araujo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Araujo moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Reynolds moves into the clinch.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Reynolds obliges.
Stalling in the clinch from Reynolds.

Reynolds is trying to trip Araujo. He has hold of a leg but Araujo is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Reynolds persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Reynolds connects with a couple of short punches.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Reynolds trying to control the position from guard on top but Araujo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Reynolds advances position into side control!
Reynolds 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.
Araujo is trying to improve his position.
Araujo is trying to work for a sweep but Reynolds has mounted him!
BOOM! Reynolds connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Araujo keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Reynolds scoring with strikes but Araujo is staying in there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Araujo is working to get back to half guard.
Reynolds with good strikes from the mount here!
Reynolds putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

Araujo is rocked!

Reynolds has hold of an arm here, looking to extend it. He's committed to the armbar attempt here! Will he get it?! Yes! Araujo is forced to tap!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:38 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Malcolm Reynolds!
Malcolm Reynolds is the new light heavyweight champion!
During a confident post fight interview, Malcolm Reynolds thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.