PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Sandro Almeida (ranked 6328 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hector Lopez (ranked 8935 p4p, 0 weight class). Lopez has chosen Rockstar as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Almeida
vs
Lopez

165 cm
18
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

169 cm
18
143 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Sandro Almeida!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Hector Lopez!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Leandro Rodrigues and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Almeida forces Lopez back against the cage and clinches.
Almeida digs a right hand into Lopez's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Lopez's gas tank.
Almeida managing to block the knees to the body from Lopez.
Almeida has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Lopez misses with a short punch on the inside.
Lopez keeps control of Almeida as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
A bit of stalling here from Almeida.
Almeida working hard to break the clinch.
Almeida keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Lopez's efforts to push away.
Almeida has had enough of the clinch but Lopez keeps him there for the moment.
Lopez misses with some punches.
Almeida wants to break free but Lopez has control.
Lopez working aggressively here.
Almeida can't break the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lopez pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Almeida tries to break the clinch but Lopez is controlling the position.
Lopez swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Lopez wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Almeida has him pressed against the cage.
Almeida stalling.
Almeida wants to get back to striking at distance but Lopez won't allow it.
Lopez fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lopez misses with some punches.
Lopez swings wildly with an uppercut but Almeida uses good head movement to avoid it.
Almeida controlling the action here for a moment.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Almeida.
Lopez keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Almeida's efforts to push away.
Lopez tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Almeida's elbow.
Lopez has a couple of punches blocked by Almeida.
Almeida is trying to break free.
Almeida avoids a wild elbow strike from Lopez.
Lopez with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Lopez creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Lopez trying to land knees to the body.

Almeida manages to break the clinch.
Almeida throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Lopez shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Almeida as he avoids it easily.
Lopez fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Almeida slaps away a takedown attempt from Lopez, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Lopez doesn't manage to clinch there - Almeida circles away.
Almeida cracks Lopez with a good jab.

Almeida gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Almeida tries to break free but Lopez pushes him back against the cage.
Almeida avoids a wild elbow strike from Lopez.
Almeida manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Almeida wants to break the clinch but can't.
Almeida prevents the takedown attempt.
Sandro Almeida has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hector Lopez.
Almeida wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Lopez has him pressed against the cage.
Almeida blocks an elbow strike from Lopez.
Almeida is leaning against Lopez and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Almeida tries to break the clinch but Lopez is controlling the position.
Almeida is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Almeida working hard to break the clinch.
Almeida blocks an elbow strike from Lopez.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopez has Almeida pressed against the cage, preventing Almeida from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Almeida is looking to break free of the clinch but Lopez has double underhooks.
Lopez tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Almeida wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Lopez has him pressed against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Lopez fails to land.
Lopez throws an elbow that misses.
Almeida blocking some punches.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Almeida.
Almeida is looking to break free of the clinch but Lopez has double underhooks.
Lopez scores with a shot to the side of Almeida's head.
Almeida wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Lopez tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Almeida smiles and moves away.
Lopez shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
It looked like Almeida was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Lopez looks winded!
Almeida lands a jab-cross combination.
Almeida throws a one two combo.
Almeida circles away from the clinch attempt.
Almeida rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Lopez moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Lopez closes the distance and clinches up with Almeida, looking for a takedown. Lopez pushes Almeida against the cage but Almeida circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Almeida bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Lopez's head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Almeida slaps away a takedown attempt from Lopez, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Almeida lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
No joy there for Almeida, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Almeida rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Lopez moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Almeida swinging wildly here.
Lopez tries to clinch up but Almeida circles away and keeps his distance.
Lopez will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Lopez gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Almeida counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Almeida lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Almeida lands with a nice combination. Lopez backs away looking to recover.
Almeida is working the combinations to good effect here.
Almeida throws a one two combo.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Lopez is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Almeida.
Almeida misses with a jab, cross combination.
Lopez closes the distance but Almeida moves to the side
and Almeida counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Sandro Almeida is winning the standup battle so far.
Almeida scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Lopez fails with an attempt to clinch.
It looked like Almeida was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Lopez shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Almeida but Almeida pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Sandro Almeida is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Lopez is defended easily by Almeida.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A left and a right from Almeida both land. Nice combination.
Almeida throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Lopez is breathing heavily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Lopez shoots in looking for a takedown but Almeida manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Lopez's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Sandro Almeida has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hector Lopez.

Almeida has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
With the fighters up against the cage, Lopez throws an elbow but misses.
Almeida is trying to break the clinch but Lopez is controlling him.
Lopez misses with the head strike.
A frustrated look appears on Almeida's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Almeida has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Almeida.
Lopez keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Almeida's efforts to push away.
Almeida has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Almeida taking a breather.
Lopez looking to stall.
Almeida wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Lopez has him pressed against the cage.
Almeida wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Lopez has him pressed against the cage.
Lopez using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Almeida has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Almeida is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Lopez can do to turn this around?
Almeida stalling.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Almeida.
Lopez misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stalling in the clinch from Almeida.
Almeida wants to break free but Lopez has control.
Almeida is trying to break free.
Lopez tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Almeida avoids it.
Almeida throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Almeida tries to circle away but Lopez has him pinned against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Lopez.
Lopez looking to throw knees to the head but Almeida is blocking nicely.
Almeida makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Almeida avoids the elbow strike from Lopez, against the cage.
Almeida is trying to break free.
Almeida stalling.
Lopez is trying to push Almeida away but Almeida has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Lopez fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Lopez.
Almeida tries to circle away but Lopez has him pinned against the cage.
Lopez throws an elbow but it misses.
A head punch on the inside from Lopez fails to land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopez misses with a hook from the clinch.
Hector Lopez seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Almeida.
A right handed body shot lands from Almeida.
Almeida can't break the clinch.
Almeida lands a body shot in the clinch.
Almeida lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

Almeida breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Lopez tries to move into range but Almeida moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Almeida throws a nice looking combination but Lopez bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Almeida scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Almeida leaves Lopez with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
A punch combination from Almeida misses.

Almeida moves into the clinch.
Lopez has had enough of the clinch but Almeida keeps him there for the moment.
Nice body punch from Almeida.
Almeida effectively controlling the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Almeida.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Almeida tries to break the clinch but Lopez is controlling the position.
Almeida blocks a body shot from Lopez.
Almeida prevents Lopez from breaking the clinch.
A right hook to the body lands for Almeida.
Almeida will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Lopez up against the cage.
Almeida is trying to break free.
Almeida is trying to break the clinch but Lopez has him pressed against the cage.
Almeida holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Lopez looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Almeida working hard to break the clinch.
Lopez throws a head punch that misses.
Lopez pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sandro Almeida dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Almeida drives through and clinches with Lopez against the cage.
Almeida dodges an elbow strike from Lopez.
Lopez trying to stall but Almeida improves his position.
Lopez has Almeida pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Almeida manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Almeida is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Almeida is trying to force a seperation but Lopez has the dominant position.
Lopez misses with a short punch on the inside.
Almeida wants to get back to striking at distance but Lopez won't allow it.
Almeida stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Almeida lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Lopez or not.
Almeida is trying to force a seperation but Lopez has the dominant position.
Lopez throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Lopez tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Almeida smiles and moves away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Almeida has closed the distance and engaged Lopez in a clinch.
Lopez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Almeida stalls.
Lopez tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Almeida presses Lopez against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Lopez keeps control of Almeida as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Almeida working hard to break the clinch.
Almeida lands a right hand that snaps the head of Lopez backwards.
Lopez with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Lopez working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Almeida lands a body shot.
Lopez misses with an elbow over the top.
Almeida wants to break the clinch but can't.
Lopez has Almeida pressed against the cage, preventing Almeida from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Almeida blocking some punches.
Almeida has had enough of the clinch but Lopez keeps him there for the moment.
Almeida has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Lopez creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Almeida is trying to push Lopez away but Lopez has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
A frustrated look appears on Almeida's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Almeida tries to break the clinch but Lopez is controlling the position.

Almeida pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Almeida jabs at Lopez's body.
Almeida swinging wildly here.
Lopez shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Almeida as he avoids it easily.
Sandro Almeida has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hector Lopez.

Lopez tries to keep at a distance but Almeida has taken the fight into the clinch.
Almeida lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Lopez or not.
Lopez throws a head punch that misses.
Almeida tries to break free but Lopez pushes him back against the cage.
Almeida wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Lopez has him pressed against the cage.
Almeida blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Almeida wants to break free but Lopez has control.
The referee calls for Almeida to work.

Almeida pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Almeida scores with a hook to the body. Lopez takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lopez gets tackled into the cage by Almeida. Almeida maintains the clinch.
Lopez pushes off an throws an elbow but Almeida leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Almeida is trying to break the clinch but Lopez is controlling him.
Almeida has had enough of the clinch but Lopez keeps him there for the moment.
Lopez wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Almeida has him pressed against the cage.
Almeida blocks the elbow strike.
Lopez lands an elbow that stopped Almeida in his tracks for a moment.
Almeida is trying to push Lopez away but Lopez has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Almeida scores with a hook to the body.
A right handed body shot lands from Almeida.
Lopez doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Lopez has Almeida pressed against the cage, preventing Almeida from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Lopez pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Almeida has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Almeida wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
The referee is keeping an eye on Almeida - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Lopez misses with an elbow strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lopez pushes off an throws an elbow but Almeida leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
A body shot lands from Almeida.
Almeida avoiding damage.
Almeida is trying to force a seperation but Lopez has the dominant position.

Almeida breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Lopez takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

Lopez tries to keep at a distance but Almeida has taken the fight into the clinch.
Almeida lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Almeida blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Almeida avoids the elbow strike from Lopez, against the cage.
Almeida lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Lopez or not.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A nice right hand lands inside from Almeida.
With the fighters up against the cage, Lopez throws an elbow but misses.
Hector Lopez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sandro Almeida is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
A head punch on the inside from Lopez fails to land.
Almeida lands a nice shot to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sandro Almeida showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Almeida has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 30:27
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 30:27
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 30:27

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