PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Rafael Lopez (ranked 4064 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raphael Firenzi (ranked 4003 p4p, 193 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Lopez
vs
Firenzi

168 cm
20
132 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

200 cm
25
134 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rafael Lopez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Raphael Firenzi!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Frank Dennis and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Firenzi misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Lopez closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Firenzi explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Firenzi throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Lopez shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Lopez showed some decent athleticism there.

Firenzi kicks Lopez off and gets back to his feet.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A looping hook to the body misses from Firenzi. Lopez does a little dance to reset his feet.
Firenzi tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Lopez was well out of range. Poor timing from Firenzi.
Firenzi has a takedown stuffed.
Firenzi fails with a takedown attempt.
Rafael Lopez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Raphael Firenzi.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Firenzi shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Lopez but Lopez pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Lopez has managed to clinch.

Firenzi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Firenzi has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Lopez is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Firenzi shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Lopez eats them both and turns towards Firenzi to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Firenzi misses with a body shot.
Firenzi misses the body punch
and Lopez cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Firenzi throws a sloppy body shot
and Firenzi takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Lopez instigates a clinch.
Firenzi lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Lopez or not.
Firenzi is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Lopez is defending well.

Lopez jumps guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Lopez keeping moving, preventing Firenzi from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Firenzi looking to pass the guard.
Firenzi throws an elbow that misses. Lopez uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Firenzi's guard. Nice move by Lopez!

Firenzi keeping moving, preventing Lopez from controlling successfully.
Firenzi controls Lopez momentarily but Lopez frees himself.
Firenzi wants to stand up but Lopez is controlling him.
Firenzi is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopez trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Firenzi wants to sweep but no luck.

Firenzi wriggles free and stands up.
Lopez lands a nice looking body kick.

Lopez drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Firenzi explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Lopez bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Firenzi is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Firenzi is trying to control Lopez's posture but Lopez avoids it.
Firenzi regains half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Firenzi manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Firenzi has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Firenzi is on top in guard.

Firenzi throws a big elbow that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raphael Firenzi dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Lopez fails in his attempt to clinch.

Lopez is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Firenzi's half guard.

Firenzi manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Lopez keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.

Firenzi has Lopez pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Firenzi pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Lopez tumbling to the mat - Firenzi dives into Lopez's guard.
Firenzi with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Lopez wants to control but Firenzi passes easily into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Firenzi working Lopez over with strikes.
Raphael Firenzi has got the better of the ground game so far.
Firenzi is looking to take a break and control but Lopez is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Firenzi seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Firenzi wants to control but Lopez is keeping him busy.
Firenzi prevents Lopez from improving his position.
Lopez trying to control but Firenzi postures up.
Firenzi lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Firenzi has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Firenzi not doing much here.

Firenzi postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Lopez to stand up.

Firenzi darts in and clinches Lopez up against the cage.
Firenzi softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Firenzi using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Lopez has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Firenzi manages to break the clinch.

Firenzi instigates a clinch.

Lopez is rocked!
Firenzi stands up over Lopez, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Oh Lopez is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Firenzi is working Lopez over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Firenzi keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Lopez's head.

Lopez isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Firenzi stacks Lopez on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Firenzi!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Firenzi cracks Lopez with a big elbow. Oh, he's hurt! Firenzi immediately mounts and start dropping bombs! Lopez is done! The referee jumps in and saves him from any more punishment - a quick and decisive finish by Firenzi!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Raphael Firenzi!
After winning the bout, Raphael Firenzi thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.