PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ralphie Harrell (ranked 1078 p4p, 136 weight class) and Aric Alacantara (ranked 3885 p4p, 413 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Alacantara's choice of entrance music: Alpha Omega - MGK. On his way into the ring it seems that Ralphie Harrell has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Ralphie Harrell seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Harrell
vs
Alacantara

168 cm
28
162 lbs
14 - 6 - 0

178 cm
21
160 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Cardio machine

Decent wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Ralphie Harrell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Aric Alacantara!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Matheus Silva and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alacantara throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Alacantara misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Harrell half committed to a counter leg kick.
Alacantara scores with a hook to the body. Harrell takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Harrell shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Harrell throws a head kick but Alacantara moves out of range.
Harrell throws a solid leg kick but Alacantara takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Harrell.
Harrell is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Alacantara.
Alacantara uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Harrell.
Alacantara looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Harrell doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Harrell tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Alacantara is able to avoid easily.
Harrell pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Harrell tries a head kick but it misses.
Alacantara tests Harrell's chin there with a solid looking shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alacantara takes a swing at Harrell's ribcage but misses.
It appears Harrell was looking to counter with a kick there.
Alacantara wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Harrell moves out of range as Alacantara strikes.
Harrell has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Alacantara tries to bum rush Harrell with a series of wild strikes but Harrell uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Harrell 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.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Harrell sitting in guard here, content to control.
Harrell trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Harrell trying to control but Alacantara is working from the bottom.
Harrell throwing strikes from guard but Alacantara blocks nicely.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Alacantara can do anything to dispel that myth.
Harrell keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Alacantara's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harrell trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Harrell working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Harrell accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Harrell postures up in Alacantara's guard and throws a big left but Alacantara blocks it.
Alacantara controlling the position.
Harrell has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Alacantara looking for a sweep. Not yet Alacantara, not yet.
Alacantara pulls Harrell in to control the position.
Harrell connects with a couple of short punches.
Harrell throwing strikes but missing.
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!
Harrell is looking to work some ground and pound but Alacantara has wrist control.
Harrell wants to control from the top but Alacantara keeps moving.
Harrell loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harrell postures up.
Harrell missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Harrell stands up over Alacantara, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Harrell throws a big right hand that misses.
Harrell cracks Alacantara with a solid left hand.
Harrell controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Alacantara is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Harrell is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Harrell pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Alacantara is keeping the position for now.
Harrell sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Alacantara's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harrell is keen to just control but Alacantara is a slippery customer.
Alacantara avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Harrell.
Harrell performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Harrell sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Alacantara defending well though.
Harrell seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Alacantara is staying active underneath Harrell, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Harrell missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Alacantara wants to get back to full guard.
Harrell is trying to control. Alacantara wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Ralphie Harrell will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Alacantara stuffs the takedown.
Harrell takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Alacantara throws a hook but Harrell avoids it easily.
A counter left hand to the body from Harrell misses its target.
No joy there for Alacantara, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
A punch combination from Alacantara misses.
Harrell misses with a leg kick
and Harrell takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Harrell dives in and grabs Alacantara's left leg, looking for a takedown. Alacantara pushes down on Harrell's head and hops out.
Good work by Alacantara as he checks the leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Alacantara throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Alacantara throws a body punch but Harrell moves out of range.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Alacantara, right into the meat.
Harrell has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Alacantara finds it's way round the side to connect with Harrell's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alacantara throws a hook but Harrell avoids it easily.
Aric Alacantara is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Some bone on bone action there as Alacantara checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Alacantara defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Harrell.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ralphie Harrell. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Harrell misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Alacantara is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Harrell rather than just go for the knockout.
Harrell has his takedown stuffed
and Alacantara counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Alacantara ducks under a wild hook from Harrell.
And Alacantara tries to counter it with a takedown but Harrell pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Alacantara uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Harrell.
Alacantara keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Harrell bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alacantara taking punishment in the form of punches.
Harrell tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Harrell scoring with punches from side control.
Harrell in side control, throwing shots but Alacantara defends.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Harrell cracks Alacantara with a big elbow.
Harrell looking to control but instead Alacantara has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Alacantara tries to roll over but Harrell keeps him under control.
Harrell stalling away here and it's allowed Alacantara to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Harrell pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Alacantara is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alacantara preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Harrell in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Harrell trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Harrell with a flurry of punches that miss.
Harrell trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Harrell looking to pass the guard.
Harrell lands a couple of digs.
Harrell trying to control the position from guard on top but Alacantara is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Harrell working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harrell throwing strikes but missing.
Harrell is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Harrell is looking to work some ground and pound but Alacantara has wrist control.
Harrell landing some decent shots from guard.
Alacantara utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Harrell throws a big right hand that misses.
Harrell throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Harrell not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Harrell postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Ralphie Harrell will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Alacantara swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Alacantara throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Alacantara ducks down and throws a hook to the body.

Harrell drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Alacantara is trying to control Harrell's posture but Harrell avoids it.
Alacantara managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Harrell.
Harrell lands some shots froms side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harrell tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Harrell landing a few strikes.
Harrell creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
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.
Harrell in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harrell misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Harrell landing a few strikes.
Harrell in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Harrell lands a strong strike to the head of Alacantara. That's dazed him! Harrell looking to finish here. Alacantara is waving his arms around trying to block but he's hurt badly - Harrell lands more strikes and the referee steps in to end the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:37 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ralphie Harrell!
Ralphie Harrell was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.