PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Renato Gomes (ranked 4279 p4p, 0 weight class) and Reno Carrera (ranked 5016 p4p, 0 weight class). Carrera has chosen SOAD- Toxicity as his entrance music. Reno Carrera is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Gomes
vs
Carrera

178 cm
25
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

169 cm
24
145 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Intelligent

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Renato Gomes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Reno Carrera !
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Mauricio Rocha and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Gomes tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Carrera just stands there and leans against the cage.

Carrera pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Gomes dives in and grabs Carrera 's left leg, looking for a takedown. Carrera pushes down on Gomes's head and hops out.

Carrera pushes Gomes up against the cage in a clinch.
Carrera is pressed up against the cage. Gomes has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Carrera down to the mat. Carrera avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Renato Gomes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice body kick from Carrera .

Carrera gets caught flat footed, as Gomes shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Carrera is pulling down on Gomes's head to control his posture.
Carrera looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Carrera keeping full guard, as Gomes tries to pass.

Gomes gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Gomes tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
As Gomes backs off Carrera throws a huge counter combo but Gomes manages to avoid it all.
Renato Gomes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carrera attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Gomes tries to counter with a takedown but Carrera is quick to defend against it.
Gomes closes the distance but Carrera moves to the side
and Carrera counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Gomes shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Carrera is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Carrera lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Gomes tries to clinch but Carrera moves out of range.

Gomes closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Carrera to the mat! Carrera manages to get full guard.
Carrera is controlling Gomes's posture.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gomes controls from within his opponent's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Gomes accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gomes is pushing down on Carrera 's leg trying to pass to half guard. Carrera is fighting to maintain full guard but Gomes has managed to sneak the leg through.
Carrera is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Gomes passes to side control.
Gomes looking to control but instead Carrera has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Carrera is controlling Gomes's trapped leg to prevent Gomes from advancing to side control.
Gomes content to control rather than advance.
Gomes looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.

Gomes is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gomes prevents Carrera from standing back up.
Gomes throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Gomes tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Carrera is not content to let Gomes control the position.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Gomes stands up out of the half guard.
Good leg kick by Carrera there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Gomes doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Carrera counters with a head kick. That will keep Gomes thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Carrera throws a head kick but Gomes moves out of range.
Gomes shoots in for a takedown but Carrera shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Gomes shoots in but no luck this time.
Gomes tries for a takedown but Carrera sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Carrera throws a quick inside leg kick.

Gomes scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Carrera is looking to improve his position.
Carrera is not content to let Gomes control the position.
Carrera wants to control but Gomes is keeping busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Reno Carrera will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Gomes shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Carrera pinned against the cage. Carrera gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Carrera buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Carrera swinging wildly here.
Carrera has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Gomes tries to score a power double leg takedown but Carrera sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Gomes somewhat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gomes closes the distance and clinches up with Carrera , looking for a takedown. Gomes pushes Carrera against the cage but Carrera circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Carrera shapes to counter with a head kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Renato Gomes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gomes is trying hard to land a takedown here. Carrera sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Gomes looks for a takedown but Carrera sprawls well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carrera throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Carrera .
Carrera connects with a leg kick. Gomes looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Gomes blocks a jab.
An inside leg kick lands from Carrera .

Carrera instigates a clinch.

Carrera has clasped his hands together around Gomes's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Carrera wants to stand but Gomes is controlling his arm.
Carrera wants to control but Gomes is keeping him busy.
You can see the frustration on Gomes's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gomes is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Carrera tries to advance to mount but can't.
Carrera wants to control but Gomes is keeping him busy.
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!
Gomes is trying to improve his position.
Gomes is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Carrera 's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gomes avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Carrera .
Gomes preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Gomes works his way to full guard. Good work.
Carrera pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gomes is keeping the position for now.
Gomes keeping moving, preventing Carrera from controlling successfully.
Renato Gomes overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Gomes looking for a sweep. Not yet Gomes, not yet.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Gomes is trying hard to land a takedown here. Carrera sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Carrera is looking for the big counter here.
Gomes tries to clinch there but Carrera circles away.
Gomes closes the distance but Carrera moves to the side
and Carrera counters with a nice low kick that buckles Gomes's knee momentarily.
Carrera lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Carrera .
Carrera throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Carrera feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Gomes's calf.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Gomes.
Sloppy strikes from Carrera . Those never looked like landing.
Gomes gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Carrera counters with a flying knee. Nice.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Reno Carrera showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Carrera throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Carrera connects with an inside leg kick.

Carrera closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Gomes tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Carrera works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.

Gomes looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Carrera trying to control the position from guard on top but Gomes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Carrera is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Carrera seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gomes looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Gomes is trying to keep Carrera in close.
Carrera wants to control from the top but Gomes keeps moving.
Carrera engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Gomes is looking for a triangle here but Carrera uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Gomes tries to improve position but can't.
Carrera controlling the position.
Gomes is trying to get back to half guard.
Gomes is trying to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gomes is trying to improve his position.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Gomes wants to control but Carrera postures up.
Gomes gets back to half guard.
Gomes is pressing down on Carrera 's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Gomes had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Carrera defends it easily.
Carrera controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Gomes tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Carrera manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Gomes is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Carrera scores with a leg kick.
Gomes darts in looking for a takedown but Carrera gets double underhooks and turns Gomes into the cage.
Gomes takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

Carrera gets caught flat footed, as Gomes shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Carrera has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Carrera keeping full guard, as Gomes tries to pass.
Renato Gomes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Reno Carrera is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Carrera is trying to keep Gomes in close.

And that's the end of the fight!
Reno Carrera comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Carrera winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 26:30
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 26:30
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Reno Carrera !
A relieved looking Reno Carrera thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.