PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ronaldinho Gaucho (ranked 7301 p4p, 638 weight class) and Simon Fell (ranked 6499 p4p, 610 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Gaucho
vs
Fell

190 cm
25
205 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

200 cm
25
205 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ronaldinho Gaucho!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Simon Fell!
The judges for this bout are Francis DeMontford, Darius Henderson and Topper Green.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gaucho scores with a leg kick.
Fell tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Gaucho throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Fell.

Gaucho clinches up with Fell and pushes him back against the cage.
Gaucho is pressed up against the cage. Fell has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Gaucho down to the mat. Gaucho avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Fell goes for a double leg but Gaucho avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Gaucho continues to drive forward.
Gaucho moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

It looks like Simon Fell has been cut.
Fell shoots for a double leg takedown but Gaucho sprawls well. He's pushed Fell's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Ronaldinho Gaucho has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Simon Fell.
A punch combination from Fell misses.
Gaucho throws a counter high kick but Fell was just alert enough to avoid it.
Fell shoots for a double leg takedown but Gaucho sprawls well. He's pushed Fell's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Gaucho throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Gaucho closes the distance looking to clinch
and Fell counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Fell looks to land a body kick but Gaucho moved away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gaucho drives through and clinches with Fell against the cage.
Gaucho is looking for a takedown.
Fell looking for a takedown.
Fell tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Fell can't break the clinch.

Gaucho jumps guard and drags Fell to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Fell is stalling in the full guard.
Gaucho wants to sweep here but Fell controlling him for the moment.

Gaucho is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fell is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Fell is pushing down on Gaucho's leg trying to pass to half guard. Gaucho is fighting to maintain full guard but Fell has managed to sneak the leg through.
Gaucho is trying to maintain the position but Fell is very close to passing his half guard.
Gaucho is trying to stand up here but Fell is controlling him well.
Fell wants to pass to mount but Gaucho is defending the position.
Gaucho tries to get to full guard but Fell has control of the leg.
Fell really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Gaucho. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fell slows the pace down in half guard.

Gaucho kicks off Fell and gets to his feet.
Gaucho tries to clinch but Fell is having none of it.
Fell tries for a takedown but Gaucho circles away easily
and Gaucho counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Gaucho tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Fell gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Fell has Gaucho pressed against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gaucho is trying to push Fell away but Fell has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Gaucho successfully pulls guard.
Gaucho 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.
Fell with a nice head shot there.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Fell content to stall in guard here.

Gaucho is working an open guard so Fell takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gaucho avoids the head kick by Fell.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ronaldinho Gaucho dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Simon Fell's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Gaucho throws a sloppy head kick and Fell moves out of range easily.

Gaucho rushes Fell and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Gaucho is trying to break free.
Fell wants a takedown but no success here.
Fell is trying to pull guard but Gaucho has him pressed against the cage.
Gaucho goes for a takedown in the clinch but Fell prevents it.
Gaucho drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Fell gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Gaucho has had enough of the clinch but Fell keeps him there for the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gaucho is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Fell is defending well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ronaldinho Gaucho. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Fell manages to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Fell clinches with his opponent.
Fell has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Gaucho after a bit of a struggle.
Fell is trying to pull guard but Gaucho turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Gaucho is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Gaucho has Fell pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Fell manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Gaucho letting Fell take a breather here.

Fell pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A left lands for Gaucho.
Ronaldinho Gaucho is winning the standup battle so far.
Fell shoots in for a takedown but Gaucho shows good takedown defense.
Gaucho misses with a head kick.
A countering left hand to the body from Fell misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gaucho closes the distance and clinches.
Fell keeps control of Gaucho as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Fell gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Gaucho.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Fell manages to break the clinch.
Gaucho closes the distance looking to clinch
and Fell counters with a three punch combo that has Gaucho backing up. Gaucho nods at Fell to acknowledge the strikes.
Gaucho takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Gaucho.
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!

Fell lands a left and a right that send Gaucho crashing to the mat, dazed. Fell thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!

Gaucho is rocked!

It looks like Ronaldinho Gaucho has been cut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fell changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Gaucho tries to avoid it but Fell manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Gaucho to the ground. Gaucho escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Gaucho appears to be looking for a big counter.
Oh Gaucho is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Gaucho throws a head kick that misses.
Fell shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Gaucho pinned against the cage. Gaucho gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Gaucho seems to have got his legs back now.
Gaucho moves in looking to clinch but Fell pushes him off.
Gaucho misses with an attempted mid kick.
Fell wants to counter the offense by Gaucho and move into the clinch position.
Gaucho lands a jab.

Gaucho closes the distance and clinches.
Fell is trying to drag Gaucho to the mat but Gaucho just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Fell ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Fell no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fell looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Gaucho prevents Fell from getting back to his feet.
Gaucho preventing the sweep.
Gaucho tries to stand but Fell is controlling from the bottom.
Gaucho trying to control but Fell is working from the bottom.
Fell wants to sweep here but Gaucho controlling him for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Simon Fell showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's time! Gaucho's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Fell fails to land with a series of punches.
Gaucho appears to be looking for a big counter.

Gaucho has taken the fight to the clinch.
Fell tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Gaucho is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Fell fails to pull guard.
Ronaldinho Gaucho has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Simon Fell.

Gaucho breaks the clinch.
Fell avoids the head kick by Gaucho.
Gaucho throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Fell throws a big counter head kick but Gaucho avoids it with no problem.
Fell circles away from the clinch attempt.
Fell tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gaucho wants to clinch.
Fell circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gaucho doesn't manage to clinch there - Fell circles away.

Fell moves into the clinch.
Fell tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Gaucho just stands there and leans against the cage.
Fell drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Gaucho gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Gaucho connects with a knee to the head.
Fell tries to pull guard but Gaucho forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Gaucho wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Gaucho tries for a takedown but Fell manages to get underhooks.
Fell avoiding damage.
Ronaldinho Gaucho has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Gaucho tries to pull guard but Fell won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Fell pulls guard.
Gaucho trying to control the position from guard on top but Fell is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gaucho with a flurry of punches that miss.
Gaucho is looking to work some ground and pound but Fell has wrist control.
Fell pulls Gaucho in to control the position.

Fell has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Gaucho can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Fell working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Gaucho doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Gaucho manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Fell takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Gaucho trying to control but Fell is working from the bottom.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Gaucho scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Gaucho looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Gaucho misses with a hook.
Ronaldinho Gaucho is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's four 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.
Gaucho buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Gaucho is looking to clinch but Fell is avoiding it.
Gaucho takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Gaucho moves in looking to clinch but Fell pushes him off.

Fell has taken the fight to the clinch.
Fell is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Fell gets underhooks to prevent Gaucho's takedown attempt.

Gaucho breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Fell keeps the fight on the outside.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Fell is defended easily by Gaucho.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Ronaldinho Gaucho.
I think Gaucho has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Francis DeMontford scores the fight 29:28
Judge Darius Henderson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Topper Green scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ronaldinho Gaucho!