PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Elpidio Rafael (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Huy Hang (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Rafael
vs
Hang

163 cm
19
145 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

178 cm
21
138 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

TFP Graphics - Pit Inc

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Elpidio Rafael!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Huy Hang !
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Matheus Silva and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hang tries to clinch but Rafael moves out of range.
Hang tries to clinch up but Rafael circles away and keeps his distance.
Hang doesn't manage to clinch there - Rafael circles away.

Hang gets caught flat footed, as Rafael shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Rafael is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Hang wants to sweep but no luck.
Rafael postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Hang throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Rafael wants to pass the guard but Hang is keeping the position.
Rafael is working hard here to advance position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Rafael drops back, looking for a kneebar! Hang looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Hang looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Hang !
Hang misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Hang misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Hang tries to move into full mount but can't pass Rafael's legs.
Hang trying to control the action but Rafael is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rafael tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Hang wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Rafael is not content to let Hang control the position.
Rafael is looking to reverse the position.
Hang tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hang looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Hang is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rafael keeps the fight on the outside.
Hang tries to clinch up but Rafael circles away and keeps his distance.
Rafael keeps the fight on the outside.
Hang wants to clinch.

Rafael shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rafael wants to pass the guard but Hang is keeping the position.
Rafael landing with the ground and pound.
Rafael might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Hang is trying to control the position but Rafael postures up.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Hang is on top in guard.
Rafael throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Hang with a nice head shot there.
Hang is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Hang avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Hang throwing strikes but missing.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hang pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rafael is keeping the position for now.

Rafael had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Hang is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Rafael Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Hang 's back instead.
Rafael 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.
Rafael is breathing heavily.
Rafael keeps control of the position as Hang tries to break free.
Hang rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rafael has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Hang is in all sorts of trouble here.
Hang prevents Rafael from taking his back.
Hang is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Rafael is landing with some decent strikes but Hang is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rafael jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Hang manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Hang really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Rafael. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Rafael looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Hang is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Rafael off and has taken his back!
Rafael rolls, trying to escape but Hang keeps control of the position.
Hang connects with a big shot to the side of Rafael's head.
Hang is hanging on to Rafael's back as he tries to escape.
Rafael rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rafael is looking for a sweep. Hang is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Hang is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Hang not landing any meaningful shots this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Elpidio Rafael dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Hang tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rafael misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Hang wants to clinch.
Rafael swats away the attempt to clinch by Hang .

Hang closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Hang pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Rafael tries for a takedown. No joy.
Hang has Rafael pressed against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hang is looking to control Rafael's arms but Rafael gets an underhook and turns him. Now Hang has his back to the cage.
Hang pressing his opponent against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hang is trying to maintain a safe position but Rafael gets an underhook and turns Hang into the cage.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Huy Hang .
Rafael fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Elpidio Rafael. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hang moves in looking to clinch but Rafael pushes him off.
Hang tries to clinch but Rafael moves out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hang looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Huy Hang is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hang tries to close the distance and clinch but Rafael swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Hang is looking to clinch.
Hang doesn't manage to clinch there - Rafael circles away.
Hang tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rafael swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hang tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rafael swats away the attempt to clinch by Hang .
Rafael shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Hang as he avoids it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Hang is looking to clinch.
Hang fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rafael avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hang tries to clinch up.
Hang moves in looking to clinch but Rafael pushes him off.
Huy Hang is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rafael swats away the attempt to clinch by Hang .
Hang tries to clinch but Rafael moves out of range.
Rafael avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hang is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hang is looking to clinch.
Hang tries to clinch up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hang looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Hang is looking to clinch but Rafael is avoiding it.
Hang is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rafael changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Hang tries to avoid it but Rafael manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Hang to the ground. Hang escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Rafael scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Hang is trying to control Rafael's posture but Rafael avoids it.
Hang is breathing heavily.

Rafael is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Hang knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Rafael is in a dominant position here, looking for a kimura. Hang looks calm but he's in trouble here. Rafael gets his leg over his opponent's head and yanks on the arm. Hang is tapping like a morse code operator on the titanic! SOS! SOS! Rafael lets go of the hold and Hang can pop his arm back in it's socket.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:41 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Elpidio Rafael!