PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tito Abbott (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lipe Duarte (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Duarte has a niggling injury. He would have liked to come in 100% fit but that's not always possible. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Abbott
vs
Duarte

189 cm
19
218 lbs
2 - 5 - 0

200 cm
22
250 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Tito Abbott!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Lipe Duarte!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Seu Braga and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Duarte throws a right and a left that Abbott avoids nicely.
Duarte tries to clinch but Abbott moves out of range.
A punch combination from Duarte misses.
Nice takedown defense from Duarte. No joy for Abbott on that attempt.

Abbott shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Duarte looks gassed!
Abbott scoring with punches to the head and body.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Abbott throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Duarte works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Abbott's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Abbott knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Duarte on the ground.
Abbott cracks Duarte with a solid left hand.
Abbott looking to pass the guard.

Duarte looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Abbott lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Abbott is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Abbott scoring with punches to the head and body.
Abbott cracks Duarte with a solid left hand.
Abbott scoring with punches to the head and body.

Abbott stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Abbott shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Duarte takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Abbott lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Duarte throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Duarte tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Abbott scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Duarte?
Abbott won't let Duarte get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Abbott lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Duarte wants to get back to his feet.
Abbott looking to finish Duarte with some ground and pound. This is bad for Duarte!
Abbott is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Duarte can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

Duarte bucks Abbott off and manages to get back to his feet!

Abbott closes the distance and clinches.
Abbott looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Duarte tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Abbott wants a takedown.
Abbott swings away with an uppercut that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Duarte presses Abbott against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Abbott is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Duarte is keeping busy.
Abbott throws a punch but it's blocked by Duarte.
Duarte lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Abbott or not.
Duarte with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Abbott doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Duarte manages to break the clinch.
Abbott connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Duarte momentarily.
Abbott tries to clinch but Duarte moves away
and Duarte connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Abbott looks to clinch
and Duarte counters with a solid body kick.
Abbott wants to clinch.
Abbott has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Duarte finds it's way round the side to connect with Abbott's head.

Abbott drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Duarte manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Duarte paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
A punch combination from Duarte misses.
Tito Abbott seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Abbott avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Abbott looks to clinch

so Duarte counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Duarte has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Abbott is proving hard to escape from.
Duarte throws a big right hand that misses.
Duarte prevents Abbott from getting back to his feet.

Duarte stands up from Abbott's guard - Duarte perhaps looking for a knockout.

Duarte clinches with his opponent.

Duarte pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Abbott moves into the clinch.

Duarte breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Duarte gets a clinch.
Abbott misses with a hook to the ribs.

Duarte escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Duarte looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Abbott gets a takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Duarte pushes Abbott off and gets back to his feet.
Duarte avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Duarte keeps Abbott at a distance using the push kick.
Abbott tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Duarte was well out of range. Poor timing from Abbott.
Duarte tries to close the distance and clinch up but Abbott swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Abbott shoots in for a takedown but Duarte shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tito Abbott. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Duarte misses with a takedown attempt - Abbott sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Abbott swats away the attempt to clinch by Duarte.
Duarte throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Abbott's head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Abbott looks to throw the jab but Duarte is out of range.
Abbott throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Duarte fails with a takedown attempt.
Abbott misses the body punch
and Duarte counters with a series of strikes. Abbott will be more careful next time no doubt.
Duarte looks to land a combination but Abbott avoids it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Abbott fails with a takedown attempt.
Duarte looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Abbott looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Abbott is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Abbott scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Duarte gets back to full guard.
Abbott postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Abbott got a little sloppy there for a moment and Duarte has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Abbott has managed to get both his arms back between Duarte's legs - danger averted.
Abbott works over Duarte with some ground and pound from guard.
Abbott missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Abbott has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Abbott lands a couple of elbows.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Abbott cracks Duarte with a solid left hand.

Duarte has his foot on Abbott's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Abbott works his way back into a safe position though.
Abbott wants to stand but Duarte is controlling his posture from full guard.
Tito Abbott overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Abbott avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Duarte has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Abbott can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Abbott throwing strikes from guard but Duarte blocks nicely.
Duarte 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.
Abbott content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Duarte lands an upkick as Abbott stands over him.
Abbott working some strikes from top position.

Duarte is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Duarte is looking for a triangle but Abbott pushes his legs off easily.

Duarte kicks Abbott off and gets to his feet.
Duarte shoots in for a takedown but Abbott shows good takedown defense.
Abbott is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Duarte.
Duarte smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
The fight stays on the outside here - Abbott looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Abbott looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Duarte is looking for a triangle but Abbott pushes his legs off easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Abbott is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

Duarte looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Duarte will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Abbott working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Abbott postures up in Duarte's guard and throws a big left but Duarte blocks it.

Duarte throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Duarte has his foot on Abbott's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Abbott works his way back into a safe position though.

Abbott decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Abbott moves out of range of the body kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Abbott circles away from the clinch attempt.
Abbott closes the distance and clinches up with Duarte, looking for a takedown. Abbott pushes Duarte against the cage but Duarte circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Abbott misses with a wild combination.
Duarte wants to clinch up but Abbott keeps it at a distance.
Duarte scores with a hook.

Abbott tries to keep at a distance but Duarte has taken the fight into the clinch.
Abbott has a couple of punches blocked by Duarte.
Abbott misses with a hook from the clinch.
Duarte wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Abbott has him pressed against the cage.
Duarte is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Abbott trying to stall but Duarte improves his position.
Abbott tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Duarte's elbow.
Abbott tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Duarte's elbow.
Abbott working aggressively here.
Duarte has Abbott pressed against the cage, preventing Abbott from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Duarte's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A slow jab from Abbott misses its intended target.
Abbott swats away the attempt to clinch by Duarte.
Abbott tries to clinch up.
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 Tito Abbott will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Abbott walks forward, straight into a front kick from Duarte.
Lipe Duarte is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Duarte uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Abbott.
Duarte uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Abbott.

Abbott moves into the clinch successfully.
Duarte trying to land knees to the body.
Duarte gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Abbott.

Duarte's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Duarte scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Abbott swats away the attempt to clinch by Duarte.
Duarte throws a nice looking combination but Abbott bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Duarte changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Abbott tries to avoid it but Duarte manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Abbott to the ground. Abbott escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Duarte tries to close the distance and clinch but Abbott swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Abbott shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Duarte napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Duarte takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

Abbott decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Duarte misses with a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Abbott on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

Abbott shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Abbott tries to stand but Duarte is controlling from the bottom.
Abbott with a flurry of punches that miss.
Duarte throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

Duarte pushes Abbott off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Abbott wants to clinch up but Duarte keeps it at a distance.
Duarte moves out of range of the leg kick from Abbott.
The fight stays on the outside here - Duarte looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Duarte lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Abbott fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Duarte tries to close the distance and clinch up but Abbott swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Abbott moves into range and clinches up with Duarte.
Abbott working hard to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Abbott is trying to trip Duarte. He has hold of a leg but Duarte is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Abbott persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Abbott wanted to stand there but Duarte had control of the position.
Duarte wants to stand but Abbott is controlling the position.

Duarte is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Abbott is aware though and is defending well.
Abbott wants to stand but Duarte has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Duarte scores with a nice shot.
Duarte utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Abbott throws a big right hand that misses.

Abbott avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Duarte throws a couple of heel strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Duarte is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Duarte throws a nice elbow from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Duarte lands a lovely overhand right.
Abbott fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tito Abbott. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Horrible takedown by Abbott or perhaps it was just good defense by Duarte which made him look bad.
Abbott is looking to clinch.

Abbott closes the distance and clinches.
Duarte lands a nice uppercut.
Abbott misses with some punches.
Abbott lands with a short head shot on the inside.
A shot in the inside from Duarte.
Duarte prevents the takedown attempt.
Abbott keeps control of Duarte as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Duarte throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

Duarte breaks from the clinch.
Abbott tries to close the distance and clinch but Duarte swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Duarte circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Abbott has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Duarte finds it's way round the side to connect with Abbott's head.
No joy there for Duarte, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Duarte lands a two punch combo.
Abbott tries to close the distance and clinch up but Duarte swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Abbott is defended easily by Duarte.
Duarte circles away from the clinch attempt

and Duarte moves into the clinch.
Abbott pressing his opponent against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Duarte.
A nice right hand lands inside from Duarte.
Duarte lands with a right to the head.

Duarte breaks the clinch.
Duarte is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Duarte fails with a takedown attempt.
Lipe Duarte has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tito Abbott is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Abbott wants to clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tito Abbott showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Abbott, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 30:28
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tito Abbott!