PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Big Hand (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Estebenz Zarfilio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Hand
vs
Zarfilio

184 cm
18
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

184 cm
18
194 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good in bed

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Budget Nutrition *Now Fully Stocked!*

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Big Hand!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Estebenz Zarfilio!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Matheus Silva and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hand moves into the clinch successfully.
Zarfilio jumps guard but Hand stands there with Zarfilio around his waist. Zarfilio gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Hand content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Zarfilio looking for a takedown.

Hand is fighting off a takedown attempt but Zarfilio is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Hand to the mat. Hand regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Hand looking to hit a scissor sweep but Zarfilio is one step ahead there.
Hand wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Zarfilio trying to stand up but can't free himself from Hand's guard.
Hand wants to sweep here but Zarfilio controlling him for the moment.
Hand has his hands on Zarfilio's head, controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hand wants to sweep but no luck.
Hand pulls Zarfilio in close to prevent any damage.
Zarfilio wants to pass the guard but Hand is keeping the position.
Hand lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Zarfilio!
Hand controlling from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Zarfilio is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Hand controlling his opponent.
Zarfilio is trying to reverse the position but instead Hand has taken his back - oops!

Zarfilio is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Hand gets his way!
Zarfilio wants to control his opponent's hands but Hand gets his hands free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zarfilio tries to escape the position.
Zarfilio manages to reverse the position and now he's in Hand's guard. Nice work there by Zarfilio.
Zarfilio looks gassed!
Hand controls Zarfilio momentarily but Zarfilio frees himself.
Zarfilio preventing the sweep.
Hand pulls Zarfilio in close to prevent any damage.
Zarfilio won't allow Hand to sweep him here.
Hand not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Hand fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Hand connects with a body shot.

That's four 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.
Hand misses with a wild body shot.
Zarfilio shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Big Hand has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Estebenz Zarfilio.

Hand scores with a takedown into Zarfilio's guard.
Hand controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Hand tries to free his leg and advance position but Zarfilio is retaining full guard.
Hand would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Hand trying to control the position from guard on top but Zarfilio is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hand slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Zarfilio throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Hand escapes and throws Zarfilio's legs to the side, diving into side control!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hand moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Big Hand dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Zarfilio shoots and misses
and Hand counters with a good low kick that Zarfilio was not able to check.
Zarfilio shoots in and drives through. Hand sprawls well.
Zarfilio tries for a takedown but Hand circles away easily
and Hand counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Zarfilio thinking.
Big Hand has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Estebenz Zarfilio.
Zarfilio defending well as Hand loads up on a big left hand.
Hand swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Zarfilio misses with a takedown attempt

and Hand counters by moving into the clinch.

Hand has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Zarfilio uses from the top position.
Zarfilio pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hand is keeping the position for now.
Hand trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Hand seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Hand keeping full guard, as Zarfilio tries to pass.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Zarfilio thows a big elbow that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hand has Zarfilio pulled in close to control his posture.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Zarfilio accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Zarfilio prevents Hand from getting back to his feet.
Zarfilio forces his way into half guard.
Hand is trying to stand.

Zarfilio is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Zarfilio is looking for a kimura here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Zarfilio wants to pass to mount but Hand is defending the position.
Zarfilio is keen to just control but Hand is a slippery customer.
Zarfilio lands with a punch from half guard.

Zarfilio is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Hand defends it well.
Zarfilio thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Hand's head.
Zarfilio is trying to control the action in half guard but Hand is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Hand is trying to control but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Zarfilio is working for a submission of some sort.
Hand is trying to maintain the position but Zarfilio is very close to passing his half guard.
Hand manages to get to full guard.
Hand keeping full guard, as Zarfilio tries to pass.
Zarfilio stopping the sweep attempt from Hand.
Zarfilio trying to control but Hand is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Zarfilio pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hand is keeping the position for now.
Zarfilio trying to control but Hand is working from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Hand just leaning against Zarfilio, taking a breather.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hand prevents the takedown attempt.
Hand tries a body shot but Zarfilio blocks it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Big Hand dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Zarfilio with a lazy takedown attempt

and Hand counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Hand.

Hand turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Zarfilio gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Hand wants to pass the guard but Zarfilio is defending well.

Hand moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Zarfilio.

Hand has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Hand will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Big Hand is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Zarfilio gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

so Hand counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Zarfilio looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Zarfilio has control of Hand's left arm, preventing Hand from doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Zarfilio escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Hand gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Zarfilio looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Zarfilio looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Hand puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Hand in particular looking to stall.
Hand trying to mount his opponent but Zarfilio defends it.
Hand lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hand trying to mount his opponent but Zarfilio defends it.
Zarfilio regains full guard. Nicely done.
Hand 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.
Hand scoring with some ground and pound.
Hand is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hand advances to half guard.
Hand stalling.

Zarfilio looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Hand prevents Zarfilio from improving his position.
Hand not doing much here.
Zarfilio wants to control but Hand is keeping busy.
Hand has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's four 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.
Zarfilio bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Hand 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.
Big Hand overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Zarfilio looking to sit in guard and control but Hand gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Zarfilio is looking for a triangle here but Hand uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Hand decides to stand back up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Big Hand showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Hand has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 30:27
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:27
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Big Hand!