PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between John Lineker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Antonio Vegata (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Lineker
vs
Vegata

177 cm
30
163 lbs
19 - 14 - 0

175 cm
38
165 lbs
25 - 20 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

GREEN!160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 19 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, John Lineker!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 25 - 20 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Antonio Vegata!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Paulo Santos and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lineker throws a sloppy head kick and Vegata moves out of range easily.
Lineker circles away from the clinch attempt.
Lineker misses with a low kick.
That kick from Lineker tenderised Vegata's leg. Vegata is trying to keep his angry face on.
Lineker misses with a low kick.
Lineker keeps the fight on the outside.
Lineker half committed to a counter leg kick.
Lineker misses with a body kick.

Vegata closes the distance and clinches.
Lineker is trying to break the clinch but Vegata has him pressed against the ropes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lineker has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Vegata tries to land knees in the clinch but Lineker avoids the damage to the body.
Vegata tries to land a knee to the head but Lineker blocks with his arms.
Lineker has had enough of the clinch but Vegata keeps him there for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lineker breaks from the clinch.
Lineker looks for the body kick but Vegata saw that one coming.
Lineker swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Vegata tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Lineker paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Vegata clinches up against the ropes.
Vegata tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Lineker has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Vegata is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Lineker is defending well for now.
Vegata is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Lineker is defending well for now.

Lineker breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Lineker looking to land some kicks to the body here.
An inside leg kick from Lineker misses.
Vegata thinks about the counter body kick.
Lineker thows a leg kick but Vegata checks it
and Vegata counters with a good low kick that Lineker was not able to check.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lineker throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Vegata tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Vegata throws a predictable looking body shot
and Lineker counters with an inside leg kick.
Lineker chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Lineker throws a lazy head kick
and Vegata cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Lineker buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Lineker tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
We've been told by Lineker's head coaches at Loucademia muito crazy that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Vegata wants to slow Lineker down by chopping away at his legs.
Vegata throws a looping overhand right but Lineker ducks down to avoid it.
Vegata takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Lineker looks to land a body kick but Vegata moved away.
Vegata is looking to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lineker tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Vegata is able to avoid easily.
Lineker tries to land a leg kick but Vegata saw it coming and moves away.
Vegata blocks a leg kick.
Lineker lands a leg kick that knocks Vegata off balance momentarily.
Lineker circles away from the clinch attempt.
Lineker does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Lineker throws a push kick but Vegata slaps the foot to one side.
Vegata avoids the head kick by Lineker.
Vegata throws a one two combo.
Good leg kick by Lineker there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Vegata doesn't manage to clinch there - Lineker circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Vegata closes the distance and pushes Lineker back into the ropes.
Vegata looking to throw knees to the head but Lineker is blocking nicely.
Vegata is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

Lineker breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Good work by Vegata as he checks the leg kick.
Lineker swats away the attempt to clinch by Vegata.
Lineker connects with a leg kick. Vegata looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
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!
Some wild striking there from Vegata.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Lineker dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Lineker throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

It looks like Antonio Vegata has been cut.
Vegata checks a leg kick.
Lineker thows a leg kick but Vegata checks it
and Vegata counters with a series of strikes. Lineker will be more careful next time no doubt.
Lineker tries to work over Vegata's front leg with a kick but Vegata checks it.
Lineker connects with an inside leg kick.

Lineker tries to keep at a distance but Vegata has taken the fight into the clinch.
Vegata tries to land a knee to the head but Lineker blocks with his arms.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vegata trying to land knees to the body.
Vegata tries to stall but Lineker uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Vegata throws a knee to the head but misses.
Vegata tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vegata keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Lineker's efforts to push away.
Lineker is trying to break the clinch but Vegata is controlling him.
Vegata with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Lineker has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Vegata using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Lineker has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Vegata misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Lineker.
Lineker is trying to maintain a safe position but Vegata gets an underhook and turns Lineker into the ropes.
Vegata's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Vegata looking to throw knees to the head but Lineker is blocking nicely.

Lineker escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Vegata moves out of range as Lineker throws a body kick.
Vegata ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Lineker lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lineker throws a leg kick that misses.

Vegata has managed to clinch.
Lineker wants to break free but Vegata has control.
Vegata misses with a knee strike.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Vegata tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Lineker wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Vegata misses with a knee to the head.
Vegata is trying to stall.
Vegata looking to throw knees to the head but Lineker is blocking nicely.
Vegata stalling in the clinch but Lineker improves position.
Lineker avoiding damage as Vegata throws knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vegata misses with a knee to the head.
Vegata tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Vegata with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Lineker pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Vegata avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Vegata takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Lineker chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Lineker ducks under a wild hook from Vegata.
Lineker tried to counter with a leg kick but Vegata avoided it.
Lineker misses with a head kick.
Vegata moves out of range as Lineker throws a body kick.
Lineker walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Vegata checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Lineker throws a wild body kick that Vegata sees coming a mile off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vegata is looking to clinch but Lineker is avoiding it.
Lineker tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A leg kick checked by Vegata.
Lineker circles away from the clinch attempt.
Lineker throws a low kick but it's checked well by Vegata.
Vegata moves out of range as Lineker throws a body kick.
Lineker with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
John Lineker is winning the standup battle so far.

Vegata closes the distance and clinches.
Vegata misses with a knee strike.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Vegata in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Lineker blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Vegata is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Lineker is defending well for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Antonio Vegata will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Antonio Vegata's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Lineker fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Vegata checks it well.
Vegata tries to clinch up but Lineker circles away and keeps his distance.
Lineker circles away from the clinch attempt.
It appears Lineker was looking to counter with a kick there.
Lineker scores with a head kick.
Lineker chopping away at his opponent's legs.

Vegata gets a clinch.
Lineker wants to break the clinch but can't.
Vegata using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Lineker has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vegata is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Lineker is keeping busy.

Lineker manages to break the clinch.
Good work by Vegata as he checks the leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vegata moves in looking to clinch but Lineker pushes him off.
Lineker looks to throw a body kick
and Vegata counters with a right hand to the body.
Lineker tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Vegata is able to avoid easily.
Lineker fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Vegata.
Lineker throws a sloppy head kick and Vegata moves out of range easily.
Vegata blocks a leg kick.
Vegata is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Lineker with a body shot.

Vegata moves into the clinch successfully.
Lineker managing to block the knees to the body from Vegata.
Vegata tries a knee to the head but Lineker blocks it.
Vegata trying to land knees to the body.
Lineker is trying to break free.
Vegata trying to land knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vegata tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Lineker is trying to break free.
Vegata looking to throw knees to the head but Lineker is blocking nicely.
We've been informed that Vegata has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Vegata tries to land a knee to the head but Lineker blocks with his arms.

Lineker breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Vegata closes the distance and clinches.
Vegata tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Lineker breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Lineker does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Lineker is looking to land body kicks.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Lineker throws a front kick aimed at Vegata's knee but Vegata avoids it well.
A countering left hand to the body from Vegata misses.
Lineker scores with a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lineker circles to his right before unloading a perfect head kick! Vegata drops to the canvas, hurt badly! Lineker follows Vegata to the ground and unloads with a series of strikes that force the referee to step in and end the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:07 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). John Lineker!
John Lineker retains his lightweight title!
John Lineker seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.