PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Larainzinha Carioca (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vitor Belfort (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Belfort has chosen WESTBAM-Agharta as his entrance music. Vitor Belfort has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Carioca
vs
Belfort

187 cm
22
200 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

190 cm
23
205 lbs
1 - 7 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Knockout power

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Larainzinha Carioca!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Vitor Belfort!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Paulo Santos and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Carioca fails in his attempt to clinch.

Belfort darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Carioca is trying to get back to full guard.
Belfort is keen to just control but Carioca is a slippery customer.
Still in half guard, Belfort seems content to control.

Belfort stands up from half guard.
Carioca tries to close the distance and clinch but Belfort swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Belfort closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Belfort lands in his opponent's guard.
Belfort postures up.
Belfort cracks Carioca with a solid left hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carioca is trying to keep Belfort in close.
Belfort wants to control from the top but Carioca keeps moving.
Belfort really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Carioca. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Belfort decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Carioca misses with a takedown attempt

and Belfort counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Belfort.
Carioca is breathing heavily.
Belfort is trying to drag Carioca to the mat but Carioca just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Belfort breaks the clinch.
Carioca tries to clinch but Belfort moves away

and Belfort counters by clinching up.
Carioca tries to score a body lock takedown but Belfort shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Belfort tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Carioca just stands there and leans against the cage.
Belfort drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Larainzinha Carioca has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vitor Belfort.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Belfort pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A right-left combo lands from Belfort.
Carioca moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Carioca fails with the takedown
letting Belfort counter with a right hand.
Carioca avoids the head kick by Belfort.
Belfort stalks Carioca and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Carioca's face. Carioca staggers backwards, shaken.
Belfort throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Carioca counters with a nice double leg into side control. Belfort won't be happy with that.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Carioca trying to control the position but Belfort is working away.

Carioca decides to stand back up. Carioca steps back and let's Belfort get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carioca tries to clinch but Belfort moves away
and Belfort counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Carioca tries to clinch but Belfort moves away
and Belfort counters with a big head kick but Carioca shrugs it off.
Belfort tries a head kick but it misses.
Carioca misses with a takedown attempt

and Belfort counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Belfort manages to break the clinch.
Carioca has his takedown stuffed
and Belfort counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Carioca shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Belfort holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Carioca wants to break the clinch but can't.
Belfort tries for a takedown. No joy.
Carioca tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Belfort smiles and moves away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Carioca circles away from the clinch attempt.
A head kick from Carioca lands but Belfort takes it in his stride.
Belfort misses with a jab, cross combination.
Carioca throws a shot from downtown. Belfort moves away and avoids it.
Belfort fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Belfort wants to clinch up but Carioca keeps it at a distance.
Carioca lands with a slapping head kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Carioca shoots and misses
and Belfort counters with a right hand to the body.
Carioca fails with the takedown

and Belfort counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Carioca!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vitor Belfort dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Vitor Belfort's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Belfort clinches up with Carioca and pushes him back against the cage.

Belfort breaks the clinch.
Carioca shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Belfort counters with a shoot takedown. Carioca fights it but they end up in guard.
Carioca can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Belfort controls the pace.

Belfort decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Carioca, up you get!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Belfort.
Carioca manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Belfort seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Carioca is trying to stand up here but Belfort is controlling him well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carioca wants to control but Belfort is keeping busy.
Vitor Belfort has got the better of the ground game so far.
Belfort trying to advance position but Carioca counters by regaining guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Belfort stopping the sweep attempt from Carioca.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Belfort looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Belfort stands up out of the half guard.
Carioca tries a head kick but it misses.
Belfort takes one to the side of the head.

Carioca gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Belfort must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Belfort stands up from Carioca's guard - Belfort perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Belfort looks for a takedown but Carioca sprawls well.
Belfort fails to land with a series of punches.
Carioca has his takedown stuffed

and Belfort counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Carioca's guard now.
Carioca throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Carioca looking to hit a scissor sweep but Belfort is one step ahead there.
Carioca is working hard here to advance position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Belfort throwing strikes from guard but Carioca blocks nicely.
Carioca controls Belfort momentarily but Belfort frees himself.
Belfort wants to stand but Carioca has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Carioca had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Belfort is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Carioca Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Belfort's back instead.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Belfort trying to control the action but Carioca just sinks the hooks in.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vitor Belfort showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Vitor Belfort's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Carioca tries for a takedown but Belfort circles away easily

and Belfort moves into the clinch.

Belfort pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Carioca shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Belfort counters by clinching up.

Belfort manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Belfort wants to stand up but Carioca is controlling him.

Belfort pushes Carioca off and scrambles back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Belfort shoots for a double leg takedown but Carioca sprawls well. He's pushed Belfort's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Carioca clinches but Belfort breaks the clinch

and Belfort counters with a takedown into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carioca is trying to improve his position.

Belfort stands up and beckons Carioca to his feet.

Belfort drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Carioca is trying to keep Belfort in close.
Belfort trying to control but Carioca is working from the bottom.
Belfort trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carioca wants to sweep but no luck.
Belfort wants to control from the top but Carioca keeps moving.
Carioca is trying to control the position but Belfort postures up.
Belfort showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Belfort circles away from the clinch attempt

and Belfort counters by moving into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carioca wants to break the clinch but can't.
Belfort is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Carioca lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Belfort or not.
Carioca wants to get back to striking at distance but Belfort won't allow it.
Carioca tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Belfort smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Larainzinha Carioca. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Carioca closes the distance looking to clinch

and Belfort decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Carioca's guard.
Belfort being controlled here momentarily.
Belfort sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Carioca is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Belfort tries to roll over but Carioca keeps him under control.
Carioca is tying to control. Belfort wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Belfort looks like he's trying to stand up.
Carioca tries to stand and escape but Belfort is controlling the position.
Belfort is trying to stand back up but Carioca is controlling him

And that's the end of the fight!
Vitor Belfort comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Belfort has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Vitor Belfort!