PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Maicol Raul (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Szalony Adi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Raul
vs
Adi

185 cm
23
190 lbs
7 - 9 - 0

185 cm
28
187 lbs
8 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Solid boxing
Experienced

Good takedowns
Brawler
Determined

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 7 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Maicol Raul!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Szalony Adi!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Thiago Cunha and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Adi shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Adi has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Raul is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Adi darts in looking for a takedown but Raul gets double underhooks and turns Adi into the cage.

Adi throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Raul was covering up waiting for the punch and Adi finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Adi throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Raul works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Raul bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Adi's guard.

Raul would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Adi is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Adi is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Adi is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Raul tries to stand but Adi is controlling from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raul postures up.
Raul is looking to stand up but Adi won't let him.

Adi had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Raul defends it easily.
Raul is looking to stand up but Adi won't let him.

Adi throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Adi not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Adi manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Raul manages to get himself to full guard.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Raul is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Adi wants to control from the top but Raul keeps moving.
Raul throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Adi wants to control from the top but Raul keeps moving.
Adi slips nicely into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Raul trying to hold on to Adi's head to control him but Adi postures up.
Raul is trying to stand.
Ground and pound from Adi.
Raul regains full guard. Nicely done.
Raul bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Adi's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Adi looking for a sweep. Not yet Adi, not yet.
Raul tries to stand but Adi is controlling from the bottom.
Raul has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Adi tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Adi is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Raul defends well.
Adi 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.
Adi is still trying to improve position.
Raul wants to stand but Adi is controlling his posture from full guard.
Raul won't allow Adi to sweep him here.

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.
Raul wants to stand but Adi has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Adi is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Raul is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Adi pulls his head out easily.
Adi looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Raul with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

Raul looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Adi working Raul over with strikes.

Raul is defending against the submission attempts here by Adi.
Raul tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Raul looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Szalony Adi dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Raul will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Adi fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Raul stuffs the takedown.
Raul feinted with a counter takedown.
Raul swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Adi looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Raul is fending him off so far but Adi persists. Nope, Raul circles away and we're back to standing.
Maicol Raul has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Szalony Adi.
Adi misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Raul gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Adi to score an easy takedown into full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Raul is striking off his back. Adi thinks nothing of it though and passes easily into half guard.
Adi has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Raul tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Raul actively working from the bottom here.
Raul missing with punches from the bottom.
Adi is keen to just control but Raul is a slippery customer.
Raul tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Adi moves into side control, avoiding the strikes from Raul.
Raul tries to buck Adi off but Adi is having none of it.
Adi trying to control the position but Raul is working away.
Szalony Adi has got the better of the ground game so far.
Raul misses with an elbow from the bottom.

Adi is trying to get an arm triangle but Raul is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Raul manages to work his way to half guard, despite Adi's best efforts.
Raul punching from the bottom.

Raul looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Raul throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Adi is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

Adi is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Raul is just riding it out for now. Adi eventually gives up the hold.
Raul misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Adi seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raul wants to get back to full guard.
Raul tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Raul throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Raul punching from the bottom.

Adi is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Raul is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at Soul Supremacy Rio, so we'll see if he gets out of it.
Adi slips a nice elbow through Raul's hands, connecting with Raul's forehead.

Adi is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Raul sees it coming and defends easily.
Adi working over Raul with some ground and pound. Raul looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Raul is not content to let Adi control the position.
Raul throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Adi wants to control but Raul is keeping him busy.
Raul on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Raul looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Raul actively working from the bottom here.
Adi blocks the strikes from Raul.
Raul has hold of Adi's hands but Adi slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Still in half guard, Adi seems content to control.

Adi seems to be working for a kimura but Raul defends the submission attempt.
Raul tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Raul tries to get to full guard but Adi has control of the leg.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Raul flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Adi is looking to take a break and control but Raul is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Raul wants to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Szalony Adi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Adi shoots in and drives through. Raul sprawls well.
Raul throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Szalony Adi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Adi shoots in but no luck this time.
Adi fails to land the takedown.
Maicol Raul has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Szalony Adi.
Adi checks a leg kick.
Maicol Raul is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Adi shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Raul throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Adi tries for a takedown but Raul sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Adi takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Adi fails with a takedown attempt.
Nice takedown defense from Raul. No joy for Adi on that attempt.
Raul changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Adi looks for a takedown but Raul sprawls well.
Adi tries to move into range but Raul moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Adi fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Raul tries to counter with a takedown but Adi is quick to defend against it.
Raul defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Adi.
Raul lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Raul.
Raul scores with a decent looking hook.
Raul lands with a nice combination. Adi backs away looking to recover.
Raul stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Raul wants it to stay on the feet.
Raul attempts a counter takedown but Adi avoids it well and moves away.
Raul tests Adi's chin there with a solid looking shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Raul tries to clinch there but Adi circles away.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Raul shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Adi napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Raul tries to stand but Adi is controlling his head.

Raul has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Adi fails with a takedown attempt.
Raul lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Raul scores with a jab. Adi acknowledges it with a nod of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Adi misses with a takedown attempt - Raul sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Adi tries for a takedown but Raul sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Adi shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Raul pinned against the cage. Raul gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Raul throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Raul enables Adi to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Raul manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Raul will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Raul looking for a sweep. Not yet Raul, not yet.

Raul looking for a triangle here. Adi is fighting it but it looks tight! Raul pulls the arm across and this one won't last much longer! Nope, Adi is tapping out - this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Maicol Raul!