PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Paulo Dantas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Antonio Ricardo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dantas comes to the cage accompanied by Fear of the Dark. Paulo Dantas is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Dantas
vs
Ricardo

180 cm
18
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
22
205 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Paulo Dantas!
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, Antonio Ricardo!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Mauricio Rocha and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Dantas moves into the clinch successfully.
Dantas jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Ricardo walks away with a smile on his face. Dantas gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
A slapping body kick lands there for Ricardo.
Dantas tries for a takedown but Ricardo sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Ricardo tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Dantas swivels and escapes.
Dantas throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Dantas takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Ricardo swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Dantas.
Ricardo misses with a takedown attempt - Dantas sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Ricardo tries to clinch up but Dantas circles away and keeps his distance.

Dantas closes the distance and pushes Ricardo back into the cage.

Dantas pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ricardo has a takedown stuffed.
Paulo Dantas has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Antonio Ricardo.
Dantas looks to land a combination but Ricardo avoids it well.

Ricardo closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Dantas on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Dantas tries to get out of the position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Ricardo is working for a submission of some sort.
Ricardo looks gassed!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dantas wants to improve his position but Ricardo is controlling well.
Ricardo slips a nice elbow through Dantas's hands, connecting with Dantas's forehead.
Ricardo drops an elbow to the side of Dantas's head.
Ricardo wants to control but Dantas is keeping him busy.
Dantas moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Dantas seems keen to control Ricardo's posture.

That's two 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.
Ricardo trying to control but Dantas is working from the bottom.
Ricardo stopping the sweep attempt from Dantas.
Dantas trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Dantas has a closed guard, preventing Ricardo from standing up.

Dantas has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Ricardo can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Ricardo in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Ricardo throws a front kick that sends Dantas stumbling back into the cage.
Dantas keeps the fight on the outside.
Ricardo goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Dantas throws a lazy head kick

and Ricardo counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Dantas makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Dantas.

Ricardo gets to his feet - Dantas follows without any prompting.
Ricardo tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Dantas swivels and escapes.
Ricardo fails with the takedown.

Ricardo scores a takedown into full mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ricardo controlling the pace for now.
Ricardo can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Dantas is looking to escape.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antonio Ricardo 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.

Dantas has a takedown stuffed.
Ricardo lands with a kick to the ribs.
Ricardo connects with a high kick.

Dantas fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Ricardo, pushing him back against the cage.
A left hand lands to the body for Ricardo.
Dantas is trying to drag Ricardo to the mat but Ricardo just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Ricardo trying to stall but Dantas improves his position.
Ricardo wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Dantas has him pressed against the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ricardo is working for takedown but Dantas is calmly controlling the position for now.
Ricardo goes for a takedown attempt but Dantas pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Dantas misses with a takedown attempt

and Ricardo decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Dantas's guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Paulo Dantas. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ricardo trying to control but Dantas is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dantas will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Dantas keeping moving, preventing Ricardo from controlling successfully.
Dantas is trying to control the position but Ricardo postures up.
Ricardo trying to control the position from guard on top but Dantas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ricardo is looking to stand up but Dantas won't let him.

Ricardo stands up from Dantas's guard - Ricardo perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Dantas misses with a takedown

so Ricardo counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Ricardo gets to his feet. Dantas looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Dantas has closed the distance and engaged Ricardo in a clinch.
Ricardo can't break the clinch.
Ricardo blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Ricardo stalling in the clinch but Dantas improves position.

Ricardo's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ricardo looks for a takedown but Dantas sprawls well.
Dantas fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Ricardo closes this distance looking for a takedown but Dantas circles away.
Ricardo shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Dantas but Dantas pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dantas takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Ricardo throws a nice looking combination but Dantas bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Dantas has his takedown stuffed
and Ricardo makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Dantas avoids a punch combination nicely.

Dantas moves into range and clinches up with Ricardo.
Ricardo trying to control the position but instead, Dantas has worked for underhooks and has pushed Ricardo into the cage.

Dantas manages to pull guard.
Dantas knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Ricardo on the ground.
Dantas pulls Ricardo in close to prevent any damage.
Dantas keeping moving, preventing Ricardo from controlling successfully.

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.
Dantas preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Dantas preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Dantas is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ricardo trying to control but Dantas is working from the bottom.
Dantas working a defensive guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antonio Ricardo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Ricardo falls off balance throwing a combination
and Dantas counters with a head kick.
Dantas with a poor takedown

and Ricardo decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Dantas's guard.
Dantas is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Ricardo is controlling him.

Dantas has an active guard here but Ricardo has managed to pass into half guard.
Ricardo is trying to control the action in half guard but Dantas is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Ricardo wants to stand up but Dantas is controlling the position.
Ricardo trying to control the pace.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Dantas is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Ricardo pulls his head out easily.
Ricardo takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Ricardo thows a huge punch but Dantas dodges it nicely.
Ground and pound from Ricardo.
Dantas is trying to maintain the position but Ricardo is very close to passing his half guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Ricardo closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Dantas to the mat! Dantas manages to get full guard.
Dantas keeping moving, preventing Ricardo from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dantas controlling Ricardo's posture.
Ricardo stays in close to Dantas's body and controls the position.
Dantas is trying to keep Ricardo in close.
Ricardo content to stall in guard here.
Dantas wants to sweep here but Ricardo controlling him for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dantas has a closed guard, preventing Ricardo from standing up.
Ricardo postures up in Dantas's guard and throws a big left but Dantas blocks it.
Ricardo passes Dantas's left leg - he's now in half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dantas has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Ricardo is working away from the top position though.
Ricardo controlling the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Dantas is in trouble now - Ricardo has advanced to mount!
Dantas is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Ricardo dominating with strikes here.
Dantas tries to lock up and control but Ricardo gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Ricardo breaks from Dantas's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Ricardo postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Dantas looks a forlorn figure.
Antonio Ricardo has got the better of the ground game so far.
Dantas tries to hold on but Ricardo postures up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Antonio Ricardo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Ricardo winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Antonio Ricardo!