PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between felipe lins felipe lins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rafael Rafao (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rafao comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Sandstorm kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

lins felipe lins
vs
Rafao

183 cm
18
187 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, felipe lins felipe lins!
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, Rafael Rafao!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Paulo Santos and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
felipe lins moves into range and connects with a jab.
felipe lins dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
felipe lins pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Rafao tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
felipe lins swats away the attempt to clinch by Rafao.
felipe lins changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Rafao tries to avoid it but felipe lins manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Rafao to the ground. Rafao escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
A left and a right from felipe lins both land. Nice combination.

It looks like Rafael Rafao has been cut.
felipe lins takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Rafao with a lazy takedown attempt
and felipe lins counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rafao misses with a head kick.
felipe lins closes the distance looking to clinch

and Rafao holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Rafao jumps guard.
Rafao 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rafao not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
felipe lins wants to control from the top but Rafao keeps moving.
Rafao working a defensive guard here.
felipe lins will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Rafao looks gassed!

felipe lins decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Rafao, up you get!
Rafao tries for a takedown but felipe lins circles away easily

and felipe lins counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rafao won't be happy with that.
felipe lins trying to control the position but Rafao is working away.
You can see the frustration on Rafao's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
felipe lins lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

felipe lins decides to stand back up. felipe lins steps back and let's Rafao get back to his feet.

felipe lins closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Rafao to the mat! Rafao manages to get full guard.
Rafao should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
felipe lins is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
felipe lins stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rafao swivels though and keeps the full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as felipe lins accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
felipe lins works over Rafao with some ground and pound from guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
felipe lins is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
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.

Rafao looking for a guillotine here but felipe lins defends easily.
felipe lins slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

felipe lins decides to stand back up. felipe lins steps back and let's Rafao get back to his feet.

Rafao tries to keep at a distance but felipe lins has taken the fight into the clinch.

felipe lins gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Rafao tries to land a sweep but no joy.

felipe lins stands up and waves to Rafao to follow him.
felipe lins scores with a sloppy right hand. Rafao should have avoided that one.
Rafao shoots and misses
and felipe lins counters with a good low kick that Rafao was not able to check.
felipe lins felipe lins has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rafael Rafao.
felipe lins dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Rafao. That did some damage!

felipe lins gets a takedown into half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
felipe lins frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Rafao scores with a takedown into felipe lins's guard.
Rafao stops felipe lins from standing up.
Rafao looking to sit in guard and control but felipe lins gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
felipe lins is looking to work some ground and pound but Rafao has wrist control.
felipe lins tries to stand but Rafao is controlling from the bottom.
felipe lins felipe lins overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
felipe lins wants to control from the top but Rafao keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rafao 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.
felipe lins throwing strikes from guard but Rafao blocks nicely.

Rafao scrambles and gets back to his feet.

felipe lins shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
felipe lins tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

felipe lins working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rafao is looking to get to half guard.
felipe lins avoids the attempt from Rafao to control.
Rafao is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
felipe lins trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rafao is looking to get to half guard.
Rafao is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Rafao reaches up to try and control the position but felipe lins seems to have an arm triangle now! Uh oh! Rafao rolls and tries to escape and now felipe lins has his back!
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards felipe lins.
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards felipe lins.
felipe lins wants to control but Rafao is keeping busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
felipe lins controlling from the back.
Rafao is really stuck here.
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards felipe lins.
felipe lins trying to control momentarily.
Rafao tries to break free.
felipe lins wants to control the position but Rafao frees himself and scrambles - felipe lins manages to regain control in side control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
felipe lins cracks Rafao with an elbow. That is naaassty.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

felipe lins felipe lins dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Rafael Rafao's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

A head kick by Rafao misses

and felipe lins counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by felipe lins.

felipe lins stands and steps away. Rafao gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
felipe lins throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

felipe lins looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Rafao!
Rafao is in all sorts of trouble here.

felipe lins is working for a guillotine from mount but Rafao frees his head quite easily.
felipe lins tries to push Rafao's head away but Rafao is holding on tight.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
felipe lins blocks Rafao's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
felipe lins lands a nice shot to the head.
felipe lins can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Rafao is looking to escape.
felipe lins lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

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.
felipe lins wants to control the pace but Rafao is squirming around nicely.
felipe lins lands a heavy elbow.
Rafao is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Rafao is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
felipe lins scoring with strikes but Rafao is staying in there.
Rafao is working to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
felipe lins landing strikes from the mount and Rafao is in trouble!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
felipe lins trying to control but he's not successful this time.
felipe lins controlling his opponent.
Rafao working to try and regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Rafao tries to improve his position but felipe lins has taken his back! felipe lins has a choke - it's sunk in pretty tight... Will Rafao tap? No... maybe... yes! He's tapped! felipe lins pushes Rafao away and gets up to celebrate with his corner!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:30 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). felipe lins felipe lins!