PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rafael Loureiro (ranked 20845 p4p, 24800 weight class) and Usain Thunder (ranked 0 p4p, 669 weight class). Rafael Loureiro has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Loureiro
vs
Thunder

183 cm
31
191
10 - 5 - 0

168 cm
21
195
6 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

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 10 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Rafael Loureiro!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Usain Thunder!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Konstantin Menshow and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Loureiro stuns Thunder with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Thunder shoots in and drives through. Loureiro sprawls well.
Loureiro cracks Thunder with an open hand slap.
A left lands for Loureiro.
Loureiro lands with a right hand.
Loureiro cracks Thunder with a good jab.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Thunder has eaten all the pies!

Thunder gets caught napping as Loureiro dives in and scores a takedown. Thunder manages to retain guard.

Loureiro drops back looking for a leg! Thunder is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Thunder manages to kick Loureiro off! Loureiro jumps back into Thunder's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Loureiro slips nicely into half guard.

Loureiro looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Loureiro tries to pass the half guard into mount. Thunder knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Loureiro is looking to pass Thunder's guard but actually Thunder recovers to full guard.
Loureiro wants to control from the top but Thunder keeps moving.
Loureiro is pushing down on Thunder's leg trying to pass to half guard. Thunder is fighting to maintain full guard but Loureiro has managed to sneak the leg through.
Loureiro wants to take a breather but Thunder is having none of it.

That's two 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.

Thunder is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Loureiro pulls his head out easily.

Loureiro is trying to work for a kimura but Thunder is defending well.
Loureiro wants to lay and pray for a moment but Thunder keeps working.

Loureiro seems to be looking for submissions.
Loureiro uses his free foot to push down on Thunder's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Thunder.
Loureiro tries to control but Thunder wriggling away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Loureiro jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Thunder manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Thunder is being controlled here.

Loureiro has hold of Thunder's arm here. He's working for an Americana. It looks like he might have it! Thunder tries to escape but he's just digging himself in deeper - Loureiro cranks the arm and Thunder screams in pain! The ref makes a decision and ends the fight before the tap - no complains from Thunder, who is just happy to have his arm attached to his body.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:51 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Rafael Loureiro!
Our winner, Rafael Loureiro, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.