PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Arnold Regal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dimas Russo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Regal
vs
Russo

180 cm
18
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

178 cm
18
161 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Prefers ground

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight 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, Arnold Regal!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Dimas Russo!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Felipe Paraventi and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Regal has a takedown stuffed.
Russo will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Regal tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Russo paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Regal with a poor takedown

and Russo counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Regal keeping moving, preventing Russo from controlling successfully.
Russo slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Russo trying to control the position from guard on top but Regal is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Regal 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.
Russo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Regal is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Russo wants to control from the top but Regal keeps moving.
Regal keeping full guard, as Russo tries to pass.
Russo trying to control but Regal is working from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Russo doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Regal counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Russo's guard now.
Regal has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Russo is proving hard to escape from.
Russo keeping moving, preventing Regal from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Regal wants to stand but Russo is controlling his posture from full guard.

Russo is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Regal throws and elbow that misses. Russo uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Regal's guard. Nice move by Russo!
Russo trying to control but Regal is working from the bottom.
Regal looking for a sweep. Not yet Regal, not yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Regal working a defensive guard but Russo passes into half guard.
Russo trying to control from half guard but Regal is working away.
Russo looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Regal trying to control from the bottom.
Regal is trying is best to control the position here.
Regal is breathing heavily.
Russo wants to lay and pray for a moment but Regal keeps working.
Regal knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Russo on the ground.

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.

Russo is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Regal doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Russo.
Russo uses his free foot to push down on Regal's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Regal.
Regal taking shots to the head.
Russo avoids the attempt from Regal to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dimas Russo 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.

Regal tries to keep at a distance but Russo has taken the fight into the clinch.

Russo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Regal misses with a takedown attempt - Russo sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Regal shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Russo pinned against the cage. Russo gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Russo clinches but Regal breaks the clinch

and Regal counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Regal.
Regal wants a takedown but no success here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Arnold Regal. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Regal as Russo tries to tie him up.
Russo tries to throw a body punch but Regal avoids it by throwing Russo back against the cage.

Russo breaks from the clinch.
Russo throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Regal's waist but Regal gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Russo off to one side.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick by Regal misses

and Russo counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Regal's guard now.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Russo trying to control but Regal is working from the bottom.
Russo advances to half guard.
Regal is trying to control but can't.
Regal is looking to get back to full guard here but Russo has managed to pass to side control instead.
Russo lands a big shot there that rocks Regal but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

Russo is working for a guillotine from mount but Regal frees his head quite easily.
Regal sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Regal is staying active underneath Russo, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Regal wants to sweep but Russo has passed to side control!
A lull in the action here as Russo stalls from top position.
Russo wants to lay and pray for a moment but Regal keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Russo tries to move to mount but Regal blocks the move with his legs.

Russo has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Russo blocks the body kick.
Regal tries to clinch up
and Russo counters with a good low kick that Regal was not able to check.
Russo fails to land the takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Russo has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Regal tries to clinch but Russo moves away
and Russo counters with a thumping low kick.
Regal has his takedown stuffed
and Russo counters with a head kick.
Regal clinches but Russo breaks the clinch

and Russo counters by clinching up.
Regal drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Russo gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Russo fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Regal fails to pull guard.

Russo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dimas Russo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. And we move into the final round!

Russo tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Regal paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Russo looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Regal is fending him off so far but Russo persists. Nope, Regal circles away and we're back to standing.
Regal with a lazy takedown attempt
and Russo counters with a big head kick but Regal shrugs it off.
Russo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Russo tries to close the distance and clinch up but Regal swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Regal.
Arnold Regal is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Regal avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Nice takedown defense from Russo. No joy for Regal on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Arnold Regal. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Russo closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Regal looking to stall.
Russo holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Russo drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Regal gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Russo ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Russo no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Russo has a closed guard, preventing Regal from standing up.

Russo has his foot on Regal's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Regal works his way back into a safe position though.
Regal wants to control from the top but Russo keeps moving.
Regal postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Regal wants to stand and escape but instead Russo has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Regal is working an open guard so Russo takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Russo throws a left and a right that both miss
and Regal counters with a three punch combo that has Russo backing up. Russo nods at Regal to acknowledge the strikes.

Regal closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Regal takes a little break here. Russo wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Russo struggling a bit here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Regal trying to control the position but Russo is working away.
Russo sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Russo wants to control but Regal is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Russo is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Regal's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Regal's back!
A lull in the action here.
What can Regal do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Regal is taking damage to the body and head.
Russo trying to control.
You can see the frustration on Regal's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Regal is working hard here to advance position.
Arnold Regal has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Dimas Russo is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dimas Russo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Russo 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 27:30
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dimas Russo!