PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between rafael soares (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ronaldo Nazario (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). rafael soares looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

soares
vs
Nazario

175 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 5 - 0

177 cm
18
186 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent elbows
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

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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 0 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, rafael soares!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ronaldo Nazario!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Mauricio Rocha and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Nazario shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
soares looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
soares is trying to maintain the position but Nazario is very close to passing his half guard.

Nazario is looking for a kimura but soares is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Nazario to get the leverage.

soares is defending against the submission attempts here by Nazario.
Nazario trying to control the pace.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Nazario escapes and gets back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nazario scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Nazario controlling the position.
Nazario wants to control but soares is keeping him busy.
You can see the frustration on soares's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
soares is letting Nazario control him for a moment.

Nazario stands up and beckons soares to his feet.

Nazario decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
soares wants to get back to his feet.
Nazario trying to control the pace.
Nazario tries to pass to full mount but soares defends it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
soares is trying to maintain the position but Nazario is very close to passing his half guard.
Nazario controlling the action here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

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.
Nazario throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
soares moves into full guard.
Nazario slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
soares bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Nazario's guard.
Nazario working a defensive guard but soares passes into half guard.
Nazario manages to get to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ronaldo Nazario dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Nazario circles away from the clinch attempt.

Nazario darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
soares tries to roll over but Nazario keeps him under control.
Nazario is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Let's hope that Nazario has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nazario tries to stand but his hand is stuck under soares.
Nazario is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Nazario trying to control the pace.
Nazario is just content to waste time from the top position. soares takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
soares looking for a sweep. Not yet soares, not yet.

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.
soares is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Nazario stands and throws soares's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Nazario controlling from side mount.
Nazario trying to control the position but soares is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Despite being in the dominant position, Ronaldo Nazario just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Nazario gets a takedown into half guard.
soares works his way to full guard. Good work.
Nazario is looking to stand up but soares won't let him.
soares manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Nazario tries to hold on but soares pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nazario really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Nazario swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nazario is trying to escape the mount.
soares trying to control but Nazario is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ronaldo Nazario showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

soares misses with a two punch combination.

Nazario shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Nazario tries to free his leg and advance position but soares is retaining full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nazario trying to control but soares is working from the bottom.
Nazario sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
soares tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Nazario is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Nazario is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Nazario takes a shot to the body in his stride.
soares shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Nazario decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in soares's guard.
Ronaldo Nazario has got the better of the ground game so far.
Nazario looking to pass the guard.
Nazario slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nazario scores with punches from side control.
Nazario in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
soares manages to work his way to half guard, despite Nazario's best efforts.
Nazario is just content to waste time from the top position. soares takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Nazario trying to control the position from guard on top but soares is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
soares trying to keep a closed guard but Nazario is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
soares wants to control the position but Nazario says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
soares is trying to stand back up but Nazario is controlling him
Nazario wants to lay and pray for a moment but soares keeps working.
soares wants to control but Nazario is keeping busy.
soares tries to roll over but Nazario keeps him under control.

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.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

soares instigates a clinch.
Nazario has had enough of the clinch but soares keeps him there for the moment.
Nazario tries to score a body lock takedown but soares shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Nazario has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but soares regains guard immediately.
Nazario wants to control from the top but soares keeps moving.
Nazario throws a big right hand that misses.
Nazario slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
rafael soares has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ronaldo Nazario is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

soares working for a triangle but Nazario defends it easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ronaldo Nazario comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Nazario 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ronaldo Nazario!