PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Caio Bagetti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rafael Loureiro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bagetti's entrance music is Bob Marley - Get up, stand up. A fine choice. Loureiro has chosen Hibria - Millenium Quest as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Bagetti
vs
Loureiro

184 cm
21
190 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

183 cm
19
190 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Caio Bagetti!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rafael Loureiro!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Alexandre Firmino and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bagetti stuffs the takedown attempt from Loureiro. Loureiro gets slowly back to his feet.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Loureiro.
Bagetti gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!

Loureiro moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Bagetti has worked his arm free - good work by Bagetti!

Loureiro tries for a kimura but Bagetti is defending well.

Loureiro is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Bagetti is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Loureiro trying to control the position but Bagetti is working away.

Loureiro is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Bagetti knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Loureiro is trying to get an arm triangle but Bagetti is defending well.

Loureiro wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Bagetti, who protects the arm well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bagetti is looking to regain half guard here but Loureiro keeps moving and retains side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Loureiro is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Bagetti is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Loureiro remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Loureiro working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Loureiro trying to control the position but Bagetti is working away.
Loureiro works to advance to full mount. Bagetti defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Loureiro can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Bagetti is looking to escape.

Loureiro is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Bagetti can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Loureiro trying to control but Bagetti is having none of it.

Bagetti has left one of his arms exposed and Loureiro doesn't need a second invitation. He's isolated it and locked on a tight armbar. Bagetti screams and taps out, obviously in a lot of pain. Hopefully there isn't permanent damage to that arm.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:58 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Rafael Loureiro!
Rafael Loureiro is the new middleweight champion!