PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ricardo Pozzi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paulo Lessa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lessa has chosen Uriah Heep: Easy Livin´ as his entrance music. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Pozzi
vs
Lessa

185 cm
22
170 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

185 cm
23
180 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good in bed

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ricardo Pozzi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Paulo Lessa!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Felipe Paraventi and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Pozzi closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Pozzi controlling the action here.
Pozzi not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Lessa actively working from the bottom here.
Lessa pushes Pozzi off looking to stand but Pozzi dives back in and keeps control.

Lessa looking for submissions off his back.
Pozzi throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Lessa looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Pozzi cracks Lessa with an open hand slap.
Paulo Lessa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pozzi just misses with a punch to the body.
Pozzi takes a swing at Lessa's ribcage but misses.
A left lands for Pozzi.
Lessa takes a shot right to the bread basket.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lessa misses with a body shot.
Lessa lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Lessa scores with a shot to the body.
Pozzi misses with the combination.
Lessa shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Lessa swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Lessa throws a combination that misses

and Pozzi decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Lessa's guard.
Lessa looks gassed!
Pozzi sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Lessa looking for a guillotine here but Pozzi defends easily.

Pozzi gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lessa throws a left and a right that both miss
and Pozzi counters with a series of strikes. Lessa will be more careful next time no doubt.
Pozzi lands with a hook. Lessa tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Pozzi ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Pozzi's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Pozzi duly obliges.

Pozzi shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Pozzi was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Pozzi controlling the pace for now.
Pozzi lands a heavy elbow.
Pozzi controlling from the full mount.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Lessa is in all sorts of trouble here.
Pozzi sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Lessa is looking to get to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pozzi controlling the pace for now.
Lessa is working to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pozzi tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Lessa is working to get back to half guard.

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.
Pozzi looking to control and managing it successfully.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Ricardo Pozzi just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Lessa with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Pozzi to score with a decent uppercut.
Pozzi slips a jab and a cross from Lessa.
Lessa thows a left - swing and a miss!
Pozzi throws a shot to the body.

Pozzi shoots in and bounces Lessa off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Pozzi cracks Lessa with a solid left hand.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pozzi scoring with some ground and pound.

Lessa has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Pozzi can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Pozzi not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricardo Pozzi 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.

Pozzi swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
A shot to de liver by Pozzi. Beautiful body shot.
Ricardo Pozzi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Pozzi digs a good hook to Lessa's body.
Lessa throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

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

Pozzi gets control of Lessa's arms and successfully pulls guard. Pozzi will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Pozzi tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Pozzi manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Pozzi controlling from mount.
Lessa working to try and regain half guard.
Lessa is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pozzi controlling the position easily from mount.
The referee warns Lessa that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Ricardo Pozzi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Pozzi takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pozzi seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Lessa for as long as he can get away with.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lessa is looking to get to half guard.
Pozzi takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Ricardo Pozzi just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Pozzi throws a shot to the body.
Lessa misses with a double jab.
Lessa misses with a double jab
and Pozzi counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Pozzi drops his hands momentarily and Lessa takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Pozzi moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Pozzi keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pozzi punishes Lessa's body with a nice straight punch.
Pozzi lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Pozzi throws a shot to the body.
Pozzi throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Pozzi uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Lessa.
Pozzi uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Lessa.
Lessa takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Pozzi thuds a left hand into Lessa's body.
Pozzi fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Lessa looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
A cross from Pozzi lands.
Lessa slips a jab and a cross from Pozzi.
Pozzi scores with the left hand. Lessa knows he should have avoided that one.

Lessa tries to keep at a distance but Pozzi has taken the fight into the clinch.

Pozzi gets control of Lessa's arms and successfully pulls guard. Pozzi will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

Lessa has gone for a leg lock! Pozzi slips out almost immediately though and dives into Lessa's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Pozzi 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.
Pozzi is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

Lessa is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Pozzi 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.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pozzi's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricardo Pozzi dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Pozzi misses with a wild body shot.
Pozzi is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Lessa can do to turn this around?
Pozzi ducks under a wild hook from Lessa.

Pozzi scores with a takedown into Lessa's guard.

Pozzi got a little sloppy there for a moment and Lessa has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Pozzi has managed to get both his arms back between Lessa's legs - danger averted.
Pozzi scoring with some ground and pound.
Pozzi scoring with some ground and pound.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Pozzi's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Pozzi sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Lessa has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Pozzi can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Lessa takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Lessa being controlled here, momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pozzi gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Lessa takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Lessa misses with a jab, cross combination.
Lessa misses with a few strikes there.
Pozzi scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Lessa doesn't seem bothered though.
Pozzi connects with a body shot.
No joy there for Pozzi, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Pozzi goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Pozzi slips a jab from Lessa.
Lessa takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Pozzi throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pozzi misses with a jab, cross combination.
Lessa looks to throw the jab but Pozzi is out of range.
Pozzi slips a jab and a cross from Lessa.
Lessa is the more experienced fighter here and he's going to need to draw on some of that experience if he's going to pull this one out the bag.
Lessa on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Pozzi scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Lessa.
Pozzi connects with a crisp jab.
Pozzi throws a body punch but Lessa moves out of range.
Lessa takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Lessa pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Lessa shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Pozzi counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Lessa takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Lessa walks into a straight right hand from Pozzi.
Lessa misses with a wild combination.
Lessa takes one to the chin there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pozzi lands a nice hook to Lessa's body. Lessa takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Pozzi misses with the combination.
Pozzi looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Pozzi is looking to wear down Lessa with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Pozzi throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Lessa.
Lessa tries for a takedown but Pozzi circles away easily
and Pozzi counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Ricardo Pozzi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paulo Lessa.
Lessa uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Pozzi.
Pozzi lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Lessa at a distance.
Pozzi lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Lessa lands a nice shot that snaps Pozzi's head back.
Ricardo Pozzi is winning the standup battle so far.
Lessa throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Pozzi.

Pozzi moves into the clinch successfully.

Pozzi drags the fight down to the ground.

Lessa drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Pozzi manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Lessa has Pozzi in his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pozzi connects with a couple of short punches.
Ricardo Pozzi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Lessa is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Pozzi stands up from Lessa's guard - Pozzi perhaps looking for a knockout.

Pozzi looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pozzi sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Lessa has his foot on Pozzi's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Pozzi works his way back into a safe position though.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ricardo Pozzi showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Pozzi has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight for Ricardo Pozzi!
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight for Ricardo Pozzi!
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight for Ricardo Pozzi!

Ricardo Pozzi wins by unanimous decision!