PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Saxton Hale (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rafael Loureiro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Loureiro has chosen Angra - Acid Rain as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Hale
vs
Loureiro

183 cm
23
192 lbs
7 - 0 - 0

183 cm
21
190 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Saxton Hale!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rafael Loureiro!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Emerson Jorge and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Loureiro fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Loureiro throws a big shot that misses.
Loureiro keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Hale blocks a jab.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hale looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Loureiro throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Hale ducks under a wild hook from Loureiro.
Loureiro misses with a straight right.
Loureiro throws a hook but Hale avoids it easily.
Loureiro fails with a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hale ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
The fighters circling - Loureiro throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Hale moves out of range as Loureiro strikes.
Loureiro misses with a takedown attempt
and Hale makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Loureiro lands with a nice body punch.
Loureiro will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Saxton Hale has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rafael Loureiro.
Good shot there by Hale.

Hale pushes Loureiro up against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Loureiro working aggressively here.
Hale lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Loureiro.
A nice right hand lands inside from Hale.
Loureiro tries to pull guard but Hale won't allow it.
A short body shot lands from Hale as the two fighters clinch.
Loureiro tries to land a knee to the head but Hale blocks with his arms.
Loureiro wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Hale has him pressed against the cage.
Loureiro prevents a body shot from Hale.
Loureiro tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Hale smiles and moves away.
Loureiro bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Hale's head.
Loureiro closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Loureiro throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Hale's waist but Hale gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Loureiro off to one side.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Loureiro throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Hale sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Loureiro tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Hale counters with a single leg into guard. Loureiro didn't expect that.
Loureiro is trying to keep Hale in close.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Loureiro looking to hit a scissor sweep but Hale is one step ahead there.
Hale chips away with some ground and pound.
Hale looking to pass the guard.
Loureiro is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Loureiro 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hale working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Loureiro has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Loureiro looking to control.
Hale tries to free his leg and advance position but Loureiro is retaining full guard.
Hale connects with a couple of short punches.
Loureiro is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Loureiro looking to hit a scissor sweep but Hale is one step ahead there.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Loureiro is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Loureiro is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Rafael Loureiro will probably get the nod.
That's time! Hale's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Loureiro misses with an uppercut. Hale saw that one coming.
A big right from Loureiro misses.
Loureiro is looking to clinch.
Loureiro might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Loureiro shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Hale counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Loureiro pressing his opponent against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Loureiro wants a takedown.
Loureiro tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Hale smiles and moves away.
Saxton Hale has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rafael Loureiro.
Hale ducks under a wild hook from Loureiro.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Loureiro thows a body shot but no joy.
No luck for Loureiro with that takedown attempt.
Loureiro throws a big shot that misses.
Loureiro misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hale.
Hale moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Loureiro throws out a loose jab but Hale uses good head movement to avoid it.
Loureiro throws a hook but Hale blocks 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.
Hale ducks under a wild hook from Loureiro.
Loureiro throws a jab but it's blocked by Hale.
Loureiro doesn't manage to clinch there - Hale circles away.
Hale bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Loureiro misses with a takedown attempt

and Hale counters with a takedown into side control.
Hale lands a few punches from side control.
Hale tries to score with some ground and pound. Loureiro controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Hale misses with the ground and pound.
Loureiro tries to buck Hale off but Hale is having none of it.
Hale tries to move into full mount but can't pass Loureiro's legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Loureiro is trying to work for a sweep but Hale has mounted him!
Loureiro working to try and regain half guard.
Hale raining down shots from the mount!
Loureiro really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Hale raining down shots from the mount!
Hale lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Loureiro hang on?
Loureiro looks out of his depth in this position - he's holding on tight.
Loureiro is desperately trying to improve his position but Hale has a good base and remains in mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hale looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Hale looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Hale lands a big elbow.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Loureiro is working to get back to half guard.
Loureiro is breathing heavily.
Hale fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Saxton Hale overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hale looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Loureiro is looking to get to half guard.
Loureiro is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Loureiro wants to control but Hale is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Hale fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Loureiro manages to avoid it.
Loureiro throws a lazy right hand but Hale sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Loureiro tries to clinch but Hale is having none of it.
Loureiro throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Loureiro closes the distance and clinches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A short uppercut from Hale.
Hale lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Loureiro fails to pull guard.

Loureiro has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Hale uses from the top position.
Hale scoring with some ground and pound.
Loureiro manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Hale manages to get himself to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Loureiro stays in close to Hale's body and controls the position.
Loureiro trying to control the position from guard on top but Hale is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Loureiro is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Hale is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Hale has escaped and now he's on top!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Loureiro takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Hale is posturing up here but Loureiro has hold of an arm and he's gone for an armbar! Hale tries to roll out but it's too tight and Hale has to tap! Slick submission there by Loureiro!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:46 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Rafael Loureiro!
Rafael Loureiro is the new middleweight champion!