PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Arcturus Balfour (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dimas Russo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Arcturus Balfour could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Dimas Russo's chin.

Balfour
vs
Russo

180 cm
23
166 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

178 cm
23
161 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

Decent wrestler
World class boxer
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Good gas tank

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 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Arcturus Balfour!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Dimas Russo!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Thiago Cunha and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Russo misses with a takedown attempt
and Balfour counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Russo thinking.
Balfour lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Russo shoots in for a takedown but Balfour shows good takedown defense.
Russo moves out of range of the leg kick from Balfour.
A head kick by Russo misses
and Balfour counters with a straight right hand.
Russo wants to clinch but Balfour slips to the side

and Balfour counters by moving into the clinch.
Balfour keeps control of Russo as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Balfour lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Russo or not.
Balfour prevents the takedown attempt.
Arcturus Balfour has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dimas Russo.
Russo wants to get back to striking at distance but Balfour won't allow it.

Balfour breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Russo fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Balfour throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Balfour throws a leg kick but Russo sees it coming and moves out of range.
Russo misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Balfour counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Balfour has Russo up against the cage in a clinch.
Russo unloads a knee to the mid-section.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Balfour.
Balfour misses with a short punch on the inside.

Russo breaks the clinch.

Balfour has managed to clinch.
Balfour scores with a shot to the side of Russo's head.
Balfour misses with a hook from the clinch.
Russo tries to pull guard but Balfour holds him up against the cage and eventually Russo drops back down to his feet.
Russo tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Balfour avoids it.
Russo misses with some punches.
Russo tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Balfour lands a body punch in the clinch.

Balfour escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Balfour takes the fight into the clinch.
Russo fails to pull the fight into his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Balfour pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Balfour pushes Russo up against the cage in a clinch.
Russo drops down looking for an ankle pick but Balfour pulls his leg out and moves away.
Russo fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Balfour scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Russo doesn't seem bothered though.
Balfour displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Russo.

Russo closes the distance and clinches.
Russo tries to break free but Balfour pushes him back against the cage.
Balfour lands a right hand.
Balfour softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Russo tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Balfour breaks from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

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

Russo pulls guard.
Balfour showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Russo wants to get back to his feet but Balfour passes into half guard.
Russo preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Balfour postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Russo to stand up.
Russo closes the distance but Balfour moves to the side
and Balfour counters with a stiff right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Russo walks into a jab.
Russo on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Dimas Russo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Russo takes a swing at Balfour's ribcage but misses.
Nice uppercut lands for Russo. That snapped Balfour's head back.
Russo throws a head kick but Balfour moves out of range.
Russo tries to score a power double leg takedown but Balfour sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Russo somewhat.
An inside leg kick from Russo misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Russo shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Balfour counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Russo has his takedown stuffed
and Balfour counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arcturus Balfour dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Russo takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Russo tries to score a power double leg takedown but Balfour sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Russo somewhat.
Russo looks to clinch
and Balfour counters with a series of strikes. Russo will be more careful next time no doubt.
Russo closes the distance but Balfour moves to the side
and Balfour counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Russo throws a looping overhand right but Balfour ducks down to avoid it.
Balfour works the jab nicely.
Russo looks for the body kick but Balfour saw that one coming.
Balfour lands an overhand right.
Balfour throws a low kick but Russo moves out of range easily.
Russo looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Balfour is fending him off so far but Russo persists. Nope, Balfour circles away and we're back to standing.
Balfour connects with a body shot that sends Russo's belly button to the back.
Russo slips under a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balfour scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.

Russo feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Balfour keeping moving, preventing Russo from controlling successfully.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Balfour preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Balfour bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Russo's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Russo looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Russo can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Balfour controls the pace.
Russo wants to sweep here but Balfour controlling him for the moment.
Balfour controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Balfour'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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Arcturus Balfour wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Balfour defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Russo.
Arcturus Balfour has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dimas Russo.
Balfour swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Russo shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Balfour counters with a two punch combo.
A looping hook to the body misses from Balfour. Russo does a little dance to reset his feet.
Balfour defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Russo.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Balfour. Russo shrugs it off though.
Russo takes a jab right on the kisser.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Russo tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Balfour counters with a straight right hand.
Sloppy strikes from Russo. Those never looked like landing.
Russo wants to clinch but Balfour slips to the side
and Balfour counters with a nice uppercut.
Russo closes the distance but Balfour moves to the side
and Balfour counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Balfour takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Russo shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Balfour as he avoids it easily.
Russo throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Balfour counters with a right hand to the body.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Russo.
Russo is breathing heavily.
Russo throws an off balance right hand
letting Balfour counter with a right hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arcturus Balfour dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Balfour rushes Russo and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Balfour lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Russo or not.
Russo working aggressively here.
Russo tries a body shot but Balfour blocks it.
Balfour scores with a shot to the side of Russo's head.
Balfour swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Balfour.
Russo drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Balfour lands a hook to the side of the head.
Russo jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Balfour walks away with a smile on his face. Russo gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Balfour leaves Russo with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Arcturus Balfour has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dimas Russo.
Balfour circles away from the clinch attempt
and Balfour counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Russo takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A punch combination from Russo misses.
Russo looks to clinch
enabling Balfour to counter with a crisp jab.
Balfour lands with a good body shot.
Balfour fails to land with a series of punches.
Russo tries to clinch
and Balfour cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Russo closes the distance but Balfour moves to the side
letting Balfour counter with a right hand.
Balfour stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Russo has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.

Russo shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Russo throws a strike but Balfour rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Balfour controls from within his opponent's 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.
Balfour wants to stand but Russo is controlling his posture from full guard.
Russo trying to keep a closed guard but Balfour is proving a slippery customer.
Balfour trying to control but Russo is working from the bottom.

Russo looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Russo wants to sweep here but Balfour controlling him for the moment.
Russo is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Balfour is controlling him.
Balfour is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Russo is trying to control the position but Balfour postures up.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Balfour lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Russo connects with a single shot there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Balfour misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Russo.
Russo tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Balfour feints and then cracks Russo's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Russo down.
Russo doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Balfour counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Russo throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Balfour scores with a nice strike.
Russo shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Balfour defends it nicely.
Arcturus Balfour is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Russo slips under a jab.
Dimas Russo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Balfour pushes Russo up against the cage in a clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Arcturus Balfour showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Balfour, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Arcturus Balfour!