PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Roberto Cesar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Renato Sobral (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Cesar
vs
Sobral

185 cm
19
183 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Dangerous GnP
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Roberto Cesar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Renato Sobral!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Leandro Rodrigues and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cesar drives through with a takedown into guard.
Sobral is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Cesar throws and elbow that misses. Sobral uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Cesar's guard. Nice move by Sobral!
Cesar wants to get back to his feet but Sobral is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Cesar keeping moving, preventing Sobral from controlling successfully.
Cesar 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.
Sobral trying to control the position from guard on top but Cesar is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sobral in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Sobral is looking to work some ground and pound but Cesar has wrist control.
Sobral missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Cesar knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Sobral on the ground.
Sobral trying to control but Cesar is working from the bottom.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Cesar is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Sobral is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sobral loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Sobral postures up in Cesar's guard and throws a big left but Cesar blocks it.
Sobral postures up in Cesar's guard and throws a big left but Cesar blocks it.
Cesar keeping moving, preventing Sobral from controlling successfully.
Sobral has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Renato Sobral has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Sobral fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

Cesar closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Sobral quickly recovers to half guard.
Cesar is breathing heavily.
Cesar thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Sobral's head.

Cesar seems to be looking for submissions.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Cesar with the ground and pound but Sobral uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Sobral is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sobral managing to control the position.
Sobral is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cesar looking to pass the guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roberto Cesar dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Sobral fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Cesar manages to avoid it.
Sobral scores with a jab to the body.
Sobral fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Cesar manages to avoid it.
Sobral fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Cesar manages to avoid it.
Roberto Cesar is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cesar ducks under a wild hook from Sobral.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Cesar changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Sobral looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Cesar works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Sobral can't do much from the bottom here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cesar looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Cesar in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Sobral taking punishment in the form of punches.

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.
Cesar tries to stand but Sobral is controlling his head.
Sobral wants to control but Cesar postures up.
Sobral gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Cesar works his way into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cesar tries for a kimura but Sobral is defending well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cesar trying to control the position but Sobral is working away.
Sobral manages to work his way to half guard, despite Cesar's best efforts.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Sobral flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Sobral tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Cesar throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Sobral makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Sobral.
Cesar working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cesar is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roberto Cesar dominated that second 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. And we move into the final round!

Sobral thows a body shot but no joy.

Cesar shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Sobral's guard.
Cesar has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Sobral is trying to keep Cesar in close.
Sobral tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Cesar is looking to stand up but Sobral won't let him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cesar won't allow Sobral to sweep him here.
Sobral tries to strike from the bottom.
Sobral is pulling down on Cesar's head. It's preventing any offense from Cesar, at least for the moment.
Sobral doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Sobral throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Sobral trying to control the position.

That's two 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.

Cesar closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cesar tries to score with some ground and pound. Sobral controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Sobral is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Cesar off and has taken his back!
Sobral slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
Sobral thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.
Sobral is looking to control Cesar but Cesar is wriggling around and keeping busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sobral thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.
Will Sobral go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Sobral throwing wild punches that miss their target.
Sobral thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.
Sobral somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Sobral trying to control momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Sobral lands punches and elbows.
Sobral missing with strikes.
Sobral scores with some strikes to the side of the head there. Good, points scoring shots.
Sobral somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Sobral tries to get the hooks in deep but Cesar pushed the leg off.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sobral missing with punches from the back.
Sobral gets his hands free as Cesar looks to control.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Roberto Cesar.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Cesar, 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 30:27
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Roberto Cesar!