PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Renato Laranja (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lionel Cascara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Laranja
vs
Cascara

185 cm
25
180 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

182 cm
25
177 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Self confident

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Determined

[GTI] Divine Clothing
[CBK] The Smashwear Corporation

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Renato Laranja!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Lionel Cascara!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Alexandre Firmino and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A nice leg kick lands there from Laranja.
Nice takedown defense from Cascara. No joy for Laranja on that attempt.
Laranja moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Cascara throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Cascara lands a nice hook to Laranja's body. Laranja takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Cascara will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Some wild striking there from Cascara.
Laranja throws a head kick that misses.
Cascara throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Cascara takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Laranja swings for the body but Cascara moves out of range.
Cascara will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Laranja clinches with his opponent.
Laranja trying to land knees to the body.
Laranja tries to pull guard but Cascara holds him up against the cage and eventually Laranja drops back down to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laranja is trying to stall.

Laranja breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Laranja dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Cascara closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Cascara lands in his opponent's guard.
Laranja keeping moving, preventing Cascara from controlling successfully.
Cascara tries to free his leg and advance position but Laranja is retaining full guard.
Cascara is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Laranja is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Laranja looking for subs off his back but Cascara has passed one foot through into half guard.
Laranja gets back to full guard.

Laranja working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Cascara has passed into half guard!
Well, if Cascara is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Laranja tries to get to full guard but Cascara has control of the leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cascara takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Laranja looks like he's trying to stand up.

Cascara looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Laranja is trying to get back to full guard.

Laranja looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Laranja tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Laranja is trying to maintain the position but Cascara is very close to passing his half guard.
Laranja is looking for a sweep. Cascara is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Cascara looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Laranja is defending against the submission attempts here by Cascara.
Cascara not doing much here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Lionel Cascara will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Cascara shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Laranja but Laranja pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Laranja wants to clinch up but Cascara keeps it at a distance.
Cascara circles away from the clinch attempt.
Cascara misses with a combination

and Laranja counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Cascara wants to get back to striking at distance but Laranja won't allow it.
Laranja pushes off an throws an elbow but Cascara leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Laranja pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Cascara is defended easily by Laranja.
Cascara looks for a takedown but Laranja sprawls well.
Renato Laranja has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lionel Cascara.
Cascara takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cascara misses with an uppercut.

Laranja fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Cascara to the ground. Laranja is now in Cascara's guard.
Cascara trying to control the position here.
Laranja trying to control but Cascara is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cascara is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Horrible takedown by Cascara or perhaps it was just good defense by Laranja which made him look bad.
Laranja changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Laranja moves into the clinch successfully.

Laranja breaks from the clinch.
Laranja lands a head kick!
Cascara throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cascara slaps away a takedown attempt from Laranja, before circling back to the center of the mat.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Laranja misses with a takedown attempt - Cascara sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Cascara tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Laranja swivels and escapes.
Cascara swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Laranja misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
A nice combination there by Laranja.
Renato Laranja is winning the standup battle so far.
Laranja throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Cascara.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cascara shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Laranja sprawls well. Laranja wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Cascara gets slowly back to his feet.
Cascara is breathing heavily.
Laranja connects with a nice looking jab.
Laranja fails with a takedown attempt.

Laranja moves into the clinch.
Cascara on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Laranja breaks the clinch.
A head kick misses from Laranja.
Renato Laranja seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Laranja keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
A combination from Cascara does no damage.
Laranja moves in looking to clinch but Cascara pushes him off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Laranja misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Cascara lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Laranja circles away quickly and effectively.
Laranja falls off balance throwing a combination
and Cascara counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Laranja moves in looking to clinch but Cascara pushes him off.
Laranja throws a right and a left that both miss.

Cascara fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Laranja sprawls well initially but Cascara persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Cascara in half guard on the top. He's looking for a kimura... He's got it locked and he's managed to free his trapped foot. Laranja tries to escape but it's on too tight and he has to tap! Great BJJ skills there from Cascara!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:52 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Lionel Cascara!