PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Joe Rafinan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Glads Felipe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Glads Felipe looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Rafinan
vs
Felipe

170 cm
22
145 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

179 cm
18
143 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Joe Rafinan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Glads Felipe!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Emerson Jorge and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rafinan shoots in for a takedown but Felipe shows good takedown defense.
Felipe looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Rafinan misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
The fight stays on the outside here - Felipe looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Felipe takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Felipe tries to close the distance and clinch but Rafinan swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Felipe fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Horrible takedown by Rafinan or perhaps it was just good defense by Felipe which made him look bad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joe Rafinan. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Rafinan gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Rafinan crunches a lovely knee into Felipe's ribcage.

Rafinan gets control of Felipe's arms and successfully pulls guard. Rafinan will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Felipe won't allow Rafinan to get back to his feet.
Rafinan looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rafinan is really struggling to control Felipe but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Rafinan throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Rafinan wants to sweep here but Felipe controlling him for the moment.
Rafinan is trying to control the position but Felipe postures up.

Joe Rafinan has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Rafinan throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Felipe's head.
Nice sprawl there from Felipe as Rafinan shoots in.
Rafinan lands with a good body shot.

Rafinan throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Felipe tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Rafinan is in Felipe's guard.
Rafinan working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rafinan preventing the sweep.
Rafinan loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Rafinan loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Rafinan keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Felipe's head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Rafinan postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Felipe is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Rafinan, into his guard.
Felipe wants to pass the guard but Rafinan is keeping the position.
Felipe postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Felipe controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Rafinan looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Felipe pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rafinan is keeping the position for now.
Rafinan is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Felipe trying to control the position from guard on top but Rafinan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Rafinan working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Felipe doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Felipe manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Felipe stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rafinan swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Felipe avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Rafinan keeping full guard, as Felipe tries to pass.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Rafinan dominated that round.
That's time! Rafinan's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Felipe misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Rafinan closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Rafinan lands in his opponent's guard.

Rafinan drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Rafinan jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Felipe keeping moving, preventing Rafinan from controlling successfully.
Rafinan throwing strikes but missing.
Rafinan lands a couple of elbows.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Felipe keeping moving, preventing Rafinan from controlling successfully.
Felipe is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Rafinan makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Rafinan throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Felipe keeping moving, preventing Rafinan from controlling successfully.
Rafinan works over Felipe with some ground and pound from guard.

Felipe is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Rafinan lands a couple of digs.
Rafinan working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Felipe's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rafinan throws a big right hand that misses.
Joe Rafinan overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rafinan throwing strikes but missing.
Rafinan postures up.
Rafinan wants to control from the top but Felipe keeps moving.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Felipe is on top in guard.
Felipe trying to control the position from guard on top but Rafinan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rafinan keeping full guard, as Felipe tries to pass.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Felipe postures up.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Felipe gets to his feet - Rafinan follows without any prompting.
Rafinan lands a head kick!
Rafinan shoots for a double leg takedown but Felipe sprawls well. He's pushed Rafinan's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rafinan is defended easily by Felipe.
Felipe throws a head kick that misses.
Rafinan keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rafinan shoots in and bounces Felipe off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Rafinan throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Felipe works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rafinan postures up in Felipe's guard and throws a big left but Felipe blocks it.
Rafinan won't allow Felipe to get back to his feet.
Rafinan in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Rafinan trying to control but Felipe is working from the bottom.
Rafinan won't allow Felipe to sweep him here.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Felipe has his foot on Rafinan's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Rafinan works his way back into a safe position though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Rafinan dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Felipe misses with an uppercut. Rafinan saw that one coming.
Rafinan fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Rafinan looks for a takedown but Felipe sprawls well.
Some bone on bone action there as Felipe checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Felipe defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Rafinan.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joe Rafinan. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Felipe shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Rafinan as he jumps to the side.
A head kick misses from Rafinan.
Felipe circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rafinan fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Rafinan shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Felipe sprawls well. Felipe wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Rafinan gets slowly back to his feet.
Rafinan shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Felipe sprawls well. Felipe wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Rafinan gets slowly back to his feet.
Joe Rafinan is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Felipe is trying hard to land a takedown here. Rafinan sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Felipe is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rafinan shoots in for a takedown but Felipe shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Rafinan fails with the takedown.
Rafinan is trying hard to land a takedown here. Felipe sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Rafinan on the wrong end of a nice hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rafinan will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Rafinan.
Glads Felipe seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Felipe is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rafinan fails with the takedown.
Felipe misses with an uppercut
and Rafinan connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Rafinan scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Rafinan pushes Felipe away with a front kick.
Rafinan closes this distance looking for a takedown but Felipe circles away.
Rafinan tries to close the distance and clinch up but Felipe swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rafinan shoots in looking for a takedown. Felipe tries to sprawl out of it but Rafinan keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Felipe manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Felipe misses with a body shot

and Rafinan counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Felipe working for a triangle but Rafinan defends it easily.
Rafinan throws a big elbow that misses.
Rafinan postures up in Felipe's guard and throws a big left but Felipe blocks it.
Rafinan throws a big elbow that misses.
Felipe preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rafinan won't allow Felipe to sweep him here.
Rafinan throws an elbow that misses. Felipe uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Rafinan's guard. Nice move by Felipe!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Felipe wants to pass the guard but Rafinan is keeping the position.
Joe Rafinan is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
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!
Rafinan controls Felipe momentarily but Felipe frees himself.

Felipe gets to his feet. Rafinan looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Felipe avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Joe Rafinan is winning the standup battle so far.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Felipe tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rafinan swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Rafinan.
Glads Felipe has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rafinan lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

And that's the end of the fight!
Joe Rafinan showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Rafinan 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:27
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joe Rafinan!