PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rodrigo Baptista (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Carlos Tevez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Baptista comes to the cage accompanied by Xote da Alegria. Rodrigo Baptista has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Baptista
vs
Tevez

175 cm
19
160 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

173 cm
24
150 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

CEC Nutrition Q160 & Loans

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rodrigo Baptista!
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, Carlos Tevez!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Edson Gomes and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Baptista stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Baptista wants it to stay on the feet.
Baptista just misses with a punch to the body.
Baptista stuffs the takedown attempt from Tevez. Tevez gets slowly back to his feet.
Carlos Tevez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tevez will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Rodrigo Baptista has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Carlos Tevez.
Tevez shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Baptista as he avoids it easily.
Tevez shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Baptista defends it nicely.
Baptista throws a sloppy head kick and Tevez moves out of range easily.
Tevez takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Tevez shoots in but Baptista avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Tevez is trying hard to land a takedown here. Baptista sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Tevez takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Baptista leaves Tevez with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Baptista scores with a leg kick.
Tevez looks winded!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baptista throws a nice head kick!
Nice takedown defense from Baptista. No joy for Tevez on that attempt.
Baptista throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Tevez is trying hard to land a takedown here. Baptista sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Tevez takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Baptista throws a nice head kick!
A thudding body kick lands there by Baptista!
Baptista feints and then cracks Tevez's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Tevez down.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Baptista scores with a head kick. Tevez tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Tevez is trying desperately to land a takedown but Baptista is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Tevez.
Baptista lands with a nice body kick.
Rodrigo Baptista is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Tevez shoots in but no luck this time.
Tevez steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Baptista. That one must have hurt.
Baptista throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baptista lands with a nice body kick.
Baptista lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Baptista throws a head kick but Tevez moves out of range.
Tevez fails to land the takedown.
Tevez on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Baptista throws a head kick but Tevez moves out of range.
Tevez blocks a head kick by Baptista.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Baptista. Tevez shrugs it off though.
A slapping leg kick lands for Baptista.
Tevez takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Baptista throws a head kick but Tevez moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baptista misses with a wild body shot.
Baptista stuffs the takedown attempt from Tevez. Tevez gets slowly back to his feet.
Baptista lands with a thumping leg kick.
Baptista throws a head kick that half lands.
Tevez keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Baptista.
Baptista misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Tevez shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Baptista sprawls well. Baptista wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Tevez gets slowly back to his feet.
Baptista throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Baptista lands a front kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tevez shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Baptista defends it nicely.
Baptista lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Tevez on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Baptista lands a nice looking body kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Baptista scores with a push kick.
Baptista delivers a nice body kick.
A slapping leg kick lands for Baptista.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Baptista misses with a head kick.
Tevez shoots in looking for a takedown. Baptista tries to sprawl out of it but Tevez keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Baptista manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Baptista scores with a head kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rodrigo Baptista dominated that 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.

Tevez takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.

Tevez bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Baptista is being controlled here.
Tevez is trying to move to mount but Baptista reverses beautifully and ends up in Tevez's guard.
Tevez looking for a sweep. Not yet Tevez, not yet.

Tevez has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Baptista off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Baptista is looking to wear down Tevez with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tevez fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Tevez fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Tevez is breathing heavily.
Baptista scoring well with a low kick there.
Baptista lands with a kick to the temple. Tevez shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Tevez takes a kick to the side of the head.
Tevez misses with a takedown attempt - Baptista sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Rodrigo Baptista has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Carlos Tevez.

Tevez throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Baptista was covering up waiting for the punch and Tevez finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Tevez stays in close to Baptista's body and controls the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Tevez wants to control from the top but Baptista keeps moving.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Carlos Tevez hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Baptista connects with a high kick.
Baptista defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Tevez.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baptista tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Tevez misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Baptista throws a head kick that misses.
Baptista defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Tevez.
Tevez takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Baptista throws a sloppy head kick and Tevez moves out of range easily.
Baptista lands a nice leg kick that just misses Tevez's sensitive parts.
Baptista throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Tevez.
Baptista lands a nice looking body kick.
Baptista pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Baptista misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baptista throws a front kick that sends Tevez stumbling back into the cage.

Tevez shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Baptista napping and manages to drive through into side control!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Tevez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Baptista keeps working.
Baptista is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Tevez has just dragged him back down to the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Rodrigo Baptista will probably get the nod.
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. This is the final round!

Baptista plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Nice takedown defense from Baptista. No joy for Tevez on that attempt.
Baptista fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Tevez.
Tevez shoots in but no luck this time.
Tevez's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.

Tevez drives through with a takedown into Baptista's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Tevez wants to control from the top but Baptista keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tevez postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Tevez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Baptista is looking to stand up but Tevez isn't so interested in that idea.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Carlos Tevez was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Baptista throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Tevez shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Baptista as he avoids it easily.
Rodrigo Baptista has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Carlos Tevez.
Tevez shoots in for a takedown but Baptista shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Rodrigo Baptista is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tevez throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Tevez has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Baptista.
A head kick from Baptista lands but Tevez takes it in his stride.
Baptista connects with a high kick.
Baptista throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Baptista stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Baptista wants it to stay on the feet.
Tevez has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Baptista.
Baptista lands a nice leg kick that just misses Tevez's sensitive parts.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tevez takes a kick to the side of the head.
No luck for Tevez with that takedown attempt.
Baptista lands a high kick!
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!
Baptista goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

Tevez scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Tevez content to control rather than advance.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Carlos Tevez wasn't active enough on the ground.
Baptista keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Baptista tries a head kick but it misses.
Baptista tries a head kick but it misses.
Tevez just misses with a punch to the body.
Baptista thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Tevez if he has to take too many more of those.
Tevez is trying hard to land a takedown here. Baptista sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baptista pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Baptista throws a body punch but Tevez moves out of range.
Baptista plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Tevez tries for a takedown but Baptista sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Tevez blocks a head kick by Baptista.
Baptista stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Baptista wants it to stay on the feet.
Tevez takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Baptista lands a leg kick that knocks Tevez off balance momentarily.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Tevez.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A punch combination from Tevez misses.
Carlos Tevez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rodrigo Baptista is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Baptista throws a head kick that half lands.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rodrigo Baptista showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Baptista, 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rodrigo Baptista!
Our winner, Rodrigo Baptista, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.