PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ricardo Valentin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kevin Rock (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Valentin
vs
Rock

170 cm
25
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
150 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Big right hand

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ricardo Valentin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Kevin Rock!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Paulo Santos and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rock darts in and clinches Valentin up against the cage.
Valentin looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Valentin is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Rock gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

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

Rock drives through and clinches with Valentin against the cage.

Rock's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rock tries to score a power double leg takedown but Valentin sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Rock somewhat.
Rock misses with a takedown attempt - Valentin sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Rock has taken the fight to the clinch.

Rock manages to break the clinch.

Rock has managed to clinch.

Rock manages to break the clinch.
Valentin shoots for a double leg takedown but Rock sprawls well. He's pushed Valentin's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Rock closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Rock lands in his opponent's guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Rock wants to stand but Valentin is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rock pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Valentin is keeping the position for now.
Rock wants to get up but he can't break Valentin's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Rock really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Valentin. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Rock closes the distance and pushes Valentin back into the cage.

Rock breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rock throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Valentin's waist but Valentin gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Rock off to one side.
Ricardo Valentin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kevin Rock.
Rock fails to land the takedown.
Valentin looks to land a right hand but Rock moved out of range.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Valentin is defended easily by Rock.
Nice takedown defense from Valentin. No joy for Rock on that attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rock shoots in but Valentin avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Nice sprawl there from Valentin as Rock shoots in.
Valentin shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Rock sprawls well. Rock wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Valentin gets slowly back to his feet.
Rock scores with a jab to the jaw.
Rock pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Rock has Valentin up against the cage in a clinch.

Rock breaks the clinch.

Rock closes the distance and pushes Valentin back into the cage.

Rock breaks the clinch.

Rock moves into range and clinches up with Valentin.

Rock breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rock gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Rock manages to break the clinch.

Rock has Valentin up against the cage in a clinch.
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!
Rock blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Rock breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rock fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Valentin avoids it really well and circles away.
Rock slaps away a takedown attempt from Valentin, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Rock dives in and scores a takedown into Valentin's guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Valentin has a closed guard, preventing Rock from standing up.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kevin Rock 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.

Rock lands with a shot to the body.

Valentin gets tackled into the cage by Rock. Rock maintains the clinch.

Rock breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Rock gets in close and instigates a clinch.

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

Rock drives through and clinches with Valentin against the cage.

Rock pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rock looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Valentin is fending him off so far but Rock persists. Nope, Valentin circles away and we're back to standing.

Rock clinches up with Valentin and pushes him back against the cage.

Rock breaks the clinch.
Rock avoids the head kick by Valentin.
Rock shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Valentin but Valentin pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Rock shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Valentin as he avoids it easily.
Ricardo Valentin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kevin Rock.
Rock fails with a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rock fails with a takedown attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Valentin misses with a head kick.

Rock moves into the clinch.

Rock breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rock shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Valentin pinned against the cage. Valentin gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Rock fails with a takedown attempt.
Rock tries to clinch but Valentin is having none of it.
Ricardo Valentin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rock misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Valentin tries a head kick but it misses.

Rock pushes Valentin up against the cage in a clinch.

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

Rock moves into range and clinches up with Valentin.

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

Rock has closed the distance and engaged Valentin in a clinch.

Rock's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Valentin uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Rock.
Rock closes the distance and clinches up with Valentin, looking for a takedown. Rock pushes Valentin against the cage but Valentin circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Valentin looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rock is fending him off so far but Valentin persists. Nope, Rock circles away and we're back to standing.

Rock closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Rock breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valentin displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Rock.
Rock misses with a looping left.
Rock shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Valentin defends it nicely.
Kevin Rock seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Horrible takedown by Valentin or perhaps it was just good defense by Rock which made him look bad.

Rock gets a clinch.

Rock pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rock misses with a takedown attempt - Valentin sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Valentin tries to close the distance and clinch but Rock swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kevin Rock seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Rock instigates a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rock breaks from the clinch.
Rock looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Valentin shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Rock defends it nicely.

Rock has taken the fight to the clinch.

Rock breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Rock.
Valentin tries to score a power double leg takedown but Rock sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Valentin somewhat.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rock fails with a takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kevin Rock showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Valentin looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rock is fending him off so far but Valentin persists. Nope, Rock circles away and we're back to standing.

Rock forces Valentin back against the cage and clinches.

Rock breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Rock closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Rock throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Valentins head.

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

Rock clinches up against the cage.

Rock's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Rock gets a takedown into half guard.
Rock wants to stand up but Valentin has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rock content to control rather than advance.
Rock wants to stand but Valentin has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Rock stops Valentin from getting back to his feet.
Rock has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Kevin Rock has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Rock has Valentin up against the cage in a clinch.

Rock breaks from the clinch.
Rock lands a lovely overhand right.

Rock closes the distance and pushes Valentin back into the cage.

Rock breaks the clinch.

Rock moves into the clinch successfully.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Valentin. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.

Rock has closed the distance and engaged Valentin in a clinch.

Rock pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Rock.
Valentin stuffs the takedown attempt from Rock. Rock gets slowly back to his feet.
Ricardo Valentin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kevin Rock.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valentin fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rock falls off balance throwing a combination
and Valentin counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Nice takedown defense from Rock. No joy for Valentin on that attempt.

Rock instigates a clinch.

Rock breaks from the clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Rock manages to break the clinch.

Rock closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Rock lands a nice uppercut.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rock changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Valentin tries to avoid it but Rock manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Valentin to the ground. Valentin escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Rock wants to clinch up but Valentin keeps it at a distance.
Valentin wants to clinch.
Rock missing with a left hand there. Valentin was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Nice takedown defense from Valentin. No joy for Rock on that attempt.
Rock circles away from the clinch attempt.

Rock pushes Valentin up against the cage in a clinch.

Rock escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Valentin tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Rock manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Rock.
Ricardo Valentin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kevin Rock is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Valentin misses with a head kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kevin Rock comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Rock has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 27:30
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kevin Rock!