PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rafael Amaral (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dack Fayden (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Amaral
vs
Fayden

189 cm
33
194 lbs
19 - 9 - 0

182 cm
33
185 lbs
23 - 24 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Red Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 19 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rafael Amaral!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 24 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dack Fayden!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Johanna Lukiainen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fayden stalks Amaral and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Amaral's face. Amaral staggers backwards, shaken.

It looks like Rafael Amaral has been cut.
Amaral pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Fayden thows a left - swing and a miss!
Amaral lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Amaral is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Fayden ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Despite the aggression on Fayden's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Fayden tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Amaral defends well and Fayden ends up having to push Amaral into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Fayden throws a sloppy body shot
and Amaral counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Amaral jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.

It looks like Dack Fayden has been cut.
Fayden fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Amaral fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Fayden, pushing him back against the cage.
Amaral looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Fayden avoids a wild elbow strike from Amaral.
Amaral tries to land knees in the clinch but Fayden avoids the damage to the body.
Amaral lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Amaral looking to throw knees to the head but Fayden is blocking nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Amaral gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Fayden blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Amaral tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Amaral lands a hook to the side of the head.
Amaral trying to land knees to the body.
Amaral blocking some punches.
Amaral misses with a short punch on the inside.
Amaral using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Fayden has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
We've been informed that Fayden has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Amaral with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Fayden avoiding damage as Amaral throws knees to the body.
Amaral tries to land knees in the clinch but Fayden avoids the damage to the body.
Amaral looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Amaral tries to land a knee to the head but Fayden blocks with his arms.
Amaral using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Fayden has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fayden misses with an elbow strike.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Amaral.
Amaral lands with a short shot to the head.
Amaral blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Good body shot from Fayden.
A short body shot lands from Fayden as the two fighters clinch.
Fayden misses with some punches.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Amaral looking to throw knees to the head but Fayden is blocking nicely.
Amaral tries to circle away but Fayden has him pinned against the cage.
Amaral lands a knee to the head.
Amaral throws a knee to the head but misses.
Fayden blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Fayden scores with a hook to the body.
Fayden lands a nice uppercut.
Amaral takes an elbow to the forehead.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Amaral lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Fayden tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A nice left hand lands by Fayden.
Amaral throws an elbow that misses.
Fayden takes an elbow to the temple.
Amaral scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Amaral blocks an uppercut.
Amaral is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
A head punch on the inside from Fayden fails to land.
Amaral tries to land a knee to the head but Fayden blocks with his arms.
Amaral prevents a body shot from Fayden.
Fayden misses with a punch on the inside.
Fayden avoiding damage as Amaral throws knees to the body.
Amaral misses with an elbow over the top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fayden blocks an elbow strike from Amaral.
Amaral throws a head punch that misses.
Fayden avoiding damage as Amaral throws knees to the body.
Amaral swings wildly with an uppercut but Fayden uses good head movement to avoid it.
Amaral tries to land knees in the clinch but Fayden avoids the damage to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Amaral lands with a left to the head.
Amaral lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Fayden backwards.
I was talking to Amaral's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Amaral.
Amaral throws a knee to the head but misses.
Amaral tries a knee to the head but Fayden blocks it.
Fayden avoids the elbow strike from Amaral, against the cage.
Fayden blocks an uppercut.
Amaral lands an elbow inside that Fayden shrugs off.

That has opened up Dack Fayden's cut even more.
Amaral scores with a shoulder strike.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rafael Amaral dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Fayden fails to land the takedown.
Fayden misses with a left hand
and Amaral cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Amaral throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Fayden ducks right into an uppercut from Amaral.
Amaral swinging wildly here.
As Amaral backs off Fayden throws a huge counter combo but Amaral manages to avoid it all.
Rafael Amaral is winning the standup battle so far.
Amaral throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Fayden sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Fayden lands a jab-cross combination.
Fayden shoots in for a takedown but Amaral shows good takedown defense.
Amaral was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Fayden looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Amaral is looking to counter punch.
Fayden loads up on a big right hand but Amaral slips the punch.
Amaral lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Amaral tries to clinch there but Fayden circles away.
Amaral throws a head kick but Fayden moves out of range.
Amaral tries a head kick but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fayden shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Amaral counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Rafael Amaral has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dack Fayden.
Amaral throws a hook but Fayden blocks it.
Amaral throws a shot from downtown. Fayden moves away and avoids it.
Rafael Amaral is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Fayden steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Amaral.
Fayden lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Amaral circles away quickly and effectively.

Fayden moves into range and clinches up with Amaral.
Amaral is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Fayden can do to turn this around?
Amaral scores with a shot to the side of Fayden's head.
Amaral using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Fayden has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Amaral tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Amaral with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Fayden avoids the elbow strike from Amaral, against the cage.
Amaral misses with the head strike.
Rafael Amaral has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Fayden being controlled against the cage.
Amaral avoids the elbow strike from Fayden, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Amaral stalling in the clinch but Fayden improves position.
Amaral misses with an elbow strike.
A shot in the inside from Fayden.
Amaral using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Fayden has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Amaral avoids the elbow strike from Fayden, against the cage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Amaral pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Fayden fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
A little feinted left hand from Amaral on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Amaral cracks Fayden with an open hand slap.
Amaral connects with a good right hand that stumbles Fayden. Fayden circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
A jab from Amaral misses.
Amaral ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Fayden cracks Amaral with a right hand to the side of the head.
Amaral is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Fayden looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A combination from Fayden does no damage.
Fayden darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Rafael Amaral seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fayden looks for a takedown but Amaral sprawls well.
Amaral throws an off balance right hand
and Fayden counters with a two punch combo.
Fayden avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A telegraphed right hand from Fayden misses the target.
Amaral was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Amaral goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Amaral scores with a crisp jab that stopped Fayden in his tracks.
Fayden goes for a double leg but Amaral avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Amaral continues to drive forward.
Amaral listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

The cut above Dack Fayden's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
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!
Amaral stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Amaral wants it to stay on the feet.
Fayden lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Amaral with a hook.
Fayden lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Amaral circles away quickly and effectively.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fayden throws a body punch but Amaral moves out of range.
Amaral scores with a body shot.
Fayden throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Amaral counters with a stiff right hand.
Danga de danga de dang - Fayden scores with a four punch combination!
Nice straight punches there by Amaral. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Amaral.
Fayden ducks under a wild hook from Amaral.
Amaral loads up on a big right hand but Fayden slips the punch.
Amaral walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Amaral scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.

Fayden gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Amaral with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Amaral just misses with a elbow thrown towards Fayden's brow.
Fayden lands a body shot in the clinch.
Good body shot from Fayden.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rafael Amaral dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Fayden looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Amaral can't keep his opponent in guard - Fayden advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Amaral wants to get back to his feet.
Fayden sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Amaral defending well though.
Fayden is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Fayden is working for a kimura but Amaral is defending it quite comfortably.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fayden trying to control the action but Amaral is working from the bottom.
Fayden is just content to waste time from the top position. Amaral takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Fayden accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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.
Amaral is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Fayden is controlling him.
Fayden trying to control the position from guard on top but Amaral is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Fayden content to stall in guard here.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Amaral is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Fayden.
Left hook, right uppercut from Amaral.
Fayden lands a jab to the nose.
Amaral rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Fayden counters with a three punch combo that has Amaral backing up. Amaral nods at Fayden to acknowledge the strikes.
Amaral misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Amaral throws a nice head kick!
Fayden throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Amaral.
Amaral throwing a counter right hand but Fayden manages to avoid it.
Fayden keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Amaral.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fayden lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Fayden ducks under a wild hook from Amaral.
Fayden throws a series of punches but Amaral moves out of range.
Amaral is looking to counter the offense by Fayden and move into the clinch.
Amaral keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Fayden.
Fayden lands with a straight right. Amaral didn't see that one coming.
Fayden scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

Amaral is rocked!
Fayden dives in for a single leg takedown but Amaral sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Oh Amaral is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Fayden avoids a punch combination nicely.
No joy there for Fayden, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Amaral misses with an uppercut. Fayden saw that one coming.
Fayden misses with a few strikes there.
Amaral seems to have got his legs back now.
Fayden throws a lazy right hand but Amaral sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Amaral is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Fayden takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Amaral scores with a nice strike.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Fayden walks into a stiff left hand from Amaral.
Amaral misses with a right hand

and Fayden counters with a takedown into side control.
Fayden is looking to take a break and control but Amaral is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Amaral on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Fayden trying to control the position but Amaral is working away.
The strikes coming from Fayden are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Fayden wants to lay and pray for a moment but Amaral keeps working.
Fayden tries to advance to mount but Amaral denies him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dack Fayden really dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Amaral misses with a left hand
and Fayden counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Fayden scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Amaral is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Amaral missing with a left hand there. Fayden was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Fayden scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Amaral doesn't seem bothered though.
Amaral misses the jab.
Amaral misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Fayden feints the counter takedown.
Fayden throws a right and a left that both miss.
Amaral throws a head kick that misses.
Amaral defending well as Fayden loads up on a big left hand.
Fayden scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Fayden scores with a decent looking hook.
Fayden misses with a wild combination.
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!
Fayden slips a jab from Amaral.
Fayden scores with the left hand. Amaral knows he should have avoided that one.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fayden fails to land the takedown.
Fayden closes the distance and clinches up with Amaral, looking for a takedown. Fayden pushes Amaral against the cage but Amaral circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Amaral seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.

Amaral closes the distance and clinches.
Amaral misses with a knee to the head.
Fayden blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Fayden on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Amaral misses with a knee strike.
Amaral with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Fayden manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Amaral throws an elbow that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Amaral misses with the head strike.
Amaral throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Fayden blocks it with crossed arms.
Amaral tries a knee to the head but Fayden blocks it.
Fayden blocks an uppercut.
Amaral throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Fayden blocks it with crossed arms.
Amaral with an attempt at a knee that misses.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
Amaral tries to land a knee to the head but Fayden blocks with his arms.
Amaral with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Amaral misses with a knee to the head.
Amaral misses with a knee strike.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Amaral creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Fayden digs a right hand into Amaral's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Amaral's gas tank.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Fayden lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Amaral tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Fayden is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Fayden.
Amaral throws a head punch that misses.
Amaral tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Amaral tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Come on Amaral - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Amaral throws an elbow but it misses.
Amaral stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Fayden lands a body punch in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fayden lands a left hand.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Amaral creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Fayden avoids a wild elbow strike from Amaral.
Fayden blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Fayden lands a nice uppercut.
Fayden blocks an uppercut.
Amaral misses with a knee to the head.
Amaral with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Fayden creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Amaral trying to land knees to the body.
Amaral looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Fayden has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Fayden.
Fayden lands a nice elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close fourth round but I would say that Rafael Amaral will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's time! Amaral's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Fayden looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Amaral takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Fayden shoots in but Amaral avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Amaral looks to land a right hand but Fayden moved out of range.
Amaral throws a sloppy body shot
and Fayden counters with a stiff right hand.
Fayden connects with a body shot that sends Amaral's belly button to the back.
Amaral swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Fayden.

Fayden darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Amaral kicks off Fayden and gets to his feet.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Fayden ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Amaral takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Fayden scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Fayden moves out of range of the strikes.
Fayden showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Amaral.
Fayden misses with the combination.
Amaral throws a head kick that misses
and Fayden counters with a left and a right that stings Amaral.
Fayden throws a right hand that misses
and Amaral cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Fayden shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Amaral manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Fayden wants to control from the top but Amaral keeps moving.
Fayden throws a big right hand that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fayden won't allow Amaral to get back to his feet.
Amaral has Fayden pulled in close to control his posture.
Fayden passes Amaral's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Fayden lands with a punch from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Amaral is trying to maintain the position but Fayden is very close to passing his half guard.
Amaral is not content to let Fayden control the position.
Fayden stops Amaral from getting back to his feet.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Fayden swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Fayden shoots in but Amaral avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Amaral lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Fayden shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rafael Amaral has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dack Fayden.
Fayden has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Amaral misses with a hook.
Fayden drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Amaral defends it well.
Amaral avoids a punch combination nicely.
Fayden misses with a few strikes there.
Amaral wants to clinch up but Fayden keeps it at a distance.
A head kick misses from Amaral.
Fayden takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Amaral looks to land a right hand but Fayden moved out of range.
Fayden connects with a right hand. Amaral shakes it off.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Fayden connects with a good right hand that stumbles Amaral. Amaral circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Amaral misses with a looping left.
Fayden misses the shot to the body.
Amaral tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Fayden manages to circle out of the way.
Dack Fayden has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Fayden connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Amaral throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Dack Fayden.
I think Amaral has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 47:48
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 47:48
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 48:47

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Dack Fayden!
Dack Fayden is the new middleweight champion!
Dack Fayden thanked the fans post fight for their support.