PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rueben Yates (ranked 24084 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joey Magnano (ranked 5350 p4p, 0 weight class). Magnano has chosen Cant be Broken as his entrance music. Joey Magnano has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Yates
vs
Magnano

196 cm
19
214 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

186 cm
18
211 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rueben Yates!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Joey Magnano!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Edson Gomes and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yates thows a left - swing and a miss!
Magnano throws a sloppy head kick and Yates moves out of range easily.

Magnano moves into the clinch.
Magnano misses with an elbow over the top.
Yates tries to land knees in the clinch but Magnano avoids the damage to the body.

Magnano is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Yates can't fight it off and eventually Magnano manages to take the fight to the floor. Yates looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Yates is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yates blocks the strikes from Magnano.
Yates throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Yates looks to land a strike but Magnano avoids it nicely and regains full guard.

Magnano escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Yates gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yates lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Yates throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Magnano works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Yates is looking to stand up but Magnano won't let him.
Yates with a flurry of punches that miss.
Magnano controlling the position.
Magnano avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Magnano trying to keep a closed guard but Yates is proving a slippery customer.
Yates landing some decent shots from guard.
Yates throws a big elbow that misses.
Magnano is trying to keep Yates in close.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Magnano looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Magnano is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Yates has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Yates throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Magnano works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Magnano working for a triangle but Yates defends it easily.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Yates accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Yates postures up in Magnano's guard and throws a big left but Magnano blocks it.
Yates working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Magnano's head.
Yates lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Magnano is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Yates stands and steps away. Magnano gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Magnano looks winded!
Magnano has a takedown stuffed.
Magnano lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
A slapping body kick lands there for Yates.
Yates misses with an uppercut. Magnano saw that one coming.
Yates throws a low kick but it's checked well by Magnano.
Magnano rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Yates holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Magnano prevents a body shot from Yates.
Magnano misses with a body punch.
Magnano wants to take the fight to the mat but Yates manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Magnano wants to break free but Yates has control.
Magnano tries to circle away but Yates has him pinned against the cage.
Magnano wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Yates has him pressed against the cage.

Yates breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Magnano shoots in for a takedown but Yates shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Rueben Yates has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joey Magnano.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Left hook, right uppercut from Yates.
Magnano misses with a series of wild punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rueben Yates dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Magnano shoots in and drives through. Yates sprawls well.
Magnano shoots in looking for a takedown. Yates tries to sprawl out of it but Magnano keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Yates manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Yates is looking to counter the offense by Magnano and move into the clinch.

Yates moves into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yates doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Yates tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Magnano avoids it.
Magnano jumps guard but Yates turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Rueben Yates has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joey Magnano.
Magnano jumps guard but Yates turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Magnano avoiding damage as Yates throws knees to the body.
Magnano is trying to pull guard but Yates turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Magnano jumps guard but Yates stands there with Magnano around his waist. Magnano gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Magnano is breathing heavily.
Magnano wants a takedown but no success here.
Yates can't find room to land a body shot as Magnano controls the action.
Magnano managing to block the knees to the body from Yates.
Yates is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Magnano is defending well for now.
Magnano tries to pull guard but Yates holds him up against the cage and eventually Magnano drops back down to his feet.
Yates tries to work over Magnano's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

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.
Yates prevents a takedown attempt there.
Yates works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Magnano looking for a takedown.
Magnano managing to block the knees to the body from Yates.
Magnano misses with a hook from the clinch.
Yates misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Yates prevents the takedown attempt.
Magnano avoiding damage as Yates throws knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Magnano is pushing Yates up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Magnano wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Yates has him pressed against the cage.
Yates tries to work over Magnano's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Magnano on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Yates tries to land knees in the clinch but Magnano avoids the damage to the body.
Yates tries to land knees in the clinch but Magnano avoids the damage to the body.
Yates struggles to land a body shot inside as Magnano controls his hands.
Magnano tries to pull guard but Yates holds him up against the cage and eventually Magnano drops back down to his feet.
Yates lands a body punch in the clinch.
Yates is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Magnano can do to turn this around?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Magnano is looking to break free of the clinch but Yates has double underhooks.
Magnano tries to score a body lock takedown but Yates shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Magnano is trying to push Yates away but Yates has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Magnano blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Magnano being controlled against the cage.
The referee calls for Yates to work.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Yates doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rueben Yates dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Yates closes the distance and pushes Magnano back into the cage.
Yates struggles to land a body shot inside as Magnano controls his hands.
Magnano is looking to take this one to the mat.
Yates controlling the action here for a moment.
Magnano avoiding damage as Yates throws knees to the body.
Yates stalling against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Yates has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Magnano is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yates lands a body shot.
Magnano tries to pull guard but Yates holds him up against the cage and eventually Magnano drops back down to his feet.
Magnano wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Yates is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Magnano is defending well for now.
Magnano on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Yates dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Yates missing with knees to the body.
Yates misses with some punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A short left from Magnano.

Yates breaks the clinch.
Yates wants to slow Magnano down by chopping away at his legs.
Magnano tries to counter by closing the distance.
Magnano avoids the head kick by Yates.
Yates dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Magnano looks to land a body kick but Yates moved away.
Yates appears to be looking for a big counter.
Magnano uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Yates.
Yates fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Magnano manages to avoid it.
Magnano misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Yates seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Joey Magnano seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Magnano fails with the takedown.
Rueben Yates has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joey Magnano.
Magnano takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Magnano tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Yates tries to counter by clinching up but Magnano breaks away and moves out of range.
Magnano tries to clinch but Yates moves away

and Yates counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Yates accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Yates throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Yates landing some decent shots from guard.
Magnano wants to sweep but no luck.
Magnano utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Yates throwing strikes from guard but Magnano blocks nicely.
Magnano is pulling down on Yates's head. It's preventing any offense from Yates, at least for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yates landing with the ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Yates accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Rueben Yates overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Yates trying to stand up but can't free himself from Magnano's guard.
Yates distracts Magnano with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Magnano throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Yates escapes and throws Magnano's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Yates lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Magnano down.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Magnano is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Joey Magnano has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rueben Yates is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Magnano takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rueben Yates showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Yates 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:26
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:26
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rueben Yates!
In defeat, Joey Magnano stepped up to the mic, saying 'SCREW YOU, JO JO WILL BE BACK'.