PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ivan Demadev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Othello Rhyme (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Demadev is coming into this fight with a significant injury, which will no doubt have an effect on his cardio. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Demadev
vs
Rhyme

185 cm
18
225 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

200 cm
18
240 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight 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, Ivan Demadev!
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, Othello Rhyme!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Paulo Santos and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Demadev walks forward, straight into a front kick from Rhyme.
Demadev looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
A slapping leg kick lands for Rhyme.

Rhyme scores a takedown into full mount!
Rhyme in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Rhyme really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Demadev. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Rhyme with the ground and pound from mount.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rhyme looking to control and managing it successfully.
Demadev is in a horrible position here. Rhyme smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Rhyme controlling the pace for now.
Rhyme has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Demadev's face.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rhyme lands a big elbow.
Rhyme controlling from the full mount.
Demadev is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Rhyme with a couple of short strikes.
Rhyme controlling the pace for now.
I looks like Rhyme might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Rhyme lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee warns Demadev that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Rhyme controlling from mount.
Demadev is wriggling around trying to escape.
Demadev might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Rhyme landing punches.
Rhyme lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

Rhyme looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Rhyme sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rhyme looking for a guillotine from mount but Demadev is having none of it.

Rhyme stands up from mount. Strange move.
Demadev takes a swing at Rhyme's ribcage but misses.

Rhyme takes the fight into the clinch.
Rhyme misses with a knee strike.

Rhyme pulls Demadev into guard.
Rhyme looking for a sweep. Not yet Rhyme, not yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rhyme is pulling down on Demadev's head to control his posture.
Demadev preventing the sweep.
Rhyme not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Rhyme had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Demadev is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Rhyme Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Demadev's back instead.
What can Demadev do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Rhyme is landing with strikes from the back.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rhyme lands strikes to the head.
Rhyme has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Demadev's body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Rhyme feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Rhyme lands a couple of elbows.
Rhyme controls from within his opponent's guard.
Rhyme's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Rhyme postures up.
Rhyme makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rhyme trying to stand up but can't free himself from Demadev's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rhyme trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Demadev wants to get back to his feet but Rhyme is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Demadev working a defensive guard but Rhyme passes into half guard.
Rhyme looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Rhyme wants to take a breather but Demadev is having none of it.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Demadev avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Demadev gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Rhyme drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Rhyme jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Rhyme controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rhyme drops back looking for a leg! Demadev is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Demadev manages to kick Rhyme off! Rhyme jumps back into Demadev's guard.

Demadev is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Rhyme trying to control the position from guard on top but Demadev is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Rhyme decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Rhyme explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rhyme throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.

Rhyme shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Rhyme must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Demadev is looking to sweep but instead, Rhyme has passed into half guard.
Rhyme slows the pace down in half guard.
Rhyme tries to pass to full mount but Demadev defends it.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Demadev is looking to improve his position.
Rhyme takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Rhyme working over Demadev with some ground and pound. Demadev looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Rhyme takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

Rhyme stands up and beckons Demadev to join him on the feet.
Rhyme throws a series of strikes that have Demadev backpedaling.

Rhyme shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Demadev is in all sorts of trouble here.
Demadev is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Rhyme looking to control and managing it successfully.
Demadev regains half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Othello Rhyme showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Demadev darts in trying to clinch

and Rhyme counters with a single leg into guard. Demadev didn't expect that.
Rhyme scoring with some ground and pound.
Demadev wants to sweep here but Rhyme controlling him for the moment.
Rhyme sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Rhyme stands up from Demadev's guard - Rhyme perhaps looking for a knockout.
Rhyme has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Rhyme closes the distance but Demadev moves to the side
and Demadev counters with a nice body shot.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Rhyme fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Demadev, pushing him back against the cage.

Rhyme breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Demadev tries to clinch
letting Rhyme counter with a right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rhyme closes the distance and clinches.
Rhyme lands with a short head shot on the inside.

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

Rhyme scores a takedown into full mount!
Rhyme lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Demadev hang on?
Rhyme scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Demadev?
Rhyme controlling from mount.
Rhyme avoids the attempt from Demadev to control.

Rhyme jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Demadev manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Rhyme wants to stand but Demadev is controlling his arm.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rhyme lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

Rhyme has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Rhyme fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Demadev sprawls well initially but Rhyme persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Othello Rhyme has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rhyme passes to side control.
A lull in the action here.
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!
Demadev sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Rhyme is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Rhyme wants to free his trapped foot but Demadev is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rhyme trying to control the action but Demadev is working from the bottom.

Rhyme decides to stand and escape the position.

Rhyme closes the distance and clinches.

Rhyme manages to pull guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Rhyme is on top in guard.
Rhyme pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Demadev is keeping the position for now.
Rhyme is stalling in the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rhyme wanted to stand there but Demadev had control of the position.
Rhyme postures up.

Rhyme gets to his feet - Demadev follows without any prompting.

Rhyme drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Rhyme slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Rhyme stands up from guard. Let's bang!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Rhyme shoots in and bounces Demadev off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Ivan Demadev has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rhyme slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Othello Rhyme comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Rhyme 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 25:30
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 25:30
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Othello Rhyme!