PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Danny Rand (ranked 3732 p4p, 310 weight class) and Lucio Almeida (ranked 4648 p4p, 348 weight class). Rand comes to the cage accompanied by Protect ya neck-Wu Tang. Lucio Almeida struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 146.0lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Danny Rand has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Rand
vs
Almeida

176 cm
26
155 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

179 cm
22
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Danny Rand!
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, Lucio Almeida!
The judges for this bout are , Jack Bonds and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A left lands for Rand.
Rand connects with a leg kick. Almeida looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Almeida misses with a takedown attempt - Rand sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Rand tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Almeida clinches up with Rand and pushes him back against the cage.
Almeida wants a takedown.
Rand scores a nice knee to the body.

Almeida gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Almeida is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Rand defends it well.
Rand flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Almeida looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Almeida wants to control but Rand is keeping him busy.
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.
Rand trying to control here.
Rand is refusing to be controlled, as Almeida sits in half guard.

Almeida seems to be looking for submissions.
Almeida wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rand keeps working.
Rand desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Rand is trying to get back to full guard.

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

Rand looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Almeida looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Almeida is stalling here. Rand is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Almeida seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Rand has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Almeida is trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rand wants to control but Almeida is keeping him busy.
Almeida wants to control but Rand postures up.
Rand lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Almeida down.
Almeida takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Almeida wants to control but Rand postures up.
Rand lands an elbow.
Almeida is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Rand is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Rand in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rand lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Almeida hang on?
Rand landing punches.
The referee warns Almeida that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Almeida looks winded!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rand won't let Almeida get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.

Rand working for a submission but Almeida is keeping him at bay.
Rand lands a heavy elbow.
Almeida sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Almeida blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rand.
Almeida slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Rand scoring with punches to the head and body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Danny Rand dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Rand cracks Almeida with a good jab.
Almeida tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rand misses with a jab, cross combination.
Rand looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
A solid leg kick lands there for Rand.
Rand darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Rand keeps the fight on the outside.
Rand throws a sloppy head kick and Almeida moves out of range easily.
Rand lands a nice leg kick that just misses Almeida's sensitive parts.
A jab from Rand finds it's way through Almeida's defenses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rand thuds his shin into the meat of Almeida's side.
Rand looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Almeida fails to land the takedown.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Rand enables Almeida to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Rand manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Almeida trying to control the position from guard on top but Rand is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Rand had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Almeida defends it easily.
Almeida trying to control the position from guard on top but Rand is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Almeida decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Rand, up you get!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Almeida throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Rand's waist but Rand gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Almeida off to one side.
Almeida tries to clinch but Rand is having none of it.
Rand bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Almeida's head.
Rand connects with a good right hand that stumbles Almeida. Almeida circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Rand lands a two punch combo.
Almeida tries to clinch up.
Almeida tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Rand manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Almeida looks to clinch
and Rand counters with a left and a right that stings Almeida.
Rand fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Almeida has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Almeida throws a left and a right that both miss
and Rand counters with a leg kick.
Almeida is breathing heavily.
Almeida walks into a stiff left hand from Rand.

Rand takes the fight into the clinch.
Rand gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Almeida.
Danny Rand has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lucio Almeida.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Almeida wants to get back to striking at distance but Rand won't allow it.
Rand prevents a takedown attempt there.
Rand putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Almeida in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.

Rand breaks the clinch.
Rand cracks the inside of Almeida's front leg.
Rand lands with a good body shot.
Rand fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Almeida.
Danny Rand is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rand throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Danny Rand is winning the standup battle so far.
Rand lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rand scores with a jab to the head.
Rand 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.
Rand scores with a leg kick.
Rand swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Almeida.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Almeida misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Almeida takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Almeida has his takedown stuffed
enabling Rand to counter with a crisp jab.
Rand scores with a jab to the head.
Rand moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Rand lands with a good body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Danny Rand dominated that second round.
That's time! Rand's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Rand ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Almeida gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Rand.
Rand looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Rand is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Almeida can do to turn this around?
Almeida tries to clinch
and Rand counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Rand moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Rand lands with a slapping head kick.
Rand is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
An inside leg kick lands from Rand.
Rand avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Almeida fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Rand to the ground. Almeida is now in Rand's guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Almeida looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Rand striking off his back but it's not causing Almeida any problems.
Almeida takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Almeida trying to control but Rand is working from the bottom.
Rand is trying to control the position but Almeida postures up.

Rand is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Rand is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Almeida stays in close to Rand's body and controls the position.
Almeida working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Danny Rand is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Rand scores with a head kick. Almeida tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Almeida shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Rand sprawls well. Rand wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Almeida gets slowly back to his feet.
The fight stays on the outside here - Almeida looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rand scores with a kick to the body.
Rand with a hook.
Rand throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Almeida's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.

Almeida scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Rand wants to improve his position but Almeida is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rand is trying is best to control the position here.
Almeida is looking to take a break and control but Rand is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Almeida throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

Rand pushes Almeida off and gets back to his feet.

Almeida has managed to clinch.
Almeida changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Rand fights it off and pushes away nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A slapping leg kick lands for Rand.
Almeida tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Almeida moves to clinch but Rand breaks away
and Rand makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Good shot there by Rand.
Rand slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Rand jabs Almeida to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Rand connects with a right hand. Almeida shakes it off.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rand lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Lucio Almeida has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Danny Rand seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
That kick from Rand tenderised Almeida's leg. Almeida is trying to keep his angry face on.
Rand cracks Almeida with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Danny Rand showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Rand 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:26
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:26
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Danny Rand!
Danny Rand decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.