PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Heckofa Riddum (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joao Amaral (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Joao Amaral acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Riddum
vs
Amaral

178 cm
22
183 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

189 cm
18
182 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Heckofa Riddum!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Joao Amaral!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Felipe Paraventi and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Riddum slips under a jab.

Riddum drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Amaral 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.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Amaral is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

Amaral has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Riddum can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Amaral looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Amaral tries to strike from the bottom.
Riddum forces his way into half guard.
Amaral wants to control but Riddum is keeping busy.
Riddum moves into full mount! Amaral won't be happy about that!

Riddum jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Amaral manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Amaral wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riddum tries to advance to mount but can't.
Amaral misses with a strike from the bottom.
Riddum is looking to take a break and control but Amaral is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Amaral wants to control but Riddum postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Riddum shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Amaral but Amaral pushes him off and we're back to square one.

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 stuffs the takedown attempt from Riddum. Riddum gets slowly back to his feet.

Amaral changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Riddum looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Riddum is looking for a sweep.
Amaral creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Riddum is looking for a sweep.
Riddum is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Amaral moves into full mount! Riddum won't be happy about that!
Amaral has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Riddum's face.
Riddum wants to control but Amaral is having none of it.
Amaral cracks Riddum with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Amaral is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Riddum can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Riddum is trying to escape the mount.
Amaral working the ground and pound effectively.
Riddum working to try and regain half guard.
Riddum is breathing heavily.
Amaral content just to control the position here.
Riddum tries to hold on but Amaral postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Amaral lands a heavy elbow.
Amaral trying to control but he's not successful this time.
A nice elbow there by Amaral.
Riddum tries to hold on but Amaral postures up.
Amaral trying to control but Riddum is having none of it.
Riddum is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Riddum regains half guard.
Riddum regains full guard. Nicely done.
Riddum is trying to control the position from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joao Amaral dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Amaral looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Amaral missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Riddum not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Riddum looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Amaral wants to control from the top but Riddum keeps moving.
Amaral wants to get up but he can't break Riddum's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Amaral stopping the sweep attempt from Riddum.
Amaral is fighting to break Riddum's control of his arms but Riddum is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Amaral working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Riddum tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Amaral stays in close to Riddum's body and controls the position.
Amaral is breathing heavily.

Riddum is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Riddum looking to hit a scissor sweep but Amaral is one step ahead there.
Riddum is working hard here to advance position.

Riddum is looking for a triangle but Amaral pushes his legs off easily.
Amaral stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Riddum swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Riddum is on top in guard.
Riddum trying to control but Amaral is working from the bottom.
Amaral is trying to control the position but Riddum postures up.
Riddum controlling from the top position.
Riddum stopping the sweep attempt from Amaral.
Riddum looking to sit in guard and control but Amaral gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Amaral lands a couple of elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riddum wants to sweep here but Amaral controlling him for the moment.
Riddum keeping moving, preventing Amaral from controlling successfully.

Riddum looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Amaral preventing the sweep.
Amaral is pushing down on Riddum's leg trying to pass to half guard. Riddum is fighting to maintain full guard but Amaral has managed to sneak the leg through.
Riddum is trying to control but can't.
Riddum is looking for a sweep. Amaral is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Amaral working over Riddum with some ground and pound. Riddum looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Riddum tries to get to full guard but Amaral has control of the leg.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Amaral connects with a nice short shot to Riddum's temple.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Amaral is trying to control the action in half guard but Riddum is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Riddum is trying to stand back up but Amaral is controlling him
Amaral winds up and cracks Riddum with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Amaral lands a nice short elbow.
Amaral scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Amaral looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Riddum with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Riddum is looking to control Amaral's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Riddum avoid being mounted?
Riddum is trying to get back to full guard.
Amaral is thwarting Riddum's attempts to control the position.
Riddum is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Amaral is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Riddum defends it well.
Riddum is looking to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joao Amaral showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Riddum doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Amaral counters with a shoot takedown. Riddum fights it but they end up in guard.
Amaral with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Amaral trying to control but Riddum is working from the bottom.
Amaral pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Riddum is keeping the position for now.
Riddum wants to sweep here but Amaral controlling him for the moment.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Amaral trying to control the position from guard on top but Riddum is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Amaral stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Riddum swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Amaral must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Riddum has his foot on Amaral's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Amaral works his way back into a safe position though.
Amaral throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Amaral wants to control from the top but Riddum keeps moving.
Riddum lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Amaral!
Riddum takes Amaral's back.
Amaral looking very determined here, making life difficult for Riddum.
Amaral turns into Riddum and is now in his guard.
Riddum has momentary wrist control but Amaral slips an elbow through the middle.
Riddum wants to sweep here but Amaral controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Riddum pulls Amaral in to control the position.
Amaral is in close to Riddum's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Joao Amaral has got the better of the ground game so far.
Riddum is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Riddum perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Amaral trying to control but Riddum postures up.
Riddum is trying to control the action in half guard but Amaral is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Amaral throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Riddum trying to control the pace.
Amaral tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Amaral tries to get to full guard but Riddum has control of the leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riddum missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
A slow jab from Riddum misses its intended target.
Riddum throws a big shot that misses.
Joao Amaral is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Riddum shoots and misses

and Amaral counters with a single leg into guard. Riddum didn't expect that.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Riddum is on top in guard.
Riddum slips nicely into half guard.
Amaral trying to control but Riddum postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Amaral strikes from the bottom but Riddum uses the opportunity to move to side control.
Amaral prevents Riddum from improving position.
Amaral is not content to let Riddum control the position.
Amaral is looking for a sweep.
A lull in the action here as Riddum stalls from top position.
Amaral tries to buck Riddum off but Riddum is having none of it.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Riddum.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Heckofa Riddum.
Well Amaral 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 27:30
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joao Amaral!