PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between vini khalled (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rafael Balboa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rafael Balboa is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

khalled
vs
Balboa

170 cm
22
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
134 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Mundo Green - World Verde

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, vini khalled!
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, Rafael Balboa!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Matheus Silva and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
khalled throws a looping overhand right but Balboa ducks down to avoid it.

khalled moves into the clinch.
Balboa wants to break the clinch but can't.

khalled manages to pull guard.
Balboa postures up.

khalled is looking for a triangle here but Balboa uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Balboa tries to stand but khalled is controlling his head.
khalled sneaks back into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
khalled is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

khalled looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
khalled trying to hold on to Balboa's head to control him but Balboa postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Balboa wants to stand up but khalled is controlling the position.
Balboa is thwarting khalled's attempts to control the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
khalled takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balboa dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Balboa tries to clinch up but khalled circles away and keeps his distance.
khalled tries to clinch up but Balboa circles away and keeps his distance.
Balboa is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

khalled closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
khalled tries to advance to mount but Balboa denies him.
Balboa tries to bench press khalled off him but khalled keeps the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

khalled tries for a kimura but Balboa is defending well.
khalled is breathing heavily.
Balboa wants to get back to his feet but khalled drags him back down.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
khalled trying to control the action but Balboa is working from the bottom.

khalled goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Balboa has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for khalled but great work by Balboa.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

vini khalled dominated that round.
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.

Balboa shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts khalled as he jumps to the side.
Balboa shoots for a double leg takedown but khalled sprawls well. He's pushed Balboa's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
vini khalled is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Balboa lands a jab.
khalled has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from khalled there as he acknowledges the shot.
Balboa works the jab nicely.
Balboa tries to clinch up but khalled circles away and keeps his distance.
khalled closes this distance looking for a takedown but Balboa circles away.
Balboa sizes up khalled with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

khalled closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Balboa to the mat! Balboa manages to get full guard.
khalled tries to free his leg and advance position but Balboa is retaining full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Balboa keeping moving, preventing khalled from controlling successfully.
khalled stops Balboa from standing up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
khalled trying to control but Balboa is working from the bottom.
Balboa is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Balboa keeping moving, preventing khalled from controlling successfully.
Balboa is adopting a defensive guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Balboa keeping moving, preventing khalled from controlling successfully.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Balboa connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
khalled fails with a takedown attempt.
khalled walks into a left hand.
khalled has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from khalled there as he acknowledges the shot.
Balboa swats away the attempt to clinch by khalled.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balboa with a nice cross.
khalled with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Balboa to score with a decent uppercut.

khalled clinches up with Balboa and pushes him back against the cage.
khalled tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for vini khalled. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
khalled is trying to break the clinch but Balboa has him pressed against the cage.
khalled is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Balboa is looking to break free of the clinch but khalled has double underhooks.
Balboa wants to get back to striking at distance but khalled won't allow it.
Balboa gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from khalled.

Balboa pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
khalled keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Good exchange - Balboa coming out on top.

Balboa darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Balboa tries to stand and escape but khalled is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
khalled is trying to get back to full guard.
khalled wants to get back to his feet.
khalled is trying to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rafael Balboa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Balboa fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Balboa fails with the takedown

and khalled counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Balboa preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
khalled trying to control the position from guard on top but Balboa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
khalled wants to pass the guard but Balboa is keeping the position.
Balboa wants to stand up but khalled is controlling him.

khalled drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Balboa manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now khalled has Balboa in his guard.

khalled has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Balboa off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
A left and a right from Balboa both land. Nice combination.
Balboa tries to clinch but khalled moves out of range.
Nice cross by Balboa.
Balboa shoots in for a double leg but khalled sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Balboa stuns khalled with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
khalled ducks right into an uppercut from Balboa.
Balboa lands with a right hand.
Rafael Balboa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
khalled takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
khalled misses with a combination
and Balboa connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Balboa jabs khalled right on the nose. khalled blinks but takes it well.
Balboa throws a good cross that connects.
Balboa with a jab.
Balboa lands a straight punch to the body, keeping khalled at a distance.
Balboa bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of khalled's head.
Balboa is trying hard to land a takedown here. khalled sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
vini khalled has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rafael Balboa.
khalled avoids a punch combination nicely.
Balboa lands with an overhand left.
Balboa throws a one two combo.
Nice sprawl there from khalled as Balboa shoots in.
Balboa shoots for a takedown but khalled saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Nice straight punches there by Balboa. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Balboa.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

khalled gets a takedown into half guard.
Balboa wants to control but khalled is keeping busy.
khalled seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Balboa does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
khalled misses with a head shot. Balboa uses the momentum to regain guard.

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 vini khalled.
I think khalled 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 29:28
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 29:29
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!