PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Edmundo Animal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brunoo Xavier (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Edmundo Animal could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Brunoo Xavier's chin.

Animal
vs
Xavier

189 cm
24
196 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

188 cm
22
185 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Edmundo Animal!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brunoo Xavier!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Paulo Santos and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Animal will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Animal looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Xavier tries to kick Animal off but Animal keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Xavier makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Animal tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Xavier paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Xavier throws a jab when Animal was well out of range.
Xavier throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Xavier.

Xavier gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Animal to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Xavier is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Animal drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Animal jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Animal prevents Xavier from getting back to his feet.
Animal trying to control the position from guard on top but Xavier is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Animal prevents Xavier from getting back to his feet.

Animal is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Animal won't allow Xavier to get back to his feet.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Xavier misses with an attempted mid kick.
Xavier works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Xavier takes a swing at Animal's ribcage but misses.

Animal bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Xavier is trying to get back to his feet.
Xavier looks gassed!

Animal decides to stand back up.

Animal scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Animal is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Xavier has managed to free his arm - good work.
Animal stops Xavier from getting back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Animal is working for a submission of some sort.
Xavier is looking to escape.
Animal not doing much here.
Xavier avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Animal.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Animal in particular looking to stall.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Xavier kicks off Animal and gets to his feet.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Animal checks a leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Animal tries to close the distance and clinch but Xavier swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Animal fails in his attempt to clinch.
Xavier displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Animal.
Xavier rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Animal moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Animal ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

Xavier has closed the distance and engaged Animal in a clinch.
Xavier gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Animal.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Edmundo Animal. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Animal looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Stalling in the clinch from Xavier.
Animal changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Xavier fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Animal shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Xavier pinned against the cage. Xavier gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Xavier misses with a few strikes there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Animal bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Animal is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Xavier knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Xavier is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Animal trying to control the position but Xavier is working away.
Xavier pushes Animal away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Animal gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

Animal stands up and beckons Xavier to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Edmundo Animal 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.

Xavier wants to clinch up but Animal keeps it at a distance.
Xavier throws a low kick but Animal avoids it.
Animal tries to clinch but Xavier moves out of range.
Animal will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Animal fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Xavier sprawls well initially but Animal persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Xavier pushes Animal off and gets back to his feet.
Animal is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Xavier gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Animal blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Animal tries for a takedown but Xavier manages to get underhooks.
Xavier using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Animal drops down looking for an ankle pick but Xavier pulls his leg out and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Edmundo Animal. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Xavier pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Xavier is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Animal tries to clinch up but Xavier circles away and keeps his distance.
Xavier throws a head kick but Animal moves out of range.
Animal closes the distance but Xavier moves to the side

and Xavier counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Xavier.
Xavier stops a takedown attempt from Animal.
Animal blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Animal trying to control the position but instead, Xavier has worked for underhooks and has pushed Animal into the cage.
Animal stops a takedown attempt from Xavier.
Animal blocks the elbow strike.
Xavier wants to stall.
Xavier misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Animal.
Animal drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Xavier is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Animal is defending well for now.
Xavier stops a takedown attempt from Animal.

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.
Animal is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Xavier pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Xavier lands a hook to the side of the head.
Xavier tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Animal tries for a takedown. No joy.
Xavier is pressed up against the cage. Animal has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Xavier down to the mat. Xavier avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Xavier throws a series of strikes that have Animal backpedaling.
Animal wants to clinch up but Xavier keeps it at a distance.
Nice uppercut there from Xavier.
Animal shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Xavier but Xavier pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Xavier fails to land with a series of punches.
Animal fails with an attempt to clinch.
Brunoo Xavier is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Xavier tries a head kick but it misses.

Animal shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Xavier's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Xavier is looking to stand up but Animal isn't so interested in that idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Animal wants to control from the top but Xavier keeps moving.
Animal throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Xavier wants to get back to his feet but Animal is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Animal in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Animal thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Xavier pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Animal fails with a takedown attempt.
Xavier doesn't manage to clinch there - Animal circles away.

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.
Xavier throws a nice looking combination but Animal bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Animal!
Xavier throws a left and a right that both miss

and Animal decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Xavier's guard.

Animal thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Xavier wants to stand and escape but Animal is having none of it.
Animal trying to control the position from guard on top but Xavier is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Animal stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Xavier swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Animal trying to control the position from guard on top but Xavier is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Animal wants to pass the guard but Xavier is keeping the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Edmundo Animal will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

A head kick misses from Xavier.
Animal swats away the attempt to clinch by Xavier.
Animal fails to land the takedown.
Edmundo Animal is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Animal tries to clinch but Xavier is having none of it.
Xavier lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
A combination from Xavier does no damage.
The fight stays on the outside here - Animal looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Xavier tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Animal was well out of range. Poor timing from Xavier.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Animal clinches but Xavier breaks the clinch
and Xavier counters with a two punch combo.
Animal with a poor takedown
and Xavier counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Animal dodges the punch combination from Xavier.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Animal shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Animal prevents Xavier from standing back up.

Animal seems to be working for a kimura but Xavier defends the submission attempt.

Animal is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Xavier is just riding it out for now. Animal eventually gives up the hold.
Animal wants to control but Xavier is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Animal stops Xavier from getting back to his feet.

Animal is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Xavier sees it coming and defends easily.
Xavier wants to get back to his feet.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Animal misses with a few strikes there.
Xavier misses with a head kick.

Animal shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Xavier napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Animal works to advance to full mount. Xavier defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Animal throwing strikes here but Xavier is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Xavier is squirming around, avoiding Animal's attempts to control the action.
Xavier wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Xavier avoids a series of strikes thrown by Animal.
Xavier wants to get back to his feet.
Animal controlling from the full mount.

Animal with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Xavier is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Brunoo Xavier has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Edmundo Animal overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

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.
Xavier is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.

Animal looking to secure an arm triangle but Xavier defends it well.
Xavier is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Animal raining down shots from the mount!
Xavier avoids a series of strikes thrown by Animal.
Xavier flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.

Animal is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Xavier has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Edmundo Animal is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Animal wants to control the pace but Xavier is squirming around nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
Edmundo Animal showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Animal, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Edmundo Animal!