Strikeforce Los Angeles RBR

Robbie Lawler vs. Renato Sobral

Round 1

Big John McCarthy sighting! Such a comforting and avuncular presence, is John.

A lot of quick posturing and body feinting from both. Sobral looks a little bit jiggly in the underarm area. Lawler catches him rushing and holds him off, with one leg on his thigh and the other wrapped around his opposite shoulderblade to prevent a takedown. Sobral gets off a knee before McCarthy breaks them for inaction. Lawler tags Sobral with a straight left hand, and then a flying knee! Sobral chases and walks into a hook from Lawler. Sobral tries to kick his right leg out and then charges in while Lawler is recovering. Lawler able to sprawl. They kick together, and Sobral catches Lawler's at his rib with his right arm and takes him down instantly. Lawler scrambles back up. Lawler keeping distance now. Sobral with a wild right hand and Lawler flurries at him and then pushes his head down and then away before Sobral can lock onto him. Lawler times a right hand from Sobral and lands a hook to the bottom of the cheekbone.

Some judges might give it to Sobral for cage control and takedowns, but I'm a striking mark. Lawler 10-9

 

Round 2

Holy crap! Sobral grabs and tenaciously holds on to the leg of Lawler, and Lawler hops on his other and bombs away at the head of Sobral until he releases! HUGE lead straight left hand by Lawler, crashes right into the tucked chin of Sobral. Sobral windmills punches at Lawler but gets blocked and slipped. Lawler is hurt by a kick - he teeters. He then grins at Sobral and goes back to circling. He may have been clowning but he's clearly been affected by some of those kicks, in more pain than he can hide. Lawler throws a hook that is deflected on the shoulder of Sobral, who comes back with a two-legged attack that drives Lawler to the fence. Lawler tries to work his way in, with Sobral missing shots but throwing more. Sobral begins to force Lawler to hike up his knee to avoid some of the low leg kicks. Some hard shots landing for Sobral as Lawler not committing enough to his attack and getting stuck at mid-range.

Even after two.

 

Round 3

Sobral is confident, meeting Lawler center cage with his jab. Lawler tries to land something big, but Sobral is evading and not getting drawn into exchanges. Spinning backfist thuds against the gloves of Lawler! A right jab from Lawler pushes Sobral back, and out of the way of a follow-up left. Another 1-2 misses for Lawler. Gracie-style front kick lands for Sobral. Sobral begins working the body as Lawler slows down. Lawler still looking for a big shot, and getting outworked. HARD right hook has Sobral stumbling. Sobral looks hurt. Lawler stalks, not throwing. Another right hook misses. Lawler starts walking through fire, including jabs and front kicks, to get in on Sobral. Lawler lands a combination but Sobral rolls with it. Lawler barely misses with a huge left hand right before the horn.

 

Yeah, he stole the third in the last minute; would have otherwise been a close round for Sobral had Robbie not ramped up the aggression late.

Official: UD

29-28 x3 for Babalu