PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Xavier Daniels (ranked 4422 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mutombo Giromba (ranked 4863 p4p, 225 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Daniels
vs
Giromba

177 cm
25
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Inexperienced

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Determined

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, Xavier Daniels!
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, Mutombo Giromba!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Emerson Jorge and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Giromba gets tackled into the cage by Daniels. Daniels maintains the clinch.
Daniels is trying to break the clinch but Giromba has him pressed against the cage.
Daniels wants to get back to striking at distance but Giromba won't allow it.
A frustrated look appears on Daniels's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Giromba fails to pull guard.

Giromba pulls guard.
Giromba not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Daniels stands up from Giromba's guard - Daniels perhaps looking for a knockout.
Daniels scores with a three punch combo!

It looks like Mutombo Giromba has been cut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Giromba fails with the takedown.
Daniels tries to clinch there but Giromba circles away.
Daniels moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromGiromba.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Giromba pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Daniels tries a head kick but it misses.
Daniels fails in his attempt to clinch.
Daniels throws a right and a left that Giromba avoids nicely.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Giromba! But no joy.
Giromba fails with a takedown attempt.
Xavier Daniels has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mutombo Giromba.

Daniels closes the distance and pushes Giromba back into the cage.
Giromba jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Daniels walks away with a smile on his face. Giromba gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Daniels tries to clinch but Giromba is having none of it.
Giromba avoids a punch combination nicely.
Giromba throws a counter combo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Giromba on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Xavier Daniels is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Giromba avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Giromba shoots in but no luck this time.
Giromba looks for a takedown but Daniels sprawls well.
Daniels misses with a combination
and Giromba counters with a nice uppercut.
Daniels wants to clinch up but Giromba keeps it at a distance.
Giromba tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Daniels swivels and escapes.
Daniels fails to land with a series of punches.
Giromba is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Daniels with a body shot.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Giromba throws a head kick but Daniels moves out of range.
Giromba is looking to clinch.

Daniels fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Giromba, pushing him back against the cage.
Giromba jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Daniels walks away with a smile on his face. Giromba gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Daniels does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Daniels lands with a good body shot.
Xavier Daniels seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Giromba looks winded!
Daniels throws a body punch but Giromba moves out of range.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Giromba.

Daniels has managed to clinch.
Giromba is struggling to control the position.
Daniels on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Daniels has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Giromba has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Daniels avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Daniels's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Daniels throws a nice looking combination but Giromba bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Giromba goes for a double leg but Daniels avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Daniels continues to drive forward.
Daniels lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Giromba backs up against the cage.

Giromba is rocked!
Daniels misses with a two punch combination.
Giromba is still on wobbly legs! Can Daniels finish him?
The fight stays on the outside here - Giromba looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A combination from Daniels does no damage.
Giromba seems to have recovered his senses.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Daniels scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Giromba circles away from the clinch attempt.
Daniels keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Daniels misses with a few strikes there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Xavier Daniels dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Mutombo Giromba's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Giromba blocks a head kick by Daniels.

Giromba gets a clinch.

Giromba's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nice defenses there by Giromba.
Giromba keeps the fight on the outside.
Daniels throws a right and a left that both miss.

Giromba moves into range and clinches up with Daniels.
Daniels has had enough of the clinch but Giromba keeps him there for the moment.
Daniels has had enough of the clinch but Giromba keeps him there for the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Daniels is trying to force a seperation but Giromba has the dominant position.
Daniels is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Giromba has Daniels pressed against the cage, preventing Daniels from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Giromba pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Giromba has Daniels up against the cage in a clinch.
Daniels is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Giromba can do to turn this around?
Daniels prevents a takedown attempt there.
Giromba is trying to pull guard but Daniels has him pressed against the cage.

Giromba's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Daniels looks to land a left hand but Giromba moved out of range nicely.
Giromba misses with a takedown attempt - Daniels sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Xavier Daniels has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mutombo Giromba.

Daniels clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Giromba tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Daniels smiles and moves away.

Daniels closes the distance and pushes Giromba back into the cage.
Daniels is looking to take this one to the mat.

Daniels manages to break the clinch.

Giromba closes the distance and clinches.

Giromba breaks from the clinch.
Giromba lands with a kick to the temple. Daniels shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

Daniels drives through and clinches with Giromba against the cage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Giromba breaks the clinch.
Daniels tries to clinch but Giromba moves out of range.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Giromba fails to land with a series of punches.
Daniels misses with a series of wild punches.
Giromba shoots in looking for a takedown. Daniels tries to sprawl out of it but Giromba keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Daniels manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Giromba is breathing heavily.
Daniels tries a low kick but Giromba avoids it.
Daniels tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Giromba paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Daniels misses with an attempted mid kick.
Some wild striking there from Daniels.
Daniels scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Giromba fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A big right from Daniels misses.
Daniels throws a series of punches but Giromba moves out of range.
Daniels tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Daniels misses the shot to the body.
Daniels throws a series of punches but Giromba moves out of range.
Daniels will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Daniels looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Daniels looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The fight stays on the outside here - Daniels looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Xavier Daniels is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Giromba drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Giromba swings around for an armbar but Daniels sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Giromba's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Xavier Daniels dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Mutombo Giromba's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Giromba shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Daniels defends it nicely.
Giromba fails with a takedown attempt.
Daniels misses with a jab, cross combination.
Giromba avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Giromba shoots in for a double leg but Daniels sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Xavier Daniels has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mutombo Giromba.
Daniels leaves Giromba with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Daniels tries to bum rush Giromba with a series of wild strikes but Giromba uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Daniels misses with a two punch combination.
Giromba has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Daniels finds it's way round the side to connect with Giromba's head.
Giromba shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Daniels sprawls well. Daniels wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Giromba gets slowly back to his feet.
Giromba takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Daniels throws a series of punches but Giromba moves out of range.
Daniels misses with a few strikes there.
Giromba ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Daniels tries to clinch but Giromba is having none of it.
Giromba is looking for the big counter here.

Daniels moves into the clinch successfully.
Giromba prevents the takedown attempt.

Giromba's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Giromba throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Giromba is looking to clinch but Daniels is avoiding it.
Daniels tries to close the distance and clinch up but Giromba swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Giromba circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Daniels throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Giromba is defended easily by Daniels.
Daniels tries to counter with a takedown but Giromba is quick to defend against it.

Daniels closes the distance and clinches.
Daniels tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Giromba just stands there and leans against the cage.
Giromba lands a knee to the head.
Giromba can't get the takedown.
Giromba is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Daniels to keep the fight standing.
Giromba scores with a nice hook to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Giromba.
Daniels wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Giromba blocks a body shot from Daniels.
Daniels is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Giromba is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Giromba tries to pull guard but Daniels holds him up against the cage and eventually Giromba drops back down to his feet.
Giromba tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Daniels is trying to break the clinch but Giromba has him pressed against the cage.
Giromba fails to pull the fight into his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Giromba breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Daniels fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Giromba throws a head kick that Daniels semi-blocks.
Giromba misses with a body kick.
Daniels misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Giromba.
A thudding body kick lands there by Daniels!
Daniels throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Giromba dodges the punch combination from Daniels.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Daniels tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Giromba manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Giromba showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Daniels.
Giromba raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Xavier Daniels showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Daniels 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:27
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:27
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Xavier Daniels!