PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jesus Nazareth (ranked 4031 p4p, 4018 weight class) and Mathew Navarro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 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.

Nazareth
vs
Navarro

185 cm
24
184
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
195
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Big heart

BJJ White 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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jesus Nazareth!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Mathew Navarro!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Mauricio Rocha and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Navarro has his takedown stuffed

and Nazareth counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Nazareth with a knee to the head.
Nazareth lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Nazareth lands an elbow inside.

Nazareth breaks the clinch.
Nazareth closes this distance looking for a takedown but Navarro circles away.
Horrible takedown attempt by Nazareth or perhaps it was just good defense by Navarro, which made it look bad.

Nazareth darts in and clinches Navarro up against the cage.
Nazareth scores with a shot to the side of Navarro's head.
Nazareth managing to block the knees to the body from Navarro.
Nazareth tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Navarro just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jesus Nazareth. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nazareth lands a nice elbow.

It looks like Mathew Navarro has been cut.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Nazareth is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Nazareth lands an elbow that stopped Navarro in his tracks for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Navarro has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Nazareth avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Navarro tries to break the clinch but Nazareth is controlling the position.
Navarro stops a takedown attempt from Nazareth.

Nazareth pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nazareth misses with the combination.

Nazareth clinches up against the cage.
Navarro tries for a takedown but Nazareth manages to get underhooks.
Nazareth is leaning against Navarro and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Nazareth.
Navarro tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Nazareth lands a nice shot to the body.
Nazareth lands a body shot in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nazareth pushes Navarro back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Nazareth stalling.

Nazareth breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Navarro takes a kick to the side of the head.

Nazareth closes the distance and pushes Navarro back into the cage.
Navarro tries to pull guard but Nazareth forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Nazareth's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nazareth jabs Navarro to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Navarro looks winded!

Nazareth has closed the distance and engaged Navarro in a clinch.
Navarro is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Nazareth to keep the fight standing.

Nazareth breaks from the clinch.

Nazareth gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Navarro has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Nazareth after a bit of a struggle.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Navarro throws a sloppy head kick and Nazareth moves out of range easily.
A thudding body kick lands there by Nazareth!

Nazareth has Navarro up against the cage in a clinch.

Nazareth pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nazareth jabs at Navarro's body.

Nazareth darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Navarro tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Nazareth manages to move to mount!
Nazareth misses with a head shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nazareth misses with a head shot.
Navarro is trying to reverse the position but instead Nazareth has taken his back - oops!

Nazareth is persistently looking for the submission but Navarro is defending it well.

Navarro preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Nazareth.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Nazareth looking for the RNC.
Nazareth has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Navarro wants to escape the position.

Navarro defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jesus Nazareth dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Mathew Navarro's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

A nice inside leg kick there by Nazareth. That's going to slow Navarro down.
Navarro shoots in but no luck this time.
Nazareth throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Navarro throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Nazareth.
Nazareth will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Nazareth shoots for a double leg takedown but Navarro sprawls well. He's pushed Nazareth's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Jesus Nazareth is winning the standup battle so far.
Navarro avoids the head kick by Nazareth.
Horrible takedown attempt by Nazareth or perhaps it was just good defense by Navarro, which made it look bad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jesus Nazareth. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A head kick from Nazareth lands but Navarro takes it in his stride.

Navarro closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Nazareth bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Navarro shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Nazareth as he avoids it easily.
Navarro misses with a kick to the body.
It looked like Nazareth was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.

Nazareth forces Navarro back against the cage and clinches.

Nazareth breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Navarro fails in his attempt to clinch.

Nazareth moves into the clinch successfully.
Nazareth landing some nice looking knees to the body.

Nazareth pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Navarro displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Nazareth.
Navarro lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Nazareth cracks Navarro with an open hand slap.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Navarro shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Nazareth as he avoids it easily.
Navarro takes a head kick and keeps coming.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Navarro shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Nazareth sprawls well. Nazareth wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Navarro gets slowly back to his feet.

Nazareth feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Navarro avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Nazareth is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Nazareth working some strikes from top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Navarro can't keep his opponent in guard - Nazareth advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Nazareth is controlling the pace.
Jesus Nazareth overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Nazareth escapes and gets back to his feet.
Nazareth has a takedown stuffed.
Nazareth with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.

Nazareth clinches up against the cage.
Nazareth is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Navarro can do to turn this around?
Navarro jumps guard but Nazareth stands there with Navarro around his waist. Navarro gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
A short left from Nazareth.

Nazareth manages to break the clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jesus Nazareth dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Mathew Navarro's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Nazareth takes the fight into the clinch.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Navarro tries to pull guard but Nazareth holds him up against the cage and eventually Navarro drops back down to his feet.
Nazareth lands a hook to the side of the head.
A short right from Nazareth on the inside.

Nazareth breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nazareth fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Navarro is looking to clinch but Nazareth is avoiding it.
Nazareth shoots in but Navarro avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Nazareth shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Navarro pinned against the cage. Navarro gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jesus Nazareth. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nazareth gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Navarro fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Navarro is trying to push Nazareth away but Nazareth has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
A body shot lands from Nazareth.
Nazareth has Navarro pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Navarro manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
A right hook to the body lands for Nazareth.
Nazareth unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Navarro is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Nazareth will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Navarro up against the cage.
Nazareth throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Navarro manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Nazareth slips nicely into half guard.
Navarro is refusing to be controlled, as Nazareth sits in half guard.
Navarro is trying to get back to full guard.
Navarro wants to control but Nazareth is keeping busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nazareth postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Navarro to stand up.
Navarro keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Nazareth dives in and grabs Navarro's left leg, looking for a takedown. Navarro pushes down on Nazareth's head and hops out.
Nazareth shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Navarro pinned against the cage. Navarro gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Navarro rushes Nazareth and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Nazareth's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Navarro wants to take the fight to the mat but Nazareth manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Nazareth working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Nazareth lands a nice knee to the body.
Nazareth works on Navarro's body with a couple of short punches.

Nazareth escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Navarro wants to clinch up but Nazareth keeps it at a distance.
Navarro shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Nazareth seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Nazareth lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Nazareth.
Jesus Nazareth seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Navarro stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Navarro wants it to stay on the feet.
Navarro tries to clinch there but Nazareth circles away.
Mathew Navarro has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Jesus Nazareth is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Navarro shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Nazareth defends it nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jesus Nazareth showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Nazareth 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:27
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jesus Nazareth!