PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Heliodoro Zuberi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Estacio da Fonseca (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). da Fonseca has chosen "Chokechain" - 3oh!3 as his entrance music. Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Zuberi
vs
da Fonseca

160 cm
21
140 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

170 cm
26
140 lbs
11 - 8 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Basic striking
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Powerful

Syndicate Drugs

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 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Heliodoro Zuberi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Estacio da Fonseca!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Felipe Paraventi and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Zuberi changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. da Fonseca looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Zuberi working away.
da Fonseca is looking for a sweep.

Zuberi is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but da Fonseca is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
You can see the frustration on da Fonseca's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Zuberi tries for a kimura but da Fonseca is defending well.
Zuberi tries to score with some ground and pound. da Fonseca controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
da Fonseca is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
da Fonseca is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Zuberi's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
da Fonseca gets back to full guard.
da Fonseca working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Zuberi.

That's one minute gone in the round.
da Fonseca looking to control.
Zuberi stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. da Fonseca swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Zuberi postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Zuberi working some strikes from top position.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now da Fonseca is on top in guard.
da Fonseca stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Zuberi swivels though and keeps the full guard.

da Fonseca got a little sloppy there for a moment and Zuberi has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, da Fonseca has managed to get both his arms back between Zuberi's legs - danger averted.
Zuberi tries to land a sweep but no joy.
da Fonseca passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Zuberi is looking to reverse the position.
da Fonseca is looking to take a break and control but Zuberi is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zuberi tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but da Fonseca wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

da Fonseca is trying to get an arm triangle but Zuberi is defending well.
da Fonseca is looking to take a break and control but Zuberi is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
da Fonseca working the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zuberi tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but da Fonseca wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Zuberi fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Zuberi is trying hard to land a takedown here. da Fonseca sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

da Fonseca gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Zuberi to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Zuberi trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
da Fonseca looking to hit a scissor sweep but Zuberi is one step ahead there.
Zuberi in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
da Fonseca looking to hit a scissor sweep but Zuberi is one step ahead there.
da Fonseca preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Zuberi distracts da Fonseca with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Zuberi postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zuberi trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
da Fonseca working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Zuberi.
da Fonseca is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Zuberi tries to free his leg and advance position but da Fonseca is retaining full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
da Fonseca working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Zuberi.
da Fonseca is trying to keep Zuberi in close.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
da Fonseca lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by da Fonseca.

Zuberi scores a takedown into full mount!
da Fonseca regains half guard.
Zuberi moves nicely into side control.
da Fonseca tries to improve position but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Heliodoro Zuberi dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Zuberi misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

da Fonseca clinches with his opponent.

da Fonseca gets a trip takedown into half guard.
da Fonseca wants to lay and pray for a moment but Zuberi keeps working.
da Fonseca prevents Zuberi from improving his position.
Zuberi is looking to get back to full guard here but da Fonseca has managed to pass to side control instead.
da Fonseca punishing his opponent with strikes.
Zuberi really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
da Fonseca with good strikes from the mount here!
Zuberi holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as da Fonseca tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Zuberi wants to control but da Fonseca is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zuberi is looking to get to half guard.
A nice elbow there by da Fonseca.
da Fonseca putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Zuberi tries to hold on but da Fonseca postures up.
da Fonseca unloading with bombs!
da Fonseca tries to control but Zuberi wriggling away.
da Fonseca is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Zuberi tries to lock up and control but da Fonseca gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
A nice elbow there by da Fonseca.
da Fonseca moves to take his opponent's back.
Zuberi manages to reverse the position and now he's in da Fonseca's guard. Nice work there by Zuberi.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zuberi throws and elbow that misses. da Fonseca uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Zuberi's guard. Nice move by da Fonseca!
Zuberi 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.
da Fonseca throws a big right hand that misses.

Zuberi is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
da Fonseca distracts Zuberi with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

da Fonseca avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
da Fonseca must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Zuberi keeping moving, preventing da Fonseca from controlling successfully.
Zuberi is trying to control the position from the bottom.

da Fonseca has gone for a leg lock! Zuberi slips out almost immediately though and dives into da Fonseca's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

da Fonseca escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Zuberi gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

da Fonseca looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
da Fonseca is breathing heavily.
Zuberi landing some decent shots from guard.
Zuberi landing some decent shots from guard.
Zuberi is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

Zuberi drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but da Fonseca manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Zuberi has da Fonseca in his guard.
da Fonseca trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zuberi keeping full guard, as da Fonseca tries to pass.

Zuberi has his foot on da Fonseca's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. da Fonseca works his way back into a safe position though.

Zuberi has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but da Fonseca can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Zuberi is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. da Fonseca is aware though and is defending well.
da Fonseca tries to free his leg and advance position but Zuberi is retaining full guard.
Zuberi trying to keep a closed guard but da Fonseca is proving a slippery customer.
da Fonseca in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
da Fonseca throwing strikes but missing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Estacio da Fonseca showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Zuberi shoots in for a double leg but da Fonseca sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
da Fonseca defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Zuberi.
da Fonseca moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
da Fonseca lands a two punch combo.
da Fonseca punishes Zuberi's body with a nice straight punch.

Zuberi darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
da Fonseca is looking to improve his position.
da Fonseca controlling the position well.
da Fonseca is trying to control but can't.
Zuberi missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Zuberi is looking for a kimura but da Fonseca is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Zuberi to get the leverage.
da Fonseca is trying to maintain the position but Zuberi is very close to passing his half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
da Fonseca keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Zuberi thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
da Fonseca tries to score a power double leg takedown but Zuberi sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten da Fonseca somewhat.
da Fonseca fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Estacio da Fonseca is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Zuberi will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Heliodoro Zuberi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
da Fonseca rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Zuberi moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
da Fonseca misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Zuberi.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Zuberi.
da Fonseca rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Zuberi moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
da Fonseca scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Zuberi doesn't seem bothered though.

da Fonseca closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
da Fonseca tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Zuberi is not content to let da Fonseca control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zuberi is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked da Fonseca off and has taken his back!
da Fonseca trying to control but not successfully.
da Fonseca is in a world of trouble here. He's outmatched on the ground here and he'd better get Zuberi off his back sharpish unless he wants to be submitted.
Zuberi connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for da Fonseca to escape the position.
Zuberi scores with punches to the body.

Zuberi is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Zuberi is striking well from the back but da Fonseca escapes and manages to control the positon and works his way to half guard. A much better position - the crisis is over for the time being.
Zuberi is pressing down on da Fonseca's thigh, looking to free his foot. da Fonseca is holding on for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
da Fonseca makes his way to full guard. A much better position for da Fonseca.
Zuberi missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

da Fonseca is looking for a triangle but Zuberi pushes his legs off easily.
Zuberi throwing strikes but missing.
da Fonseca is adopting a defensive guard.
da Fonseca is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Zuberi trying to control here.
da Fonseca thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Zuberi to regain full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zuberi keeping full guard, as da Fonseca tries to pass.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Zuberi is on top in guard.
Zuberi throwing strikes from guard but da Fonseca blocks nicely.
Zuberi connects with a couple of short punches.
Zuberi thows a big elbow that misses.
Zuberi working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Zuberi wants to pass the guard but da Fonseca is keeping the position.
da Fonseca wants to sweep here but Zuberi controlling him for the moment.
da Fonseca is looking to stand up but Zuberi isn't so interested in that idea.

And that's the end of the fight!
Estacio da Fonseca comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think da Fonseca has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 28:29
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Estacio da Fonseca!