PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Antonio Ricardo Nogueira (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Juniori De Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). De Santos comes into a darkened arena with his song building. My Love - Passion kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Ricardo Nogueira
vs
De Santos

191 cm
23
265 lbs
3 - 5 - 1

188 cm
22
245 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Very confident

Win Nutritional
Mundo Green - World Verde

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Antonio Ricardo Nogueira!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Juniori De Santos!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Mauricio Rocha and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
De Santos tries to clinch there but Nogueira circles away.
De Santos shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Nogueira as he jumps to the side.
Nogueira fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
De Santos fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

De Santos moves into range and clinches up with Nogueira.

Nogueira escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
The fight stays on the outside here - Nogueira looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Nogueira 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.
Nogueira with a flurry of punches that miss.
Nogueira is stalling in the full guard.
De Santos trying to control the position.
Nogueira trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
De Santos being controlled here, momentarily.
Nogueira trying to control but De Santos is working from the bottom.
De Santos should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

De Santos scores with a takedown into Nogueira's guard.

De Santos got a little sloppy there for a moment and Nogueira has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, De Santos has managed to get both his arms back between Nogueira's legs - danger averted.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as De Santos accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
De Santos looking to pass the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nogueira throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

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

De Santos gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
De Santos tries to score with a low kick but Nogueira moves his leg out of the way.
De Santos shoots and misses

and Nogueira counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in De Santos's guard now.
Antonio Ricardo Nogueira has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Juniori De Santos.
De Santos looks gassed!

Nogueira drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and De Santos dives on top into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nogueira wants to sweep but no luck.

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

Nogueira is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. De Santos is aware though and is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
De Santos tries to stand but Nogueira is controlling from the bottom.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Nogueira tries to land a sweep but no joy.
De Santos working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Nogueira's head.
De Santos is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
De Santos wants to stand but Nogueira has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
De Santos is trying hard to land a takedown here. Nogueira sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Nogueira gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and De Santos counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's four 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.
Nogueira has a takedown stuffed.

Nogueira clinches.

Nogueira is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. De Santos can't fight it off and eventually Nogueira manages to take the fight to the floor. De Santos looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
De Santos tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Nogueira wants to control from the top but De Santos keeps moving.
Nogueira stopping the sweep attempt from De Santos.
Nogueira looking to pass the guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antonio Ricardo Nogueira dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Nogueira forces De Santos back against the cage and clinches.
Nogueira tries for a takedown. No joy.
De Santos prevents a takedown attempt there.

Nogueira pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Antonio Ricardo Nogueira seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nogueira tries to clinch but De Santos moves out of range.
De Santos moves in looking to clinch but Nogueira pushes him off.
De Santos shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Nogueira counters with a two punch combo.
A punch combination from Nogueira misses.
Nogueira with a poor takedown
and De Santos counters with a stiff right hand.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Antonio Ricardo Nogueira. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nogueira changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. De Santos tries to avoid it but Nogueira manages to keep hold of a leg and drag De Santos to the ground. De Santos escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
De Santos with a poor takedown

and Nogueira counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Nogueira.
De Santos is trying to break the clinch but Nogueira has him pressed against the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
De Santos goes for a takedown in the clinch but Nogueira prevents it.
Nogueira is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nogueira breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Nogueira rushes De Santos and presses him up against the cage.
Nogueira goes for a takedown in the clinch but De Santos prevents it.
Nogueira has De Santos pressed against the cage, preventing De Santos from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
De Santos tries a body shot but Nogueira blocks it.
Nogueira is trying to work for a single leg takedown but De Santos pulls him back up using the underhooks.
De Santos stops a takedown attempt from Nogueira.
Nogueira prevents the takedown attempt.
De Santos stops a takedown attempt from Nogueira.
De Santos is looking to control Nogueira's arms but Nogueira gets an underhook and turns him. Now De Santos has his back to the cage.
De Santos tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Nogueira smiles and moves away.

Nogueira pushes De Santos up against the cage in a clinch.
Nogueira can't get the takedown.
De Santos misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nogueira lands a good knee to the midsection. De Santos won't want to take too many of those.

Nogueira breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
De Santos closes the distance looking to clinch

and Nogueira counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Nogueira jumps guard but De Santos stands there with Nogueira around his waist. Nogueira gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Nogueira gets a trip takedown into half guard.

Nogueira is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and De Santos defends it well.
De Santos manages to get to full guard.
Nogueira prevents De Santos from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nogueira thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
De Santos wants to get back to his feet but Nogueira is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Nogueira trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Nogueira postures up.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Nogueira throws a series of strikes that have De Santos backpedaling.

Nogueira scores with a takedown into De Santos's guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Nogueira accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Nogueira drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but De Santos manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Nogueira has De Santos in his guard.

Nogueira escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. De Santos gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Nogueira is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. De Santos is aware though and is defending well.

Nogueira is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antonio Ricardo Nogueira dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

De Santos lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Nogueira will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
De Santos misses with a double jab
and Nogueira counters with a thumping low kick.

Nogueira drives through with a takedown into guard.
Antonio Ricardo Nogueira overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Nogueira stops De Santos from standing up.

Nogueira drops back for a leg here. A bit of a high risk move... He's looking for a kneebar by the looks of things. Now both of them are looking for submissions. Nogueira seems to have locked his on tight now - De Santos screams in pain and taps out furiously! It certainly was a high risk move but it's paid off for Nogueira, as he picks up the win!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:50 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kneebar). Antonio Ricardo Nogueira!