PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Dejan Djokovic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Esteban Cambiasso (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Djokovic's entrance music is Back in Black - AC/DC. A fine choice. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Djokovic
vs
Cambiasso

182 cm
22
179 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

178 cm
25
175 lbs
9 - 7 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight 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, Dejan Djokovic!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Esteban Cambiasso!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Paulo Santos and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Djokovic looks to land a left hand but Cambiasso moved out of range nicely.
Cambiasso checks the leg kick.
Djokovic throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Cambiasso dives in and grabs Djokovic's left leg, looking for a takedown. Djokovic pushes down on Cambiasso's head and hops out.
Djokovic throws and low kick but Cambiasso moves out of range easily.
Djokovic tries to close the distance and clinch but Cambiasso swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Cambiasso closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Djokovic breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Cambiasso moves in looking to clinch but Djokovic pushes him off.
Djokovic tries to clinch

and Cambiasso counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Djokovic is looking for a triangle but Cambiasso pushes his legs off easily.
Djokovic on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Djokovic tries to get out of the position.
Cambiasso works a leg free and moves into half guard.

Cambiasso is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Djokovic kicks Cambiasso off and gets back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Djokovic throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Cambiasso shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Djokovic as he avoids it easily.
Cambiasso tries to clinch there but Djokovic circles away.
A big right from Djokovic misses.

Djokovic rushes Cambiasso and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Djokovic manages to break the clinch.
Djokovic misses with a straight left.
Dejan Djokovic is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Djokovic tries to clinch but Cambiasso moves out of range.
Djokovic misses with a body punch
and Cambiasso counters with a three punch combo that has Djokovic backing up. Djokovic nods at Cambiasso to acknowledge the strikes.
Djokovic tries to bum rush Cambiasso with a series of wild strikes but Cambiasso uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Djokovic clinches up with Cambiasso and pushes him back against the cage.

Djokovic manages to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Djokovic clinches.
Djokovic stalling against the cage.

Djokovic breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Cambiasso moves out of range as Djokovic strikes.
Djokovic looks to clinch

and Cambiasso counters by moving into the clinch.

Djokovic breaks from the clinch.

Djokovic clinches.

Djokovic breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Djokovic pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Cambiasso tries to keep at a distance but Djokovic has taken the fight into the clinch.

Djokovic manages to break the clinch.

Djokovic closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Cambiasso has had enough of the clinch but Djokovic keeps him there for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cambiasso tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Djokovic smiles and moves away.
Dejan Djokovic has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Esteban Cambiasso.
Djokovic clinches but Cambiasso breaks the clinch
and Cambiasso counters with a series of strikes. Djokovic will be more careful next time no doubt.
Djokovic thows a leg kick but Cambiasso checks it

and Cambiasso counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Cambiasso drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Cambiasso jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Djokovic has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Cambiasso off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Djokovic darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

It looks like Esteban Cambiasso has been cut.
Cambiasso defending well as Djokovic loads up on a big left hand.
Cambiasso uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Djokovic.
Some bone on bone action there as Cambiasso checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Djokovic misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Cambiasso.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Djokovic swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Djokovic tries to clinch

and Cambiasso counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Djokovic wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Cambiasso jumps guard but Djokovic stands there with Cambiasso around his waist. Cambiasso gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Djokovic breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Djokovic throws a leg kick that is checked

and Cambiasso counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Djokovic!
You get the feeling that Djokovic really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Djokovic gets back to half guard.
Djokovic lands one or two decent shots to the body here. Although from his own half guard, he's not going to be causing too much damage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Djokovic tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Cambiasso has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Djokovic regains half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Esteban Cambiasso will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Esteban Cambiasso's cut.
That's time! Djokovic's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Djokovic throws a leg kick but Cambiasso checks it.
Djokovic tries to clinch but Cambiasso is having none of it.
Djokovic throws a leg kick

and Cambiasso counters by clinching up.

Djokovic's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Djokovic clinches up against the cage.

Djokovic manages to break the clinch.
Cambiasso blocks a leg kick.
Djokovic tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Cambiasso counters with a nice double leg into side control. Djokovic won't be happy with that.

Cambiasso is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Djokovic is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Djokovic tries to buck Cambiasso off but Cambiasso is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Djokovic is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Cambiasso off and has taken his back!
Djokovic thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.
Djokovic struggling to land strikes to the head as Cambiasso covers up.
Djokovic connects with a big shot to the side of Cambiasso's head.
Djokovic is working the ground and pound. Can Cambiasso escape?
Cambiasso is keeping busy.

Djokovic working for a choke but Cambiasso reverses nicely into Djokovic 's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Djokovic working for submissions but it's allowed Cambiasso to get to half guard.
Cambiasso stops Djokovic from getting back to his feet.

Cambiasso is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Djokovic doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Cambiasso.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Djokovic is looking to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Djokovic makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Djokovic.
Cambiasso trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Djokovic wants to get back to his feet but Cambiasso is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Cambiasso is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Cambiasso is breathing heavily.
Djokovic is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Cambiasso is controlling him.

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.

Djokovic pushes Cambiasso off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Djokovic throws the left hand but Cambiasso avoids the punch easily.
Esteban Cambiasso is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Djokovic uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Cambiasso has time to react.
Djokovic tries to clinch but Cambiasso moves away

and Cambiasso counters with a takedown into side control.
Djokovic manages to get back to half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Djokovic is defending against the submission attempts here by Cambiasso.
Djokovic wants to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Esteban Cambiasso will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Esteban Cambiasso's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

The fight stays on the outside here - Djokovic looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Djokovic gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Djokovic's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Cambiasso blocks a low kick nicely.
Djokovic stuns Cambiasso with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.

Djokovic forces Cambiasso back against the cage and clinches.

Djokovic breaks from the clinch.
Nice uppercut there from Djokovic.
The fighters circling - Djokovic throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Djokovic tries to close the distance and clinch but Cambiasso swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A low kick from Djokovic misses

and Cambiasso counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Djokovic lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Cambiasso backwards.
Cambiasso fails to pull guard.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Djokovic.

Djokovic breaks from the clinch.
Cambiasso is looking to clinch.
Djokovic throws an overhand right that lands on Cambiasso's shoulder, as Cambiasso tries to avoid the shot.
Cambiasso circles away from the clinch attempt

and Cambiasso counters by clinching up.

Djokovic manages to break the clinch.
Djokovic swats away the attempt to clinch by Cambiasso.
Cambiasso slips under a jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Cambiasso closes the distance looking to clinch
enabling Djokovic to counter with a crisp jab.

Djokovic closes the distance and clinches.

Djokovic breaks from the clinch.
Djokovic misses with a body shot
and Cambiasso counters with a one-two to the body.
A telegraphed right hand from Djokovic misses the target.
Djokovic looks to clinch

and Cambiasso holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Djokovic breaks from the clinch.
Some wild striking there from Djokovic.
Djokovic is looking to clinch but Cambiasso is avoiding it.
Djokovic pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Djokovic has taken the fight to the clinch.
Djokovic is stalling here.

Cambiasso decides to pull guard.
Djokovic wants to control from the top but Cambiasso keeps moving.
Djokovic knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Cambiasso on the ground.

Cambiasso is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Djokovic is aware though and is defending well.

Cambiasso is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Djokovic is aware though and is defending well.
Cambiasso takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Djokovic postures up in Cambiasso's guard and throws a big left but Cambiasso blocks it.

Djokovic stands up from Cambiasso's guard - Djokovic perhaps looking for a knockout.
Djokovic tries to clinch

and Cambiasso counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Cambiasso prevents Djokovic from standing back up.
Djokovic trying to control but Cambiasso postures up.
Dejan Djokovic has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Djokovic is defending against the submission attempts here by Cambiasso.
Djokovic wants to get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dejan Djokovic showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Cambiasso 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:28
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Esteban Cambiasso!