PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between James Baldwin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zeca Fagundes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Zeca Fagundes acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Baldwin
vs
Fagundes

190 cm
19
199 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
24
190 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Very confident

▲Steel Penn Fight Gear - As Low As $4

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, James Baldwin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Zeca Fagundes!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Mauricio Rocha and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fagundes thows a body shot but no joy.
Baldwin fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Fagundes on the side of the head.
Baldwin shoots for a double leg takedown but Fagundes sprawls well. He's pushed Baldwin's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Fagundes tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Fagundes darts in and clinches Baldwin up against the cage.

Fagundes escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Fagundes stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Fagundes wants it to stay on the feet.
Baldwin tries to clinch but Fagundes moves away

and Fagundes decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Baldwin's guard.

Baldwin has his foot on Fagundes's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Fagundes works his way back into a safe position though.
Fagundes tries to free his leg and advance position but Baldwin is retaining full guard.

Baldwin working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Fagundes has passed into half guard!
Baldwin tries to get to full guard but Fagundes has control of the leg.
Baldwin trying to control here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baldwin manages to get to full guard.

Baldwin working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Fagundes doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Fagundes manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Fagundes not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Baldwin has an active guard here but Fagundes has managed to pass into half guard.
Baldwin tries to roll over but Fagundes keeps him under control.

Baldwin looking for subs from the bottom but Fagundes mounts him!
Fagundes breaks from Baldwin's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Baldwin is trying to reverse the position but instead Fagundes has taken his back - oops!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fagundes is trying to stick to Baldwin's back but Baldwin is turning into Fagundes. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Fagundes's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Baldwin.
Fagundes is pulling down on Baldwin's head. It's preventing any offense from Baldwin, at least for the moment.

Fagundes is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Fagundes working a defensive guard but Baldwin manages to pass into side control anyway.
Baldwin works to advance to full mount. Fagundes defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Fagundes is just holding on here. Baldwin manages to take his back.
Fagundes wants to control his opponent's hands but Baldwin gets his hands free.
Baldwin is looking to control Fagundes but Fagundes is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Fagundes wants to escape the position.
Baldwin controlling the position well here. Fagundes rolled but Baldwin kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zeca Fagundes dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Fagundes moves into the clinch.

Fagundes escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Baldwin misses with a series of wild punches.

Fagundes rushes Baldwin and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Fagundes drops down looking for an ankle pick but Baldwin pulls his leg out and moves away.
Baldwin shoots and misses

and Fagundes counters by moving into the clinch.

Fagundes works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Fagundes wants to get up but he can't break Baldwin's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Baldwin escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Fagundes gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Baldwin is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Fagundes avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Baldwin escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Fagundes gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Fagundes is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Baldwin has his foot on Fagundes's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Fagundes works his way back into a safe position though.
Fagundes must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Baldwin working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Fagundes doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Fagundes manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Fagundes really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Baldwin. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Baldwin looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Fagundes has picked Baldwin up and slammed him! Baldwin can't keep hold of the triangle and Fagundes manages to pass to side control!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Fagundes cracks Baldwin with a big elbow.
Baldwin is not content to let Fagundes control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Baldwin tries to buck Fagundes off but Fagundes is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baldwin is trying to control Fagundes's posture but Fagundes avoids it.
Baldwin is not content to let Fagundes control the position.
Baldwin gets back to half guard.

Baldwin looking for a kimura from the bottom but Fagundes passes into side control!

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.
Baldwin looking for a sweep but Fagundes has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Fagundes avoids the attempt from Baldwin to control.
Fagundes is looking to work his way around to Baldwin's back. He needs to be careful though, as he's in danger of losing this dominant position.
Baldwin can't escape the position.
Baldwin regains half guard.
Still in half guard, Fagundes seems content to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Zeca Fagundes will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Fagundes drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Zeca Fagundes has got the better of the ground game so far.
Baldwin throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
Baldwin wants to get back to his feet.
Baldwin sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Baldwin works his way to full guard. Good work.

Fagundes avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Fagundes gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baldwin keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Baldwin lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Fagundes throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Fagundes throws a left and a right that both miss
and Baldwin counters with a nice uppercut.
Baldwin fails with a takedown attempt.
Baldwin fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Baldwin gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Fagundes counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Fagundes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Baldwin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fagundes drops down looking for an ankle pick but Baldwin pulls his leg out and moves away.
Fagundes slips a jab and a cross from Baldwin.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baldwin tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Fagundes counters by clinching up.

Fagundes jumps guard.
Fagundes is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Baldwin trying to control the position from guard on top but Fagundes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Fagundes working a defensive guard but Baldwin passes into half guard.
Fagundes has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Baldwin is working away from the top position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baldwin is keen to just control but Fagundes is a slippery customer.
Fagundes is looking for a sweep. Baldwin is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Fagundes is trying to control but Baldwin passes into side control!
Baldwin trying to control the action but Fagundes is working from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Baldwin throws a series of punches but Fagundes avoids them all with ease.

Fagundes shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Fagundes showed some decent athleticism there.

Baldwin looking for submissions off his back.
James Baldwin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Baldwin actively working from the bottom here.

Baldwin looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Baldwin looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Zeca Fagundes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Fagundes winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 27:30
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Zeca Fagundes!