PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Luiz Fernandes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Luiz Henrique (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Fernandes
vs
Henrique

176 cm
19
170 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

184 cm
21
168 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Luiz Fernandes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Luiz Henrique!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Paulo Santos and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Henrique is looking to clinch.
Fernandes will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Fernandes tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Henrique manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Fernandes cracks the inside of Henrique's front leg.
Fernandes wants to clinch

so Henrique counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Henrique not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Fernandes wants to sweep but no luck.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Henrique accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Fernandes looking to control.
Henrique tries to free his leg and advance position but Fernandes is retaining full guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Henrique's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Fernandes is trying to control the position but Henrique postures up.
Henrique really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Fernandes. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fernandes has Henrique pulled in close to control his posture.
Fernandes looking to hit a scissor sweep but Henrique is one step ahead there.

Luiz Fernandes has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Henrique drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Fernandes looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Fernandes looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Henrique working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Henrique accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Henrique trying to control but Fernandes is working from the bottom.
Henrique must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Fernandes can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Henrique controls the pace.
Henrique trying to control the position from guard on top but Fernandes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Fernandes controls Henrique momentarily but Henrique frees himself.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Luiz Fernandes has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Henrique tries to close the distance and clinch up but Fernandes swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Fernandes tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Henrique manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Henrique tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Fernandes tries to clinch but Henrique is having none of it.

Henrique shoots in and bounces Fernandes off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Fernandes punching from the bottom - just letting Henrique know he's still in a fight.
Fernandes bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Henrique's guard.
Henrique trying to control the position.
Fernandes trying to control but Henrique is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fernandes's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Fernandes wants to get up but he can't break Henrique's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Henrique looking to hit a scissor sweep but Fernandes is one step ahead there.
Henrique looks gassed!

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

Henrique shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Henrique was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luiz Henrique dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Fernandes clinches up against the cage.
Fernandes tries a knee to the head but Henrique blocks it.
Fernandes stalling.
Fernandes lands a nice elbow.
Fernandes is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Fernandes drops down looking for an ankle pick but Henrique pulls his leg out and moves away.
Fernandes scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Luiz Fernandes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fernandes throws a half hearted mid kick.
Fernandes misses with a takedown

and Henrique counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Luiz Fernandes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fernandes wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Henrique pressing his opponent against the cage.
Henrique has Fernandes pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Fernandes manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henrique stalling against the cage.
A right hand to the body from Henrique.
Henrique throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Henrique trying to stall but Fernandes improves his position.

Fernandes pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Fernandes tries to score a power double leg takedown but Henrique sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Fernandes somewhat.

Henrique gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Fernandes trying to control the position from guard on top but Henrique is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Fernandes tries to stand but Henrique is controlling from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henrique looking for a sweep. Not yet Henrique, not yet.
Fernandes trying to control the position from guard on top but Henrique is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Henrique wants to sweep but no luck.
Henrique throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Luiz Fernandes.
Fernandes misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Henrique counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Henrique trying to control the position from guard on top but Fernandes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Henrique preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fernandes is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Henrique controlling from the top position.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Luiz Henrique wasn't active enough on the ground.
Fernandes misses with a takedown attempt

and Henrique moves into the clinch.
Henrique will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Fernandes up against the cage.
Henrique jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Fernandes walks away with a smile on his face. Henrique gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Henrique has his takedown stuffed
and Fernandes counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Henrique displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Fernandes.

Henrique shoots in and bounces Fernandes off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Henrique won't allow Fernandes to sweep him here.
Fernandes controls Henrique momentarily but Henrique frees himself.
Henrique prevents Fernandes from getting back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luiz Henrique showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Henrique doesn't manage to clinch there - Fernandes circles away.

Fernandes closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Henrique tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Fernandes wants to lay and pray for a moment but Henrique keeps working.
Fernandes lands a few punches from side control.

Fernandes decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Fernandes wants to clinch

and Henrique counters by moving into the clinch.
Fernandes drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Henrique gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Henrique jumps guard but Fernandes stands there with Henrique around his waist. Henrique gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Henrique escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Fernandes drives through with a takedown into guard.
Henrique throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Henrique is controlling Fernandes's posture.

Fernandes decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Henrique clinches up with Fernandes and pushes him back against the cage.

Fernandes pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Fernandes tries to clinch up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fernandes shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Henrique as he jumps to the side.

Henrique darts in and clinches Fernandes up against the cage.
Henrique jumps guard but Fernandes stands there with Henrique around his waist. Henrique gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Fernandes as Henrique tries to tie him up.
Fernandes stalling.

Fernandes breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Fernandes misses with a takedown

and Henrique counters with a single leg into guard. Fernandes didn't expect that.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Luiz Fernandes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Fernandes is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Fernandes lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Henrique!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henrique is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Fernandes can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Henrique is looking to escape.
Henrique is wriggling around trying to escape.

Fernandes working for a guillotine from mount but Henrique is in no mood to give up.
Henrique is desperately trying to improve his position but Fernandes has a good base and remains in mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Fernandes controlling the position easily from mount.
Henrique tries to lock up and control but Fernandes gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Fernandes controlling the pace for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Luiz Fernandes showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Henrique 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Luiz Henrique!