PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Lucas Negrizolli (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joabe Oliveira (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Negrizolli
vs
Oliveira

194 cm
21
185 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

201 cm
26
187 lbs
1 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Lucas Negrizolli!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Joabe Oliveira!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Felipe Paraventi and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Negrizolli connects with a high kick.
Negrizolli moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Negrizolli misses with a body kick.
Oliveira circles away from the clinch attempt
letting Oliveira counter with a right hand.
Oliveira connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Oliveira fails with the takedown

and Negrizolli counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Negrizolli trying to control the action but Oliveira is working from the bottom.
Negrizolli not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Negrizolli thows a huge punch but Oliveira dodges it nicely.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Oliveira desperately trying to maintain half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Negrizolli throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Negrizolli missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Negrizolli scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Oliveira trying to hold on to Negrizolli's head to control him but Negrizolli postures up.
Oliveira tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Negrizolli has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Oliveira tries to buck Negrizolli off but he can't manage it.
Oliveira is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Negrizolli swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Oliveira is now in Negrizolli's guard. A big mistake from Negrizolli there, giving up the dominant position!
Oliveira is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Negrizolli not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Oliveira trying to control the position from guard on top but Negrizolli is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Oliveira stays in close to Negrizolli's body and controls the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Joabe Oliveira was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Oliveira throws a sloppy head kick and Negrizolli moves out of range easily.
Negrizolli fails with the takedown

and Oliveira counters with a single leg into guard. Negrizolli didn't expect that.
Negrizolli is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Oliveira trying to control but Negrizolli is working from the bottom.

Oliveira gets to his feet - Negrizolli follows without any prompting.
Negrizolli swings away with a body shot that misses

and Oliveira counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Negrizolli!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Oliveira sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Oliveira is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Negrizolli can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Negrizolli throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.

Oliveira moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Negrizolli has worked his arm free - good work by Negrizolli!
Negrizolli is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Oliveira asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Negrizolli is breathing heavily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
You can see the frustration on Negrizolli's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joabe Oliveira 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.

Oliveira clinches with his opponent.

Oliveira has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Negrizolli uses from the top position.
Joabe Oliveira has got the better of the ground game so far.
Negrizolli wants to control from the top but Oliveira keeps moving.
Oliveira controlling the position.
Negrizolli trying to control the position from guard on top but Oliveira is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Oliveira is looking to sweep but instead, Negrizolli has passed into half guard.
Oliveira is pressing down on Negrizolli's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Negrizolli has gone for a leg lock! Oliveira slips out almost immediately though and dives into Negrizolli's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Oliveira slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Oliveira trying to control but Negrizolli is working from the bottom.

Negrizolli looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Oliveira passes into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Oliveira is controlling the pace.

That's two 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.
Oliveira passes to side control.
Negrizolli pushes Oliveira away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Oliveira gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

Oliveira tries for a kimura but Negrizolli is defending well.
Negrizolli is trying to escape the position but Oliveira is controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Let's hope that Oliveira has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Oliveira is looking to take a break and control but Negrizolli is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Oliveira grinds an elbow into Negrizolli's temple.

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.
Oliveira remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Oliveira cracks Negrizolli with a big right hand but Negrizolli just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

Oliveira decides to stand up, so the ref orders Negrizolli to his feet.
Negrizolli tries to clinch but Oliveira is having none of it.
Oliveira gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Negrizolli counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Oliveira is trying to maintain the position but Negrizolli is very close to passing his half guard.
Oliveira is pressing down on Negrizolli's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joabe Oliveira showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Oliveira moves into the clinch.
Negrizolli can't break the clinch.

Oliveira breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Oliveira moves into the clinch.

Oliveira's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Oliveira ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Negrizolli throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

Oliveira shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Oliveira showed some decent athleticism there.
Negrizolli is pressing down on Oliveira's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Negrizolli is trying to control the position but Oliveira postures up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Oliveira is in close to Negrizolli's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Negrizolli manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Oliveira dives in and grabs Negrizolli's left leg, looking for a takedown. Negrizolli pushes down on Oliveira's head and hops out.
Negrizolli misses with a takedown

and Oliveira counters by moving into the clinch.

Oliveira's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Negrizolli shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Oliveira counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Negrizolli has hold of Oliveira's hands but Oliveira slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Negrizolli has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Oliveira is working away from the top position though.
Oliveira working Negrizolli over with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Oliveira looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Oliveira stands up from half guard.
Oliveira lands a nice leg kick that just misses Negrizolli's sensitive parts.
Oliveira turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Oliveira gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Oliveira is leaning against Negrizolli and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Negrizolli being controlled against the cage.
Negrizolli is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Oliveira is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Oliveira blocks an elbow strike.

Oliveira manages to break the clinch.
Lucas Negrizolli is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Negrizolli avoids the body shot from Oliveira.
Negrizolli shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Oliveira holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lucas Negrizolli. That's going to take a lot out of him.

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

Oliveira scores with a takedown into Negrizolli's guard.
Oliveira wants to pass the guard but Negrizolli is keeping the position.
Oliveira trying to control the position from guard on top but Negrizolli is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Negrizolli manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Oliveira manages to get himself to full guard.
Oliveira is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Negrizolli moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Oliveira postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Negrizolli is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Oliveira, into his guard.
Lucas Negrizolli has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Joabe Oliveira is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Oliveira holds on and takes a little breather.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joabe Oliveira comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Oliveira 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joabe Oliveira!