PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Travadera Fernandes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Renaldo Santos Do Mereila (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Fernandes
vs
Santos Do Mereila

180 cm
20
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

198 cm
20
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight 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, Travadera Fernandes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Renaldo Santos Do Mereila!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Paulo Santos and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Do Mereila misses with a wild combination.
Do Mereila tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Fernandes paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Fernandes closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Fernandes knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Do Mereila on the ground.
Do Mereila can't do much from the bottom here.

Fernandes stands up.
Do Mereila swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Do Mereila misses with a takedown

and Fernandes counters with a takedown into side control.
Do Mereila struggling a bit here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Do Mereila gets back to half guard.
Do Mereila is trying to maintain the position but Fernandes is very close to passing his half guard.
Fernandes not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Fernandes controlling the action here.
Do Mereila wants to control but Fernandes is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Do Mereila wants to get back to full guard.
Fernandes content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Fernandes could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Do Mereila is looking to control Fernandes's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Do Mereila avoid being mounted?

Do Mereila looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Fernandes has taken the fight to the clinch.
Fernandes keeps control of Do Mereila as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Fernandes tries for a takedown but Do Mereila manages to get underhooks.
Stalling in the clinch from Fernandes.
Fernandes can't get the takedown.
Do Mereila is trying to stall.
Do Mereila tries to pull guard but Fernandes won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Fernandes breaks from the clinch.
Fernandes tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Both fighters circling a little - Fernandes finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Do Mereila avoids the head kick by Fernandes.
Do Mereila showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Fernandes.

Fernandes shoots in and bounces Do Mereila off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Fernandes is breathing heavily.
Do Mereila trying to keep a closed guard but Fernandes is proving a slippery customer.
Fernandes stopping the sweep attempt from Do Mereila.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fernandes pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Do Mereila is keeping the position for now.
Fernandesis looking to pass into half guard but Do Mereila pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Do Mereila is in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Do Mereila tries to free his leg and advance position but Fernandes is retaining full guard.
Fernandes keeping moving, preventing Do Mereila from controlling successfully.
Fernandes has his hands on Do Mereila's head, controlling the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Travadera Fernandes dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Fernandes shoots in and drives through. Do Mereila sprawls well.
Travadera Fernandes is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Fernandes throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Fernandes shoots in but Do Mereila avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Fernandes fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Do Mereila manages to avoid it.
Fernandes looks to land a combination but Do Mereila avoids it well.
Fernandes tries to clinch but Do Mereila is having none of it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fernandes looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Fernandes will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Travadera Fernandes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Do Mereila gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Fernandes counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Do Mereila manages to get to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Do Mereila is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Fernandes is controlling him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Do Mereila tries to strike from the bottom.

Do Mereila is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Fernandes might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Do Mereila keeping moving, preventing Fernandes from controlling successfully.
Do Mereila tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Fernandes postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Do Mereila is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Do Mereila is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Fernandes fails to land with a series of punches.
Do Mereila tries to clinch but Fernandes is having none of it.
Fernandes looking to land some kicks to the body here.

Do Mereila rushes Fernandes and presses him up against the cage.

Do Mereila manages to break the clinch.
Fernandes fails with the takedown.

Do Mereila closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Do Mereila controlling from side mount.

Do Mereila tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Fernandes struggling a bit here.
Fernandes is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Do Mereila off and has taken his back!

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

Fernandes is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Do Mereila defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Do Mereila trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.

Fernandes tightening his grip on Do Mereila, looking for the choke.
Do Mereila is trying to get back to his feet but Fernandes has full control of the position and if anything, Do Mereila has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Fernandes controlling from the back.

Fernandes looking for the choke from the back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Travadera Fernandes dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Fernandes shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Do Mereila's guard.
Fernandes has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Do Mereila is proving hard to escape from.
Fernandes wants to pass the guard but Do Mereila is keeping the position.
Do Mereila seems keen to control Fernandes's posture.
Fernandes is looking to stand up but Do Mereila won't let him.
Do Mereila looking to hit a scissor sweep but Fernandes is one step ahead there.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fernandes throws a strike but Do Mereila rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Do Mereila preventing the sweep.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Fernandes gets a takedown into half guard.
Do Mereila is trying to stand up here but Fernandes is controlling him well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fernandes seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Fernandes working over Do Mereila with some ground and pound. Do Mereila looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Do Mereila is looking to escape.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Do Mereila is trying to get back to full guard.
Do Mereila gets back to full guard.
Fernandes throws a strike but Do Mereila rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fernandes keeping moving, preventing Do Mereila from controlling successfully.
Fernandes has his hands on Do Mereila's head, controlling the position.
Do Mereila trying to control the position from guard on top but Fernandes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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.
Fernandes wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Do Mereila wants to control from the top but Fernandes keeps moving.
Renaldo Santos Do Mereila has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Fernandes misses with the combination.

And that's the end of the fight!
Travadera Fernandes showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Fernandes, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 30:27
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Travadera Fernandes!