PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Edson Arantes Do Nascimento (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nicky Fernandez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Arantes Do Nascimento
vs
Fernandez

210 cm
34
212 lbs
14 - 5 - 1

190 cm
27
213 lbs
15 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
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 14 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Edson Arantes Do Nascimento!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 9 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Nicky Fernandez!
The judges for this bout are Paul Aken, Daniel Blasius and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fernandez lands with a good body shot.
Do Nascimento dives in for a single leg takedown but Fernandez sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the ropes.
The referee is keeping an eye on Do Nascimento - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Do Nascimento tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Fernandez just stands there and leans against the ropes.
Do Nascimento leaning against his opponent.
Do Nascimento unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Fernandez is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Do Nascimento is keeping busy.
Do Nascimento drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Edson Arantes Do Nascimento. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fernandez throws a punch but it's blocked by Do Nascimento.
Do Nascimento has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Fernandez is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Do Nascimento breaks from the clinch.
Do Nascimento misses with a takedown attempt - Fernandez sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Do Nascimento fails with a takedown attempt.
Fernandez leaves Do Nascimento with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Do Nascimento has Fernandez up against the ropes in a clinch.
Do Nascimento has Fernandez pressed against the ropes, preventing Fernandez from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Do Nascimento really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Fernandez tries to work over Do Nascimento's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Fernandez misses with a hook to the ribs.
Fernandez struggles to land a body shot inside as Do Nascimento controls his hands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Do Nascimento breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Do Nascimento drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Do Nascimento misses with a wild combination.
Fernandez takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

It looks like Nicky Fernandez has been cut.

Fernandez closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Fernandez misses with the ground and pound.
Do Nascimento can't do much from the bottom here.
Fernandez throws an elbow but Do Nascimento slips to the side and avoids it well.
Fernandez trying to control the position but Do Nascimento is working away.
Fernandez sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Do Nascimento is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Fernandez moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Do Nascimento tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Fernandez in side control, throwing shots but Do Nascimento defends.
Fernandez throws a strike aimed at the side of Do Nascimento's head but Do Nascimento avoids it well.
Do Nascimento is working to avoid the ground and pound but Fernandez connects with a decent elbow.
Fernandez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Do Nascimento keeps working.
Do Nascimento is trying to get back to his feet.
Fernandez in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Do Nascimento is trying to control Fernandez's posture but Fernandez avoids it.
Do Nascimento wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Do Nascimento parries the strikes from Fernandez easily there. Fernandez is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Do Nascimento to escape.
Do Nascimento wants to control but Fernandez postures up.
Fernandez working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Fernandez wants to control but Do Nascimento is keeping him busy.
Fernandez lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Do Nascimento down.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Fernandez looks up at the clock and then as Do Nascimento takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Fernandez smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Fernandez trying to control the action but Do Nascimento is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nicky Fernandez dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Nicky Fernandez's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

A telegraphed takedown attempt from Do Nascimento is defended easily by Fernandez.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Do Nascimento.
Do Nascimento scores with a jab to the body.
Fernandez thuds a left hand into Do Nascimento's body.

Do Nascimento pushes Fernandez up against the ropes in a clinch.
Do Nascimento lands a hook to the side of the head.
Fernandez swings wildly with an uppercut but Do Nascimento uses good head movement to avoid it.
Fernandez wants to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Fernandez.
Do Nascimento has Fernandez pressed up against the ropes and is working for takedown. Fernandez manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Edson Arantes Do Nascimento. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Do Nascimento blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Do Nascimento blocking some punches.
Fernandez prevents a takedown attempt there.
Do Nascimento is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Fernandez lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Do Nascimento or not.
Do Nascimento tries to work over Fernandez's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Do Nascimento lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Do Nascimento not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Fernandez wants to control but Do Nascimento is keeping busy.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Do Nascimento trying to control from half guard but Fernandez is working away.
Do Nascimento will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Fernandez manages to get to full guard.
Fernandez wants to get back to his feet but Do Nascimento is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Do Nascimento wants to control from the top but Fernandez keeps moving.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Edson Arantes Do Nascimento wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Do Nascimento fails with an attempt to clinch.
Fernandez waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Do Nascimento.
Do Nascimento connects with a high kick.
Fernandez darts in looking for a takedown but Do Nascimento gets double underhooks and turns Fernandez into the ropes.
Do Nascimento fails to pull guard.
Fernandez looking to slow down the pace here.

Do Nascimento breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Do Nascimento takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Do Nascimento changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Fernandez tries to avoid it but Do Nascimento manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Fernandez to the ground. Fernandez escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fernandez throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Do Nascimento keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Fernandez fails with the takedown.
Fernandez stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Fernandez wants it to stay on the feet.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Some wild striking there from Do Nascimento.
Fernandez swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Fernandez is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Do Nascimento rather than just go for the knockout.

Fernandez shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Fernandez showed some decent athleticism there.
Fernandez seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Do Nascimento does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Do Nascimento is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Fernandez's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Fernandez's back!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Nicky Fernandez will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Nicky Fernandez's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Fernandez keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Fernandez swings away with a leg kick that misses.
A jab from Fernandez does it's job there.
Do Nascimento takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Do Nascimento tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Do Nascimento takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Fernandez tries to bum rush Do Nascimento with a series of wild strikes but Do Nascimento uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Fernandez connects with a jab.
The fight stays on the outside here - Do Nascimento looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Horrible takedown by Do Nascimento or perhaps it was just good defense by Fernandez which made him look bad.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Fernandez ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Do Nascimento moves away.
Do Nascimento is looking to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fernandez throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Fernandez misses with a straight right.
Do Nascimento goes for a double leg but Fernandez avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the ropes as Fernandez continues to drive forward.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Edson Arantes Do Nascimento. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Do Nascimento as Fernandez tries to tie him up.
Fernandez avoids the elbow strike from Do Nascimento, against the ropes.
Fernandez looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

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

Fernandez decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Fernandez is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Do Nascimento wants to improve his position but Fernandez is controlling well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fernandez is pressing down on Do Nascimento's thigh, looking to free his foot. Do Nascimento is holding on for now.
Do Nascimento gets back to full guard.
Fernandez looking to sit in guard and control but Do Nascimento gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
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!
Fernandez tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Fernandez not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Do Nascimento trying to control but Fernandez is working from the bottom.
Do Nascimento trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Fernandez has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fernandez is trying to control the position but Do Nascimento postures up.
Do Nascimento tries to free his leg and advance position but Fernandez is retaining full guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Do Nascimento trying to stand up but can't free himself from Fernandez's guard.
Fernandez is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Fernandez bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Do Nascimento's guard.
Fernandez landing with the ground and pound.
Fernandez trying to control but Do Nascimento is working from the bottom.
Do Nascimento is looking to stand up but Fernandez isn't so interested in that idea.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fernandez postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Fernandez looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Fernandez pushing down on Do Nascimento's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Fernandez looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Do Nascimento with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Do Nascimento is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Fernandez pulls his head out easily.
Fernandez trying to control from half guard but Do Nascimento is working away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nicky Fernandez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Fernandez 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 Paul Aken scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 28:30
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nicky Fernandez!
Nicky Fernandez seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.