PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Aviya Sherman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Martinez Eluard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Eluard is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Sail. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Sherman
vs
Eluard

185 cm
20
185 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

180 cm
20
197 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Cardio machine

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Grand Royal Wear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Aviya Sherman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Martinez Eluard!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Leandro Rodrigues and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sherman jabs Eluard to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Eluard checks the leg kick nicely there.
Eluard closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Eluard pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Eluard jabs Sherman to the body, keeping him at a distance.

Sherman feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

Sherman avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sherman accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sherman prevents Eluard from getting back to his feet.
Eluard told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.
Sherman wants to control from the top but Eluard keeps moving.

Eluard working for a triangle but Sherman defends it easily.

Eluard throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sherman postures up.
Sherman loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Sherman working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Eluard escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Sherman gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Sherman throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Eluard keeping moving, preventing Sherman from controlling successfully.
Sherman missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sherman slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Eluard keeping moving, preventing Sherman from controlling successfully.
Sherman throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Eluard escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Sherman gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Eluard not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Eluard is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Sherman throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Eluard working for submissions but it's allowed Sherman to get to half guard.
Sherman throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Eluard looking for submissions off his back.

Sherman seems to be looking for submissions.
Sherman throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Eluard looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Sherman is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sherman prevents Eluard from getting the reversal.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Eluard avoids a series of strikes thrown by Sherman.
Eluard is looking to get to half guard.
Sherman misses with some ground and pound and Eluard recovers position to half guard.
Eluard trying to control but Sherman postures up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Eluard is refusing to be controlled, as Sherman sits in half guard.

Eluard looking for submissions off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Aviya Sherman will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Eluard checks the leg kick nicely there.
Sherman jabs at Eluard's body.
Sherman just misses with a punch to the body.
Sherman misses the shot to the body.
Sherman defending well as Eluard loads up on a big left hand.
A lazy left from Sherman finds it's target.
Eluard avoids a punch combination nicely.
Eluard swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Eluard keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Sherman shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Eluard but Eluard pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Sherman dives in for a single leg takedown but Eluard sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Sherman.
Sherman scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Sherman lands a left hand that snaps the head of Eluard backwards.
Eluard throws a punch but it's blocked by Sherman.
Sherman misses with a body punch.
Eluard stalling in the clinch but Sherman improves position.
Sherman tries a body shot but Eluard blocks it.
Sherman lands a right hand.
Sherman pushes Eluard back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
I was talking to Sherman's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Sherman lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Sherman lands with a short shot to the head.
Eluard's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Eluard is looking to control Sherman's arms but Sherman gets an underhook and turns him. Now Eluard has his back to the cage.
Sherman lands a shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sherman blocks a body shot from Eluard.
Sherman lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Sherman lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Sherman lands a right hand.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Eluard's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Eluard wants to stall.
Eluard blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Sherman throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Eluards head.
Sherman lands a right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Eluard blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Sherman is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Eluard to keep the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aviya Sherman. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sherman lands a right hand.
Sherman is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Eluard is defending well.
Sherman goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Sherman works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Sherman gets through Eluard's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Sherman misses with a punch to the body.
Sherman has a couple of punches blocked by Eluard.
Sherman displaying some good clinch control by pressing Eluard up against the cage.
Sherman tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Sherman lands a nice uppercut.
Sherman softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Eluard misses with the head strike.
Sherman tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Eluard is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Sherman makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Sherman blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Sherman goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Eluard's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Eluard is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Sherman is defending well for now.
Eluard wants to stall.
Eluard struggles to land a body shot inside as Sherman controls his hands.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sherman lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Sherman misses with a short punch on the inside.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Sherman.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aviya Sherman dominated that second 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.

Sherman changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Eluard throws a right and a left that both miss.
Eluard stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Eluard lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Sherman circles away quickly and effectively.
Martinez Eluard is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sherman avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Sherman shoots in but Eluard avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Aviya Sherman seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sherman lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Sherman lands a right hook to the body.
Sherman darts in looking for a takedown but Eluard gets double underhooks and turns Sherman into the cage.
Sherman lands a right hand that snaps the head of Eluard backwards.
A head punch on the inside from Eluard fails to land.
A short uppercut from Sherman.
The referee calls for Sherman to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sherman tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Eluard's elbow.
Sherman tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Eluard's elbow.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Sherman.
Sherman tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aviya Sherman. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Eluard with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Eluard misses with a body punch.

Sherman jumps into guard, dragging Eluard to the mat.
Eluard preventing the sweep.
Sherman trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Eluard stopping the sweep attempt from Sherman.
Sherman trying to keep a closed guard but Eluard is proving a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Eluard trying to control the position from guard on top but Sherman is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sherman throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Sherman wants to control but Eluard passes easily into half guard.
Eluard is looking to take a break and control but Sherman is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Eluard is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Eluard looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sherman trying to control from the bottom.

Sherman is defending against the submission attempts here by Eluard.

Eluard wants to work for an arm triangle but Sherman is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Sherman is not content to let Eluard control the position.

Eluard seems to be looking for submissions.
Sherman is trying to control but can't.
Eluard tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Eluard is thwarting Sherman's attempts to control the position.

Eluard is looking for a kimura here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sherman trying to control here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but Aviya Sherman did the better work so I'd imagine he'll take it.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Eluard moves forwards but Sherman connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Eluard keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Eluard checks a leg kick.
Sherman uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Eluard.
Sherman throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Eluard.
Sherman lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Eluard misses with a straight left.
Sherman throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Eluard stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Sherman misses with a wild body shot.

Sherman shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Eluard looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sherman not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Sherman wants to pass to mount but Eluard is defending the position.

Eluard looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Eluard looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Sherman is just content to waste time from the top position. Eluard takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Sherman trying to control but Eluard is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sherman throws a big right hand that misses.

Eluard looking for a guillotine here but Sherman defends easily.
Sherman trying to control but Eluard is working from the bottom.
Eluard trying to keep a closed guard but Sherman is proving a slippery customer.

Eluard throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Sherman escapes and throws Eluard's legs to the side, diving into side control!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sherman sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Eluard is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Eluard taking a bit of punishment here - Sherman scoring with strikes.
Eluard tries to improve position but can't.
Sherman working the ground and pound but Eluard is defending the strikes.
Eluard defending against the ground and pound.
Eluard wants to control but Sherman postures up.
Sherman looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Eluard is avoiding damage well.
Sherman takes a little break here. Eluard wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Eluard is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sherman throws a strike aimed at the side of Eluard's head but Eluard avoids it well.

Sherman wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Eluard, who protects the arm well.

Sherman wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Eluard, who protects the arm well.
Sherman wants to control for a moment but Eluard uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Sherman is looking to take a break and control but Eluard is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Eluard trying to control here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aviya Sherman had his way with Martinez Eluard in that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Sherman is looking to score with low kicks.
Eluard takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Eluard throws a left and a right that both miss
and Sherman cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Sherman tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Sherman throws a shot from downtown. Eluard moves away and avoids it.
No joy there for Eluard, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Eluard lands a really nice looking cross but Sherman seems unphased.
Sherman bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Eluard's head backwards.
Sherman finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Good standup being displayed there by Eluard as he connects with a hook.
Eluard waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Sherman.
Sherman scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Eluard avoids the body shot from Sherman.
Eluard connects with the punch.
Sherman lands a really nice looking cross but Eluard seems unphased.
Eluard misses with a two punch combination.
Sherman throws a nice inside leg kick.
Sherman ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Eluard moves away.
Sherman lands a body shot.
Sherman throws a solid leg kick but Eluard takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Sherman.
Eluard throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Sherman uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Eluard.
Eluard will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Eluard is wobbling all over the place through exhaustion. Will he make it to the final bell?
Sherman will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sherman misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Eluard.
Sherman is looking to wear down Eluard with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Sherman throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Sherman displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Eluard throws out the jab.
Eluard tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Sherman was well out of range. Poor timing from Eluard.
Eluard darts in trying to clinch

and Sherman counters with a nice double leg into guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sherman postures up in Eluard's guard and throws a big left but Eluard blocks it.

Sherman got a little sloppy there for a moment and Eluard has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Sherman has managed to get both his arms back between Eluard's legs - danger averted.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sherman throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Eluard works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Sherman is looking to work some ground and pound but Eluard has wrist control.
Eluard keeping full guard, as Sherman tries to pass.
Eluard utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Sherman missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Eluard is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sherman throws a big right hand that misses.
Eluard working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sherman.
Eluard is looking to sweep but instead, Sherman has passed into half guard.
Eluard is refusing to be controlled, as Sherman sits in half guard.
Sherman takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Sherman prevents Eluard from standing back up.
Sherman is thwarting Eluard's attempts to control the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sherman with the ground and pound but Eluard uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Martinez Eluard has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Aviya Sherman is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Sherman is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aviya Sherman showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Sherman has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 48:47
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 50:45
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 50:47

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aviya Sherman!
A very excited looking Aviya Sherman made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.