PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Clinton Erickson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex Cunha Almeida (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.

Erickson
vs
Cunha Almeida

199 cm
20
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
21
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Clinton Erickson!
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, Alex Cunha Almeida!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Alexandre Firmino and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Almeida with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Erickson misses with a takedown attempt - Almeida sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Almeida manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Erickson on his heels. He'll look to pass Erickson's guard now, I'm sure.
Almeida stopping the sweep attempt from Erickson.
Erickson will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Almeida postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Almeida passes Erickson's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Almeida looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Almeida throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Almeida throwing shots but Erickson is blocking nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Almeida is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Erickson flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Erickson keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Almeida thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Almeida has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Almeida is controlling the pace.

Almeida is looking for a kimura but Erickson is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Almeida to get the leverage.

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.
Almeida with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Almeida is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Erickson defends it well.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Alex Cunha Almeida seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Almeida is looking to clinch but Erickson is avoiding it.
Almeida throws a combination. Erickson tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

It looks like Clinton Erickson has been cut.
Erickson really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Almeida throws a body kick that misses.

Almeida looking to score a takedown here. Erickson is defending well but Almeida drives through and ends up in Erickson's guard.
Almeida engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Almeida throws a big right hand that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Almeida passes Erickson's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Almeida takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Let's hope that Almeida 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.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Almeida decides to return to a standing position.

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

Almeida closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Erickson's guard.
Erickson can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Almeida controls the pace.

Almeida thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Erickson is breathing heavily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Erickson can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Almeida controls the pace.
Erickson trying to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Cunha Almeida dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Clinton Erickson's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

A momentary lapse in concentration from Erickson enables Almeida to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Erickson manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

Almeida decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Erickson, up you get!

Erickson tries to keep at a distance but Almeida has taken the fight into the clinch.
Erickson wants to break the clinch but can't.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Almeida jumps guard and drags Erickson to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Erickson working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Almeida working a defensive guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Almeida pushes Erickson off and scrambles back to his feet.
Erickson throws a head kick that misses.

Erickson tries to sprawl but Almeida drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Still in half guard, Almeida seems content to control.
Erickson is refusing to be controlled, as Almeida sits in half guard.
Almeida trying to control the pace.
Almeida working the head and body with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Erickson wants to get back to his feet.
Erickson wants to control but Almeida is keeping busy.
Almeida is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Almeida fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Erickson throws a big counter combination but Almeida scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.

Almeida shoots in and gets a takedown into Erickson's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Erickson keeping moving, preventing Almeida from controlling successfully.
Almeida forces his way into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Almeida stands up from half guard.

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

Erickson bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!

Erickson gets caught flat footed, as Almeida shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Erickson manages to escape and get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Almeida gets a double leg takedown into Erickson's guard.

Erickson has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Almeida has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.
Almeida is pushing Erickson up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Almeida lands a takedown into guard.

Erickson has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Almeida is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Clinton Erickson will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Clinton Erickson's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Almeida shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Erickson manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

Almeida gets to his feet. Erickson looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Almeida swats away the attempt to clinch by Erickson.
Erickson avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Almeida lands a nice looking body kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Almeida manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Erickson on his heels. He'll look to pass Erickson's guard now, I'm sure.
Almeida's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Almeida throws a big elbow that misses.
Almeida sitting in guard, not really doing much.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Almeida accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Almeida controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Almeida stands up and waves to Erickson to follow him.
Clinton Erickson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Almeida misses with a head kick.
Erickson went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.

Almeida drives through with a takedown into Erickson's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

Erickson has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Almeida off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

Almeida moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Almeida is pushing Erickson up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Almeida.
Erickson tries to break free but Almeida pushes him back against the cage.

Almeida jumps into guard, dragging Erickson to the mat.
Erickson throwing strikes from guard but Almeida blocks nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Almeida bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Erickson's guard.

Almeida content to stall in guard here.

Erickson is working an open guard so Almeida takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Almeida scores with a hook.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alex Cunha Almeida comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Almeida has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 28:29
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alex Cunha Almeida!