PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Travadera Fernandes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nonito Villa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Fernandes
vs
Villa

180 cm
20
205 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

186 cm
18
218 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Likes ground

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 2 - 2 - 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, Nonito Villa!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Matheus Silva and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fernandes will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Villa stuffs the takedown attempt from Fernandes. Fernandes gets slowly back to his feet.
Villa tries for a takedown but Fernandes circles away easily

and Fernandes counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Villa's guard now.
Fernandes preventing the sweep.
Fernandes tries to free his leg and advance position but Villa is retaining full guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Villa preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Villa is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Fernandes has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Villa is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Villa is trying to keep Fernandes in close.

Fernandes drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Fernandes jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Villa is trying to control the position from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Villa's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Fernandes trying to control the position but Villa is working away.
Villa sneaks back into half guard.
Villa wants to improve his position but Fernandes is controlling well.
Villa is trying to maintain the position but Fernandes is very close to passing his half guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Villa throws a left and a right that both miss

and Fernandes counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
It looks like Fernandes is going to stand back up.
Villa is not content to let Fernandes control the position.
Villa keeping hold of Fernandes's head, controlling as best he can.
Villa trying to control but Fernandes postures up.
Villa is positioning himself well to prevent Fernandes advancing to mount.
Villa trying to control but Fernandes postures up.
Villa is trying is best to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fernandes missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Fernandes is keen to just control but Villa is a slippery customer.
Fernandes is breathing heavily.
Villa trying to control here.

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

Villa bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Fernandes is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Villa prevents Fernandes from improving his position.
Villa perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Villa seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Fernandes does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Villa lands a nice short elbow.
Fernandes is doing well to control the position and prevent Villa from advancing to side control.
Villa is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fernandes tries to roll over but Villa keeps him under control.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Villa lands a nice short elbow.
Villa landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Villa controlling the pace.
Fernandes is looking to improve his position.
Villa takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Villa stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Fernandes takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Travadera Fernandes dominated that round.
That's time! Fernandes's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Villa fails with the takedown

and Fernandes decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Villa's guard.
Fernandes won't allow Villa to get back to his feet.
Villa is trying to control the position but Fernandes postures up.
Villa managing to control the position.
Travadera Fernandes overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Villa not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

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

Fernandes closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Fernandes lands in his opponent's guard.
Fernandes controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Villa is trying to control the position but Fernandes postures up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Villa has Fernandes pulled in close to control his posture.

Fernandes is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Villa pulls Fernandes in close to prevent any damage.

Despite being in the dominant position, Nonito Villa just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Villa looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Villa is looking to clinch.
Villa throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A good leg kick by Villa.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Villa fails with the takedown

and Fernandes counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Fernandes.
Villa has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Fernandes avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Travadera Fernandes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nonito Villa.

Fernandes has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Villa uses from the top position.
Villa controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Fernandes bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Villa's guard.
Villa manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Villa unloading with bombs!
Fernandes is trying desperately to improve position.
Villa looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by Villa.
Villa wants to control the pace but Fernandes is squirming around nicely.
Fernandes wants to control but Villa is having none of it.
Fernandes is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Villa controlling the position easily from mount.
Villa lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Fernandes hang on?
Fernandes is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Villa controlling the pace for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Villa has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Fernandes's face.
Villa controlling from the full mount.
Villa punishing his opponent with strikes.
Fernandes can't escape the position.
Villa controlling from mount.
Fernandes swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Villa takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Villa lands a big elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Travadera Fernandes 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. This is the final round!

Villa decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Fernandes is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Villa pulls his head out easily.
Villa looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Villa is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Villa controlling the pace for now.
Villa pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Fernandes is in all sorts of trouble here.
Villa takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Villa lands a big elbow.
Villa working the ground and pound effectively.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Villa controlling his opponent.
Fernandes tries to hold on but Villa postures up.
Villa controlling from the full mount.
Fernandes is looking to get to half guard.
Villa has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Villa controlling the pace for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Fernandes wants to hold on but Villa pushes him away.
Villa tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Villa landing strikes from the mount and Fernandes is in trouble!
Fernandes is squirming around, avoiding Villa's attempts to control the action.

Despite being in the dominant position, Nonito Villa just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Fernandes gets caught flat footed, as Villa shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Fernandes being controlled here, momentarily.
Villa pushes down on Fernandes's leg and manages to get into half guard.

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

Fernandes looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Villa trying to control the pace.
Fernandes is trying to get back to full guard.
Villa with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Villa trying to control from half guard but Fernandes is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Fernandes tries to roll over but Villa keeps him under control.
Fernandes is trying to control but can't.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Villa is looking to clinch.
Fernandes shoots and misses

and Villa counters with a shoot takedown. Fernandes fights it but they end up in guard.
Fernandes manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Villa manages to get himself to full guard.
Fernandes trying to control but Villa is working from the bottom.
Villa is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Fernandes manages to get to full guard.
Nonito Villa has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Travadera Fernandes is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Fernandes working a defensive guard but Villa passes into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nonito Villa comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Fernandes has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 29:28
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 29:28

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