PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Cory Araujo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Martin Gomes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gomes has chosen Juelz Santana - Murda Murda as his entrance music. Cory Araujo had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 267.2lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. 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.

Araujo
vs
Gomes

185 cm
19
281 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

195 cm
18
265 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Cory Araujo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Martin Gomes!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Daniel Cesar and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gomes avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Araujo doesn't manage to clinch there - Gomes circles away.

Gomes drives through with a takedown into guard.
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.
Gomes slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Araujo had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Gomes is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Araujo Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Gomes's back instead.
Gomes is in bad spot here.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Gomes trying to control the hands but Araujo won't let him.
Gomes turns into Araujo and is now in his guard.

Gomes stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Gomes shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Araujo tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Gomes wants to control from the top but Araujo keeps moving.
Gomes 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Araujo is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Gomes wants to control from the top but Araujo keeps moving.
Gomes is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Gomes sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Araujo's guard.
Gomes passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Araujo!
Gomes controlling his opponent.

Despite being in the dominant position, Martin Gomes just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Gomes keeps the fight on the outside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gomes looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Araujo!
Gomes forces the positional change into back control.
Will Gomes go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Gomes lands with a big left hand that may well have hurt his opponent. Can Araujo hold on?!
Araujo rolls, trying to escape but Gomes keeps control of the position.
Araujo is breathing heavily.
Araujo turns into Gomes and is now in his guard.
Gomes wants to sweep here but Araujo controlling him for the moment.

Gomes escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Araujo gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Araujo drops back looking for a leg! Gomes is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Gomes manages to kick Araujo off! Araujo jumps back into Gomes's guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Gomes is on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gomes not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Gomes drops back looking for a leg! Araujo is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Araujo manages to kick Gomes off! Gomes jumps back into Araujo's guard.
Gomes is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Araujo is working an open guard so Gomes takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Gomes changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Araujo looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Gomes trying to control the action but Araujo is working from the bottom.
You can see the frustration on Araujo's face as Gomes controls the position.
Gomes advances nicely into full mount.

Gomes working for a guillotine from mount but Araujo is in no mood to give up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gomes prevents Araujo from getting the reversal.
Gomes controlling from the full mount.

Gomes has control of Araujo's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Araujo regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Araujo tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gomes sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Let's hope that Gomes 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.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Martin Gomes dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Gomes shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Gomes showed some decent athleticism there.

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

Araujo looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Gomes is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

Araujo looking for submissions off his back.

Araujo looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Gomes seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gomes uses his free foot to push down on Araujo's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Araujo.
Gomes sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

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

Gomes closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Gomes works his foot free and advances to mount.

Gomes is standing up, even though he is in mount.

Gomes bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Araujo tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Gomes happy to just control the position for now.
Martin Gomes has got the better of the ground game so far.
Gomes trying to control the position but Araujo is working away.
Gomes controlling the position from side mount.
Gomes's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

Gomes stands up and beckons Araujo to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Araujo gets caught flat footed, as Gomes shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Gomes throws a big right hand that misses.
Gomes sitting in guard here, content to control.

Gomes gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Gomes shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Gomes escapes and gets back to his feet.
Araujo fails with an attempt to clinch.

Gomes gets a takedown into half guard.
Araujo is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Gomes in particular looking to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gomes passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Araujo!
Araujo is working to get back to half guard.
Gomes controlling the pace for now.
Araujo working to try and regain half guard.
Gomes looking to control and managing it successfully.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Martin Gomes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Araujo's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Gomes decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Gomes passes to side control.
Araujo gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Araujo is looking to get to half guard.

Gomes is standing up, even though he is in mount.

Gomes shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Gomes showed some decent athleticism there.
Well, if Gomes is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Araujo tries to get to full guard but Gomes has control of the leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gomes works his way into side control.
Gomes is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Araujo will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Araujo is trying to get back to half guard.
Gomes scoring with punches and elbows.
Gomes staying calm.
Araujo is looking for a sweep.
Araujo is letting Gomes control him for a moment.

Despite being in the dominant position, Martin Gomes just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Gomes looks to score with a jab to the body but Araujo is just out of range.

Gomes bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
A lull in the action here as Gomes stalls from top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gomes looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Gomes tries for a kimura but Araujo is defending well.
Araujo is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Gomes's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Gomes has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Gomes tries to pass the half guard into mount. Araujo knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Gomes content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Gomes prevents Araujo from improving his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Araujo looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Gomes controlling the pace.

Araujo looking for submissions off his back.
Gomes passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Araujo!
Araujo is trying desperately to improve position.
Gomes controlling from the full mount.
Gomes prevents Araujo from getting the reversal.

That's four 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.

Gomes with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Gomes forces the positional change into back control.
Gomes biding his time, controlling Araujo.
I really don't envy Araujo right now.
Gomes has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Araujo's body.
Cory Araujo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Martin Gomes is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Gomes looking for the choke but no joy.

And that's the end of the fight!
Martin Gomes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Gomes 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 26:30
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 26:30
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Martin Gomes!