PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Efren Joyce (ranked 6441 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ferari Livu (ranked 4838 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Joyce
vs
Livu

194 cm
18
177 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

190 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Can Moonwalk

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Efren Joyce!
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, Ferari Livu!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Seu Braga and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Livu with a poor takedown
and Joyce counters with a body kick that stops Livu in his tracks momentarily.
Joyce keeps the fight on the outside.
Livu shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Joyce as he jumps to the side.
A little feinted left hand from Joyce on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Livu is defended easily by Joyce.
Efren Joyce has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ferari Livu.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Joyce keeps the fight on the outside.
Livu gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Joyce counters by moving into the clinch.

Joyce's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Livu shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Joyce pinned against the cage. Joyce gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Joyce drops down looking for a counter takedown but Livu sprawls and moves away.
Livu tries to land a leg kick but Joyce saw it coming and moves away.
Livu wants to clinch up but Joyce keeps it at a distance.
Livu is looking to clinch.

Joyce clinches with his opponent.
Livu is trying to maintain a safe position but Joyce gets an underhook and turns Livu into the cage.

Joyce breaks the clinch.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Livu is defended easily by Joyce.
Joyce is looking to counter with a body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Joyce pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Livu fails in his attempt to clinch.

Livu rushes Joyce and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Joyce breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Livu shoots in looking for a takedown but Joyce manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Livu's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Joyce half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Joyce keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Joyce attempts a counter takedown but Livu avoids it well and moves away.
A thudding body kick lands there by Joyce!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Livu pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
An attempted straight right counter from Joyce misses the target.
Joyce thows a body kick. Livu tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Livu throws a body kick that misses.
It appears Joyce was looking to counter with a kick there.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Livu is defended easily by Joyce.
A counter left hand to the body from Joyce misses its target.
Ferari Livu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Livu shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Joyce as he avoids it easily.
Livu has a takedown stuffed.
Good exchange - Joyce coming out on top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Livu looks to clinch

and Joyce counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Livu not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Joyce is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Joyce distracts Livu with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Livu looking to hit a scissor sweep but Joyce is one step ahead there.
Joyce scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Joyce working some strikes from top position.
Joyce really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Joyce makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Joyce working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Livu's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Efren Joyce dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Livu looks for a takedown but Joyce sprawls well.
Joyce attempts a counter takedown but Livu avoids it well and moves away.
Livu tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Joyce defends well and Livu ends up having to push Joyce into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Joyce is looking to land body kicks.
Joyce keeps the fight on the outside.
Joyce drops down looking for a counter takedown but Livu sprawls and moves away.
No luck for Livu with that takedown attempt.
Efren Joyce has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ferari Livu.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Livu looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Livu throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Joyce's waist but Joyce gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Livu off to one side.
Joyce appears to be looking for a counter takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Livu shoots in and gets a takedown into Joyce's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Joyce thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Joyce throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Joyce manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Livu manages to get himself to full guard.

Joyce drops back looking for a leg! Livu is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Livu manages to kick Joyce off! Joyce jumps back into Livu's guard.
Joyce stopping the sweep attempt from Livu.
Joyce is stalling in the full guard.
Joyce's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Livu keeping moving, preventing Joyce from controlling successfully.

Joyce stands and steps away. Livu gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Joyce misses with an attempted mid kick.
Livu only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Livu shoots in for a takedown but Joyce shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Joyce was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Livu wants to clinch.
Joyce appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Livu tries to land a front kick but Joyce steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Livu scores with a one two! Joyce had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Joyce avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Livu is trying hard to land a takedown here. Joyce sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Livu dives in for a single leg takedown but Joyce sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Joyce drops down looking for a counter takedown but Livu sprawls and moves away.
Joyce throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Livu shoots in and drives through. Joyce sprawls well.
Joyce changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Livu tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Joyce decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Livu's guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Joyce connects with a couple of short punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Joyce landing some decent shots from guard.

Joyce decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Livu, up you get!
Livu shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Joyce as he jumps to the side.
Joyce is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Joyce throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Livu shoots in but Joyce avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Efren Joyce is winning the standup battle so far.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A head kick misses from Livu.
Livu tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Joyce swivels and escapes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Efren Joyce dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Livu throws a low kick but Joyce moves out of range easily.
Livu tries to bum rush Joyce with a series of wild strikes but Joyce uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Livu looks for a takedown but Joyce sprawls well.
Livu has his takedown stuffed

and Joyce counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Livu is wriggling around but Joyce manages to pass to half guard.
Joyce is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Livu can do to turn this around?
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Joyce keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Joyce working over Livu with some ground and pound. Livu looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Livu really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Joyce. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Joyce landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joyce working Livu over with strikes.

Joyce gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Joyce circles away from the clinch attempt.
And Joyce counters with a quick kick to the body but Livu blocks it.
Livu darts in looking for a takedown but Joyce gets double underhooks and turns Livu into the cage.
Joyce appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Efren Joyce has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ferari Livu.
Livu takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Joyce fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Livu stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Livu wants it to stay on the feet.

Joyce closes the distance and clinches.
Livu is working for takedown but Joyce is calmly controlling the position for now.

Joyce pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Joyce fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Livu.
Joyce avoids the head kick by Livu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Joyce avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
No luck for Livu with that takedown attempt.
Joyce half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Livu throws a half hearted mid kick.
Livu shoots in for a double leg but Joyce sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Joyce rushes Livu and presses him up against the cage.
Livu wants to get back to striking at distance but Joyce won't allow it.
Livu is looking for a takedown.

Joyce escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Joyce closes the distance and clinches.

Joyce breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Livu tries to clinch but Joyce is having none of it.
Livu throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Joyce's waist but Joyce gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Livu off to one side.
Livu misses with a head kick.
Livu misses the shot to the body.
Joyce throws a quick counter head kick but Livu was just out of range.
Livu tries to clinch up

and Joyce counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Joyce.
Livu is wriggling around but Joyce manages to pass to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Efren Joyce overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Joyce is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Ground and pound from Joyce.
Joyce with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Joyce seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Livu for as long as he can get away with.
Joyce working Livu over with strikes.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Joyce connects with a nice short shot to Livu's temple.
Ferari Livu has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Efren Joyce is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Livu looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Efren Joyce showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Joyce 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 30:27
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Efren Joyce!