PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Joaquim Ermirio de Moraes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Driver (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ermirio de Moraes's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, 'Vai Explodir' by Pregador Luo. Mike Driver told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Ermirio de Moraes
vs
Driver

188 cm
22
200 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

190 cm
22
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Self confident

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Intelligent

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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Joaquim Ermirio de Moraes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mike Driver!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Roosa Järviläinen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ermirio de Moraes misses the shot to the body.
A combination from Ermirio de Moraes does no damage.

Ermirio de Moraes has closed the distance and engaged Driver in a clinch.
Ermirio de Moraes lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Ermirio de Moraes gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Driver is trying to break the clinch but Ermirio de Moraes has him pressed against the cage.
Knees to the body from Ermirio de Moraes.
Ermirio de Moraes trying to land knees to the body.
A short body shot lands from Ermirio de Moraes as the two fighters clinch.
Ermirio de Moraes using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Driver looks gassed!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ermirio de Moraes comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Ermirio de Moraes landing knees to the body.
Ermirio de Moraes throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Drivers head.
Ermirio de Moraes works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Ermirio de Moraes lands a body punch.
Driver takes an elbow to the temple.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Ermirio de Moraes.
Ermirio de Moraes scores a nice knee to the body.
Ermirio de Moraes lands a body punch in the clinch.
Ermirio de Moraes lands a shoulder strike.
Ermirio de Moraes gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Ermirio de Moraes lands an elbow inside that Driver shrugs off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ermirio de Moraes lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
The referee calls for Ermirio de Moraes to work.
Ermirio de Moraes unloads a knee to the mid-section. Driver lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Ermirio de Moraes lands an elbow just above Driver 's eye.
Ermirio de Moraes scores a nice knee to the body.
Driver takes an elbow to the forehead.
Ermirio de Moraes lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Ermirio de Moraes creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Driver's defenses.
Ermirio de Moraes using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Ermirio de Moraes landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Ermirio de Moraes landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Ermirio de Moraes scores a nice knee to the body.
Knees to the body from Ermirio de Moraes.
Ermirio de Moraes unloads a knee to the mid-section. Driver lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Ermirio de Moraes scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Ermirio de Moraes lands an elbow inside.
Ermirio de Moraes unloads a knee to the mid-section. Driver lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ermirio de Moraes crunches a lovely knee into Driver's ribcage.
Ermirio de Moraes lands with a light punch inside.
Driver blocks an elbow strike.
Driver is working for takedown but Ermirio de Moraes is calmly controlling the position for now.
Driver wants to break the clinch but can't.
Ermirio de Moraes landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Ermirio de Moraes slowing the pace effectively.
Ermirio de Moraes lands an elbow inside that Driver shrugs off.
Ermirio de Moraes throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Driver blocks it with crossed arms.
Ermirio de Moraes missing with knees to the body.
Ermirio de Moraes trying to control the position but instead, Driver has worked for underhooks and has pushed Ermirio de Moraes into the cage.
Ermirio de Moraes swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Driver is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Ermirio de Moraes is keeping busy.
Ermirio de Moraes lands an elbow inside that Driver shrugs off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Driver blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Driver blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Driver is looking to break free of the clinch but Ermirio de Moraes has double underhooks.
Ermirio de Moraes lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Ermirio de Moraes with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Driver tries to break the clinch but Ermirio de Moraes is controlling the position.
Ermirio de Moraes will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Driver up against the cage.
Driver is trying to stall.
Driver blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Ermirio de Moraes lands a damaging elbow.
Driver has had enough of the clinch but Ermirio de Moraes keeps him there for the moment.
Driver wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Ermirio de Moraes misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Driver.
Driver has had enough of the clinch but Ermirio de Moraes keeps him there for the moment.
Ermirio de Moraes just leaning against Driver, taking a breather.

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.
Ermirio de Moraes unloads a knee to the mid-section. Driver lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Driver tries to break the clinch but Ermirio de Moraes is controlling the position.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Ermirio de Moraes.
Ermirio de Moraes working aggressively here.
Ermirio de Moraes scores with a nice hook to the head.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Ermirio de Moraes just misses with a elbow thrown towards Driver's brow.
Ermirio de Moraes pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Driver avoiding damage as Ermirio de Moraes throws knees to the body.
Ermirio de Moraes gets through Driver's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Ermirio de Moraes misses with an elbow strike.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Driver wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Driver wants to break free but Ermirio de Moraes has control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Driver tries to break the clinch but Ermirio de Moraes is controlling the position.
Ermirio de Moraes with a knee to the head.
Driver wants to break free but Ermirio de Moraes has control.
Driver takes a knee right on the jaw!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joaquim Ermirio de Moraes 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.

Driver keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Ermirio de Moraes throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Ermirio de Moraes tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Driver was well out of range. Poor timing from Ermirio de Moraes.
Driver slips under a jab.
Driver avoids a kick to the body.
Ermirio de Moraes keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Driver.
Driver avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Ermirio de Moraes throws a hook but Driver avoids it easily.
Ermirio de Moraes misses the shot to the body.
Ermirio de Moraes wants to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ermirio de Moraes misses with an uppercut. Driver saw that one coming.
Driver throws a solid leg kick but Ermirio de Moraes takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Driver.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Driver gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Ermirio de Moraes crunches a lovely knee into Driver's ribcage.
Driver managing to block the knees to the body from Ermirio de Moraes.
Driver tries to break the clinch but Ermirio de Moraes is controlling the position.
Still in the clinch, Ermirio de Moraes scores with a nice short uppercut.
Ermirio de Moraes lands with a right to the head.
Driver has had enough of the clinch but Ermirio de Moraes keeps him there for the moment.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Ermirio de Moraes tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Driver's elbow.
Ermirio de Moraes misses with an elbow strike.
Driver avoiding damage as Ermirio de Moraes throws knees to the body.
Ermirio de Moraes misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Driver.
Ermirio de Moraes missing with knees to the body.
Driver avoids a wild elbow strike from Ermirio de Moraes.
Ermirio de Moraes misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Driver.
Ermirio de Moraes fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Ermirio de Moraes prevents Driver from breaking the clinch.
Ermirio de Moraes fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Ermirio de Moraes's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Driver tries to pull guard but Ermirio de Moraes won't allow it.
Knees in the clinch landing for Ermirio de Moraes.
Driver is working for takedown but Ermirio de Moraes is calmly controlling the position for now.
Nice body punch from Ermirio de Moraes - that landed with a thud.
Ermirio de Moraes tries to land knees in the clinch but Driver avoids the damage to the body.
Driver wants to stall.
Driver tries to break the clinch but Ermirio de Moraes is controlling the position.
Ermirio de Moraes taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Ermirio de Moraes landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Driver wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Ermirio de Moraes prevents Driver from breaking the clinch.
Driver blocks a body shot from Ermirio de Moraes.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A right hand to the body from Ermirio de Moraes.
Ermirio de Moraes lands an elbow inside.
Driver wants to break free but Ermirio de Moraes has control.
Ermirio de Moraes tries to land knees in the clinch but Driver avoids the damage to the body.
Driver wants to break free but Ermirio de Moraes has control.
Ermirio de Moraes scores a nice knee to the body.
Ermirio de Moraes doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Ermirio de Moraes just misses with a elbow thrown towards Driver's brow.
Driver drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Ermirio de Moraes gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Joaquim Ermirio de Moraes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Driver.
Ermirio de Moraes tries a body shot but Driver blocks it.
Ermirio de Moraes displaying some good clinch control by pressing Driver up against the cage.
Driver trying to stall but Ermirio de Moraes improves his position.
Ermirio de Moraes trying to land knees to the body.
Driver blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Ermirio de Moraes with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Ermirio de Moraes keeps control of Driver as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Driver has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Ermirio de Moraes avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Ermirio de Moraes lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Driver or not.
Driver avoiding damage as Ermirio de Moraes throws knees to the body.
Driver has had enough of the clinch but Ermirio de Moraes keeps him there for the moment.
Driver is trying to break free.
Ermirio de Moraes lands an elbow inside.
Ermirio de Moraes lands a knee to the body.
Driver wants to get back to striking at distance but Ermirio de Moraes won't allow it.
Driver on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Driver takes an elbow to the forehead.
Ermirio de Moraes throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ermirio de Moraes unloads a knee to the mid-section. Driver lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Ermirio de Moraes lands a body shot.
Ermirio de Moraes misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Driver.
Ermirio de Moraes misses with a knee strike.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joaquim Ermirio de Moraes dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

A big left from Driver misses.
Driver keeps the fight on the outside.
A big right from Ermirio de Moraes misses.
Joaquim Ermirio de Moraes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ermirio de Moraes tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A head kick misses from Ermirio de Moraes.
Driver tries for a takedown but Ermirio de Moraes sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Ermirio de Moraes tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Driver paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Driver throws a hook but Ermirio de Moraes blocks it.
Ermirio de Moraes will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Driver fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Driver keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Ermirio de Moraes.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ermirio de Moraes tests Driver's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Ermirio de Moraes misses with a hook. Driver ducked under it nicely.
Joaquim Ermirio de Moraes is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ermirio de Moraes takes a swing at Driver's ribcage but misses.
Driver tries to clinch but Ermirio de Moraes is having none of it.
Driver throws a leg kick but Ermirio de Moraes sees it coming and moves out of range.

Driver looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Driver postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Ermirio de Moraes is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Driver, into his guard.
Ermirio de Moraes is looking to work some ground and pound but Driver has wrist control.

Driver has his foot on Ermirio de Moraes's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Ermirio de Moraes works his way back into a safe position though.
Ermirio de Moraes pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Driver is keeping the position for now.
Ermirio de Moraes trying to control but Driver is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ermirio de Moraes wants to pass the guard but Driver is keeping the position.

Driver had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Ermirio de Moraes is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Driver Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Ermirio de Moraes's back instead.

Driver has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Ermirio de Moraes has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Ermirio de Moraes rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Driver not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ermirio de Moraes moves into full guard.

Driver drops back, looking for a kneebar! Ermirio de Moraes looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Ermirio de Moraes looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Ermirio de Moraes!

Ermirio de Moraes has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Ermirio de Moraes throws the left hand but Driver avoids the punch easily.
Mike Driver has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ermirio de Moraes dodges the punch combination from Driver.
Ermirio de Moraes tries to score with a low kick but Driver moves his leg out of the way.
Driver drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Ermirio de Moraes misses with a low kick.
Driver throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ermirio de Moraes ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Driver moves away.
Joaquim Ermirio de Moraes is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Ermirio de Moraes has taken the fight to the clinch.
Driver wants to break free but Ermirio de Moraes has control.
Driver jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Ermirio de Moraes walks away with a smile on his face. Driver gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Ermirio de Moraes misses with a wild body shot.
Driver uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Ermirio de Moraes.

Ermirio de Moraes forces Driver back against the cage and clinches.
Ermirio de Moraes lands a hook that snaps the head of Driver backwards.
Driver misses with a punch on the inside.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Joaquim Ermirio de Moraes.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Ermirio de Moraes, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:26
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 29:27
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joaquim Ermirio de Moraes!