PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Riccardo Fernandes (ranked 5623 p4p, 6004 weight class) and Fu Manxu (ranked 563 p4p, 577 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Fernandes
vs
Manxu

193 cm
18
209
1 - 0 - 0

192 cm
18
205
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Great elbows
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Sydney Fight Gear (London Rebirth)

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Riccardo Fernandes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Fu Manxu!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Daniel Blasius and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fernandes uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Manxu.
Fernandes swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Fernandes lands with a nice body kick.
Manxu swings widly with a right hand
and Fernandes counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
We've been told by Fernandes's head coaches at Paris & Sons Training Yard that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Fernandes misses with a head kick.
Manxu lunges at Fernandes with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Fernandes's hand.
Manxu looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Fernandes takes one on the button.
Fernandes fakes the leg kick and cracks Manxu in the body.
Fernandes moves away from the strike by Manxu.
Manxu misses with a double jab.
Fu Manxu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Manxu throws a right hand that misses
and Fernandes counters with a low kick, right behind Manxu 's knee.
Fernandes throws a nice outside leg kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Manxu thows a left - swing and a miss!
Fernandes went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Manxu misses with a few strikes there.
Nice straight punches there by Fernandes. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Fernandes.
Nice body kick there by Fernandes.
Manxu lands a glancing blow to the side of Fernandes's head.
Manxu misses with a lunging right hand
and Fernandes counters with a lovely straight right hand!

It looks like Fu Manxu has been cut.
Manxu thows a left - swing and a miss!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fernandes tries a head kick but it misses.
Manxu misses with a few strikes there.
Jab from Fernandes.
Manxu misses with the combination.
Fernandes is looking to counter with a body kick.
Manxu throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Fernandes counters with a nice uppercut.
Manxu misses with a lunging right hand
and Fernandes makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Fernandes slips a straight right by Manxu.
Fernandes lets loose with a powerful body kick. Manxu will feel that in the morning.
Manxu looks winded!
Fernandes throws out a powerful jab.
Manxu throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Fernandes makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Manxu throws a right hand that Fernandes ducks under and follows up with a left that Fernandes also avoids with ease.

Fernandes rushes Manxu and presses him up against the cage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Fernandes stalling in the clinch.
Fernandes has Manxu pushed against the cage.
With the fighters up against the cage, Fernandes throws an elbow but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fernandes holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Fernandes just leaning against Manxu, taking a breather.
Fernandes misses with an elbow strike.
A nice left hand lands by Fernandes.
Manxu lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Fernandes has Manxu pushed against the cage.
Fernandes stops a takedown attempt from Manxu.
Manxu looking to slow down the pace here.
Fernandes looks to throw an elbow but misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Manxu avoids a wild elbow strike from Fernandes.
Fernandes throws an elbow but it misses.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Fernandes just misses with a elbow thrown towards Manxu's brow.
With the fighters up against the cage, Fernandes throws an elbow but misses.
Manxu blocks an elbow strike.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Riccardo Fernandes dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Fu Manxu's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Manxu misses with a combination
and Fernandes counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Fernandes dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Manxu. That did some damage!
Fernandes scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Manxu might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Manxu blocks a head kick by Fernandes.
Manxu looks to throw the jab but Fernandes is out of range.
A little feinted left hand from Fernandes on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Manxu throws a right and a left that both miss.
Fernandes looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Manxu looks to throw the jab but Fernandes is out of range.

Fernandes moves into the clinch.
Manxu is stalling here.
Fernandes throws an elbow but it's blocked.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fernandes gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Fernandes'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.
Fernandes looks to throw an elbow but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fernandes pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

Fernandes breaks the clinch.
Manxu throws a series of punches but Fernandes moves out of range.
Fernandes thinks about countering with a head kick.
Fernandes moves away from the strike by Manxu.
Riccardo Fernandes is winning the standup battle so far.
Manxu fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Fernandes looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Fernandes looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Manxu misses with a looping right.
Manxu throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Fernandes lands a nice looking body kick.
Fernandes throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Manxu steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Fernandes.
Fernandes throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Manxu sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Manxu chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Fernandes can pounce on him.
Manxu slips a jab from Fernandes.
Manxu wants to counter the offense by Fernandes and move into the clinch position.
Fernandes avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Fernandes appears to be looking for a big counter.
Manxu misses with a hook. Fernandes ducked under it nicely.
Manxu misses with a looping left.
Manxu thuds a left hand into Fernandes's body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Manxu lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Fernandes slips under a jab from Manxu.
Fernandes lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Manxu keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Manxu misses with a hook. Fernandes ducked under it nicely.
Fernandes lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Manxu checks a leg kick nicely.
A slow jab from Manxu misses its intended target.
Manxu darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Manxu cracks Fernandes with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Fernandes avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Manxu walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Manxu looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Fernandes throwing a counter right hand but Manxu manages to avoid it.
Manxu looks to throw the jab but Fernandes is out of range.
Manxu throws a lazy uppercut
and Fernandes counters with a two punch combo.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Fernandes lands with a cross.
Manxu's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
No joy there for Manxu, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Fernandes scores with a decent looking hook.
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 Riccardo Fernandes will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Fu Manxu's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Fernandes lands with a nice body kick.
Fernandes slips under a jab from Manxu.
Manxu lands a lovely overhand right.
Manxu takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Manxu misses with a straight left.
Manxu on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Manxu slips a straight right by Fernandes.
Fernandes fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Manxu has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Fernandes.
Manxu blocks a leg kick.
Fernandes is looking to slow Manxu down with leg kicks.
Fernandes changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Fernandes throws a leg kick but Manxu moved away.
And Manxu tries to counter it with a takedown but Fernandes pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Manxu misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Manxu misses with a left hand
and Fernandes makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Manxu really felt that one!
Manxu is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Fernandes.
Fernandes went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
A nice combination there by Manxu.
Fernandes is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Manxu can do to turn this around?
Both fighters circling a little - Fernandes finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Manxu takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manxu rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Fernandes moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Manxu on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Fernandes. Fernandes obviously looking to wear him down.
A jab from Fernandes misses.

The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Manxu tries to keep at a distance but Fernandes has taken the fight into the clinch.
Fernandes effectively controlling the action here.
Manxu is looking to break free of the clinch but Fernandes has double underhooks.
Riccardo Fernandes is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Fernandes as Manxu tries to tie him up.
Manxu takes an elbow to the forehead.
Manxu takes an elbow to the forehead.
Manxu on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Fernandes lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Fernandes comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Manxu blocks an elbow strike.
Stalling in the clinch from Fernandes.
Manxu jumps guard but Fernandes stands there with Manxu around his waist. Manxu gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
The referee calls for Fernandes to work.
Manxu pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Manxu is trying to push Fernandes away but Fernandes has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Fernandes gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Nice elbow from Fernandes.
Fernandes lands an elbow just above Manxu 's eye.

Fernandes breaks from the clinch.
Fernandes slips a jab from Manxu.
Fu Manxu has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Fernandes throws a sloppy head kick and Manxu moves out of range easily.
Fernandes tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

And that's the end of the fight!
Riccardo Fernandes showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Fernandes 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 Aafke Stam scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 30:27
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Riccardo Fernandes!
During a confident post fight interview, Riccardo Fernandes thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.