PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cezar Junior (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Rodrigo Nogueira
vs
Junior

185 cm
22
180 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

175 cm
19
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira!
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, Cezar Junior!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Alexandre Firmino and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Junior tries to close the distance and clinch but Nogueira swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Nogueira tries to land a leg kick but Junior saw it coming and moves away.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Junior.
Nogueira fails to land with a series of punches.
A leg kick checked by Junior.
Junior on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Nogueira. Nogueira obviously looking to wear him down.
Junior moves in looking to clinch but Nogueira pushes him off.
A combination from Nogueira does no damage.
Nogueira misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Nogueira looks to land a combination but Junior avoids it well.
Junior tries to close the distance and clinch up but Nogueira swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Nogueira swinging wilding here.

Junior shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Nogueira actively working from the bottom here.
Nogueira works his way to full guard. Good work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nogueira is breathing heavily.

Nogueira has an active guard here but Junior has managed to pass into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Junior lands a nice short elbow.
Junior throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Junior tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Junior missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Junior is looking to stand up but he'll have to free his leg first. Instead, Nogueira manages to get to full guard.
Junior throws a strike but Nogueira rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Nogueira trying to control but Junior is working from the bottom.
Junior throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Junior trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Nogueira avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Junior throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Nogueira's waist but Nogueira gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Junior off to one side.
Junior tries to close the distance and clinch but Nogueira swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Nice sprawl there from Junior as Nogueira shoots in.
Junior closes this distance looking for a takedown but Nogueira circles away.
Nice sprawl there from Junior as Nogueira shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Junior takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Nogueira throws a series of punches but Junior avoids them all with ease.
Junior tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Junior is looking to clinch.

Junior clinches.
Nogueira tries to break the clinch but Junior is controlling the position.
Junior changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Nogueira fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Nogueira lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Nogueira lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Junior circles away quickly and effectively.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Junior tries a head kick but it misses.
Nogueira misses with a double jab.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Nogueira breaks from the clinch.
Junior will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Nogueira circles away from the clinch attempt.
Nogueira lands a nice leg kick that just misses Junior's sensitive parts.
Nogueira will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Junior shoots in for a double leg but Nogueira sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Nogueira looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Junior is fending him off so far but Nogueira persists. Nope, Junior circles away and we're back to standing.
Junior tries to clinch there but Nogueira circles away.
Junior doesn't manage to clinch there - Nogueira circles away.
Nogueira misses with a wild combination.
Nogueira throws a nice looking combination but Junior bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Nogueira avoids the head kick by Junior.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nogueira misses with a two punch combination.

Junior instigates a clinch.
Junior leaning his opponent against the cage.
Nogueira is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Nogueira can't get the takedown.
Junior fails to pull guard.
Junior tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Nogueira pulls guard.
Junior is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Junior throws a big right hand that misses.
Nogueira has a closed guard, preventing Junior from standing up.
Nogueira trying to control the position.
Nogueira striking off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Cezar Junior will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Nogueira keeps the fight on the outside.
Nogueira keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nogueira lands a nice looking body shot.
Nogueira lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Nogueira fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Nogueira looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

Junior closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Nogueira is trying to control but can't.
Nogueira missing with punches from the bottom.

Junior is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Nogueira gets full guard.

Nogueira pushes Junior off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Nogueira cracks a nice hook into Junior's ribs.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nogueira fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Junior is out of range.
Junior is looking to clinch.

Junior has Nogueira up against the cage in a clinch.

Nogueira breaks from the clinch.
Junior pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Nogueira darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Junior regains full guard. Nicely done.
Junior looking to control.
Junior has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Nogueira has passed into side control.
Nogueira lands an elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nogueira is putting a hurting on Junior here, landing some big shots from side control.
Junior is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Junior is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Nogueira is working Junior over with some ground and pound from side control.
Junior takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Junior is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Nogueira is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Junior takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

Nogueira has control of Junior's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Junior regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Junior can't escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nogueira putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Nogueira with shots to the head and body - Junior looks very uncomfortable down there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Junior is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Junior is looking to improve his position but Nogueira isn't that keen on the idea.

Nogueira looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Junior tries to reverse the position but Nogueira maintains control.
Nogueira lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Junior's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Nogueira jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Junior manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Nogueira scores with a couple of short elbows.
Junior tries to control but Nogueira manages to take his back.
Junior wants to escape the position.

Nogueira has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Junior is trying to stand back up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Junior is looking to stand back up. He's having to work hard to escape but eventually he manages it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira dominated that second round.
That's time! Nogueira's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Junior keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nogueira scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

It looks like Cezar Junior has been cut.
Nogueira fails to land with a series of punches.
Junior tries to clinch but Nogueira moves out of range.
Nogueira shoots for a double leg takedown but Junior sprawls well. He's pushed Nogueira's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Junior fails in his attempt to clinch.
Junior is looking to clinch.
Nogueira shoots in but Junior avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Junior closes the distance and pushes Nogueira back into the cage.

Junior lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Nogueira throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Nogueira tries to get to full guard but Junior has control of the leg.
Junior working the head and body with strikes.
Nogueira tries to kick Junior off in order to stand up. Junior Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nogueira is trying to control Junior's posture but Junior avoids it.
Nogueira has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Nogueira takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Nogueira pushes Junior away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Junior gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Junior trying to control the action but Nogueira is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Nogueira misses with a jab, cross combination.
Crunch! Junior slams his shin into Nogueira's torso.
Junior tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Nogueira paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Nogueira throws a series of punches but Junior moves out of range.
Junior fails in his attempt to clinch.
Junior drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Junior tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Nogueira paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Junior tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Nogueira paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Nogueira scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Nogueira misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Junior misses with a takedown attempt - Nogueira sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Nogueira lands a high kick!
Junior fails in his attempt to clinch.
A cross from Nogueira lands.
Nogueira fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Junior misses with a takedown attempt - Nogueira sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Nogueira shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Junior but Junior pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Junior moves in looking to clinch but Nogueira pushes him off.
Nogueira will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Junior throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Nogueira.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nogueira scores with a couple of short elbows.
Junior throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
Junior is pushing Nogueira's head away, looking to escape. Nogueira manages to hold on to the position though.

Nogueira wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Junior, who protects the arm well.
Junior tries to improve position but can't.
Nogueira lands a nice forearm strike.
Junior is trying to get back to his feet.
Nogueira cracks Junior with a big right hand but Junior just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Junior taking punishment in the form of punches.
Junior tries to improve position but can't.

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.
Junior taking a bit of punishment here - Nogueira scoring with strikes.
Nogueira lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Junior down.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Junior is looking to clinch but Nogueira is avoiding it.
Nogueira cracks Junior with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Nogueira lands a jab-cross combination.
Junior avoids a punch combination nicely.
Nogueira tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Junior goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Nogueira keeps the fight on the outside.
Nogueira pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Junior wants to clinch up but Nogueira keeps it at a distance.
Nogueira connects with a right hand. Junior shakes it off.
A head kick misses from Nogueira.
Junior is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Nogueira looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Junior is fending him off so far but Nogueira persists. Nope, Junior circles away and we're back to standing.

And that's the end of the fight!
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Nogueira 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 29:28
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira!