PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between River Waters (ranked 3777 p4p, 5140 weight class) and Mauricio Nunes (ranked 436 p4p, 494 weight class). Both these guys are coming into the fight with injuries so let's see if that has a bearing on the fight. 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.

Waters
vs
Nunes

180 cm
25
170
2 - 1 - 0

160 cm
25
170
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 Montreal, River Waters!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mauricio Nunes!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Sam Margolis and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Nunes drives through and clinches with Waters against the cage.
Waters looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!

Waters drags the fight down to the ground.
Nunes trying to control the position from guard on top but Waters is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nunes looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Nunes advances position into side control!

Nunes tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Nunes thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nunes moves into full mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nunes looking to control but Waters is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Waters wants to hold on but Nunes pushes him away.
Nunes trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Waters is wriggling around here but as he tries to escape, Nunes has taken his back.

Waters fending off the submission attempt from Nunes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Nunes has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.

Nunes is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Waters defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.

Nunes is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Waters knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Waters for a finish.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nunes tries to keep control of the position but Waters is staying busy.

Nunes is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Waters has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.

Waters defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Nunes's arms.
Nunes is not going to allow Waters to sit and survive in this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Nunes is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Waters has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Nunes is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Waters knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Waters for a finish.
Nunes is controlling the position but Waters somehow manages to roll and ends up with half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Waters is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Nunes pulls his head out easily.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Mauricio Nunes dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Mauricio Nunes's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Waters moves out of range as Nunes strikes.
Waters needs to keep his hands up - Nunes had a free shot at his head there.
Waters takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Nunes has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Waters tries to clinch up.
Waters tries to move into range but Nunes moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.

Nunes drives through and clinches with Waters against the cage.

Nunes pulls Waters into guard.
Nunes looking for a sweep. Not yet Nunes, not yet.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Nunes is on top in guard.

Nunes trying to control but Waters is working from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Nunes forces his way into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Waters trying to hold on to Nunes's head to control him but Nunes postures up.
Waters is trying to get back to full guard.

Waters looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Nunes is trying to control the action in half guard but Waters is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Nunes is working for a kimura but Waters is defending it quite comfortably.
Nunes is trying to control the action in half guard but Waters is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Waters tries to get to full guard but Nunes has control of the leg.
Mauricio Nunes has got the better of the ground game so far.
Nunes seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Waters does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Waters is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Nunes pulls his head out easily.
Nunes wants to lay and pray for a moment but Waters keeps working.
Waters definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nunes is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Waters trying to control from the bottom.
Nunes prevents Waters from improving his position.

Nunes is working for a submission of some sort.
Nunes is keen to just control but Waters is a slippery customer.

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.

Nunes looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Waters is trying to get back to full guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Mauricio Nunes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Mauricio Nunes's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Nunes looks to land a right hand but Waters moved out of range.
Nice uppercut lands for Nunes. That snapped Waters's head back.

Nunes takes the fight into the clinch.
Waters tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Nunes smiles and moves away.
Nunes throws a jab when Waters was well out of range.
Nunes misses with a looping right.

Nunes clinches with his opponent.

Nunes jumps into guard, dragging Waters to the mat.
Nunes is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Waters stopping the sweep attempt from Nunes.
Waters controlling from the top position.
Waters loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Nunes keeping moving, preventing Waters from controlling successfully.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Nunes throws a looping overhand right but Waters ducks down to avoid it.
A big right from Nunes misses.
Nunes swats away the attempt to clinch by Waters.

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.
A telegraphed right hand from Nunes misses the target.

Nunes closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Nunes has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Waters uses from the top position.
Nunes trying to control the position.
Nunes looking for a sweep. Not yet Nunes, not yet.
Waters controls from within his opponent's guard.
Nunes is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Waters 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.
Nunes wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Waters postures up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Nunes connects with a right hand. Waters shakes it off.
Waters defending well as Nunes loads up on a big left hand.
Waters is looking to clinch but Nunes is avoiding it.

Nunes drives through and clinches with Waters against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Nunes jumps guard and drags Waters to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Nunes trying to control the position.
Nunes is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Nunes manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Waters manages to get himself to full guard.

Nunes passes into half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Waters trying to control here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mauricio Nunes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Nunes 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 William Gold scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mauricio Nunes!