PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Don Geronimo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Darnielle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Geronimo comes to the cage accompanied by "War," by Edwin Starr. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Geronimo
vs
Darnielle

178 cm
31
189 lbs
17 - 10 - 1

197 cm
25
192 lbs
13 - 5 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

BLKOUT Clothing
BLKOUT Clothing

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 17 - 10 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Don Geronimo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, John Darnielle!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Alexandre Firmino and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Darnielle throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

Geronimo shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Darnielle's guard.

Darnielle is looking for a triangle but Geronimo pushes his legs off easily.
Geronimo throws a big right hand that misses.
Darnielle looking for a sweep. Not yet Darnielle, not yet.
Darnielle is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Geronimo 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.
Geronimo landing with the ground and pound.
Geronimo stands up over Darnielle, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Darnielle keeping moving, preventing Geronimo from controlling successfully.
Geronimo passes Darnielle's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Darnielle wants to get back to full guard.
Darnielle is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Geronimo takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Geronimo thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Geronimo wants to free his trapped foot but Darnielle is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Geronimo is working hard here to advance position.
Geronimo lands with a punch from half guard.
Geronimo is looking to take a break and control but Darnielle is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Darnielle is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Geronimo scores with a couple of nice shots.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Geronimo lands a nice short elbow.
Darnielle gets back to full guard.
Darnielle trying to control the position.
Geronimo landing with the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Darnielle controls Geronimo momentarily but Geronimo frees himself.
Geronimo might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Geronimo working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Geronimo trying to control but Darnielle is working from the bottom.
Geronimo won't allow Darnielle to sweep him here.
Geronimo trying to control but Darnielle is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Geronimo is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Darnielle is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Don Geronimo.
Darnielle goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darnielle throws the kick towards the body but Geronimo avoids it.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Darnielle.
Darnielle fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Geronimo manages to avoid it.

Geronimo looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Darnielle!
Geronimo postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Darnielle looks a forlorn figure.
Darnielle takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Geronimo looking to control and managing it successfully.
Darnielle is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Geronimo fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
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!
Geronimo pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

Geronimo wants to finish this one by submission but Darnielle is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Geronimo.
Geronimo working Darnielle over with strikes here.
Geronimo tries to control but Darnielle wriggling away.
Darnielle wants to hold on but Geronimo pushes him away.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Geronimo landing strikes, looking to finish!
Darnielle is wriggling around trying to escape.
Geronimo lands a heavy elbow.
Geronimo punishing his opponent with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Don Geronimo dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Darnielle tries to work over Geronimo's front leg with a kick but Geronimo checks it.
Darnielle swings for the body but Geronimo moves out of range.
Darnielle moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Darnielle lands a front kick.
A thudding body kick lands there by Darnielle!
Darnielle misses with a low kick.
Horrible takedown by Geronimo or perhaps it was just good defense by Darnielle which made him look bad.
Darnielle lands with a nice body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darnielle cracks the inside of Geronimo's front leg.
Darnielle misses with a head kick.
Darnielle buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
John Darnielle seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Geronimo avoids the head kick by Darnielle.
Darnielle throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Geronimo shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Darnielle defends it nicely.
Geronimo tries to score a power double leg takedown but Darnielle sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Geronimo somewhat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Don Geronimo. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Horrible takedown by Geronimo or perhaps it was just good defense by Darnielle which made him look bad.
Darnielle throws a leg kick but Geronimo moved away.
Darnielle wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darnielle will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Darnielle misses with a head kick.
Darnielle misses with a hook.
Darnielle tries to land a front kick but Geronimo steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Darnielle throws a head kick that misses.
Darnielle will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Darnielle pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Geronimo uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Darnielle.
Darnielle throws a predictable looking body shot

and Geronimo counters with a nice double leg into side control. Darnielle won't be happy with that.
Darnielle on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Geronimo trying to control the action but Darnielle is working from the bottom.
Darnielle regains half guard, as Geronimo was trying to land strikes.

Geronimo wants to work for an arm triangle but Darnielle is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Darnielle wants to get back to full guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Darnielle is trying to maintain the position but Geronimo is very close to passing his half guard.
Geronimo is keen to just control but Darnielle is a slippery customer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Darnielle showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Geronimo's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Darnielle.
Geronimo shoots in looking for a takedown. Darnielle tries to sprawl out of it but Geronimo keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Darnielle manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Darnielle misses with a body shot.
Darnielle pivots, looking for a leg kick but Geronimo is out of range and Darnielle settles back down.
Geronimo checks the leg kick nicely there.
John Darnielle seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Darnielle tries a head kick but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Geronimo fails with a takedown attempt.
Geronimo closes the distance and clinches up with Darnielle, looking for a takedown. Geronimo pushes Darnielle against the cage but Darnielle circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Don Geronimo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Darnielle lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Geronimo with a poor takedown
and Darnielle counters with a head kick.
Darnielle thows a body shot but no joy.
Geronimo doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Darnielle counters with an inside leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Geronimo throws a head kick that misses.
Geronimo moves out of range of the body kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Darnielle. Geronimo does a little dance to reset his feet.
Geronimo shoots in and drives through. Darnielle sprawls well.
Geronimo shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Darnielle looks to land a body kick but Geronimo moved away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Geronimo looks for a takedown but Darnielle sprawls well.
Darnielle goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Nice takedown defense from Darnielle. No joy for Geronimo on that attempt.
Geronimo takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Darnielle throws a leg kick that is checked

and Geronimo counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Geronimo is working for a submission of some sort.

Darnielle kicks Geronimo off and gets back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Darnielle attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
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!
Geronimo looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Darnielle is fending him off so far but Geronimo persists. Nope, Darnielle circles away and we're back to standing.
Darnielle lands a head kick. Geronimo smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Darnielle throws a leg kick but Geronimo checks it.

Darnielle tries to sprawl but Geronimo drives through with a takedown into half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Darnielle looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Geronimo is thwarting Darnielle's attempts to control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Darnielle comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Darnielle has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 for Don Geronimo!
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight for Don Geronimo!
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight for Don Geronimo!

Don Geronimo wins by unanimous decision!