PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tom Ciro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Maciej Niemierski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ciro kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Back down. Tom Ciro has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Ciro
vs
Niemierski

187 cm
22
196 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

176 cm
21
198 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Tom Ciro!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Maciej Niemierski!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Felipe Paraventi and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Niemierski shoots and misses
and Ciro counters with a head kick. That will keep Niemierski thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Niemierski dodges the punch combination from Ciro.
Ciro blocks a head kick by Niemierski.

Ciro has Niemierski up against the cage in a clinch.

Ciro breaks from the clinch.

Ciro moves into the clinch.

Niemierski pulls Ciro into guard.

Niemierski is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Ciro is aware though and is defending well.
Ciro has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Niemierski is proving hard to escape from.
Niemierski is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ciro looking to pass the guard.
Ciro is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Ciro stopping the sweep attempt from Niemierski.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Ciro throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Niemierski.
Some wild striking there from Ciro.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Niemierski takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Niemierski tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Ciro manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Ciro shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Niemierski eats them both and turns towards Ciro to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.

Niemierski instigates a clinch.
Niemierski wants a takedown but no success here.
Ciro tries to break the clinch but Niemierski is controlling the position.
Niemierski can't get the takedown.
Tom Ciro has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Maciej Niemierski.

Niemierski is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Ciro can't fight it off and eventually Niemierski manages to take the fight to the floor. Ciro looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Niemierski is looking to work some ground and pound but Ciro has wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ciro is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Niemierski looking to sit in guard and control but Ciro gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Niemierski is looking for a triangle but Ciro pushes his legs off easily.
Niemierski is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Ciro has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Niemierski looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Ciro passes into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Niemierski is looking for a sweep.
Niemierski looks winded!
Niemierski gets back to half guard.

Niemierski looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ciro tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Niemierski.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Maciej Niemierski will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Niemierski doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Ciro counters with a series of strikes. Niemierski will be more careful next time no doubt.
Ciro misses with a series of wild punches.
Ciro throws a nice inside leg kick.
Niemierski shoots and misses
and Ciro counters with an outside leg kick.
Niemierski tries to clinch there but Ciro circles away.
Niemierski tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Ciro counters with a two punch combo.
Niemierski with a lazy takedown attempt
letting Ciro counter with a right hand.
Tom Ciro has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Maciej Niemierski.
Ciro stalks Niemierski and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Niemierski's face. Niemierski staggers backwards, shaken.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Niemierski tries for a takedown but Ciro circles away easily

and Ciro decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Niemierski's guard.
Niemierski is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ciro pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Niemierski is keeping the position for now.

Niemierski is looking for a triangle but Ciro pushes his legs off easily.

Niemierski has his foot on Ciro's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Ciro works his way back into a safe position though.
Ciro trying to control the position from guard on top but Niemierski is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Niemierski looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ciro stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Niemierski fails with the takedown

and Ciro counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Ciro looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ciro sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Niemierski's guard.
Ciro knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Niemierski on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ciro trying to control the pace.
Niemierski wants to control but Ciro is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Ciro trying to control the action but Niemierski is working from the bottom.

Niemierski is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Ciro pulls his head out easily.
Ciro with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Niemierski looking for submissions off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Niemierski is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Ciro pulls his head out easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Tom Ciro overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Niemierski is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Ciro pulls his head out easily.
Ciro is controlling the pace.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Niemierski wants to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Ciro dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Ciro misses with a wild combination.
Niemierski throws the left hand but Ciro avoids the punch easily.

Ciro throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Niemierski was covering up waiting for the punch and Ciro finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Niemierski is trying to control the position but Ciro postures up.

Niemierski looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Niemierski looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Niemierski takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Niemierski has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Ciro can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Niemierski trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Niemierski keeping moving, preventing Ciro from controlling successfully.

Niemierski had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Ciro defends it easily.
Ciro wants to pass the guard but Niemierski is keeping the position.
Ciro not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ciro preventing the sweep.

Niemierski looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Ciro passes into half guard.
Ciro will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Niemierski wants to sweep but Ciro has passed to side control!
Ciro lands some shots froms side control.
Niemierski should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Niemierski is not content to let Ciro control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ciro is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Niemierski is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Niemierski tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Ciro wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Niemierski is not content to let Ciro control the position.
Ciro scores with punches from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ciro tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Ciro has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Ciro trying to control the action but Niemierski is working from the bottom.
Niemierski regains half guard.
Niemierski wants to get back to full guard.

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 Tom Ciro.
Well Ciro 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 29:28
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 30:28
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Tom Ciro!
Tom Ciro thanked the fans post fight for their support.