PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Javier Xavier (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leo Venanccio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Xavier
vs
Venanccio

175 cm
19
185 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

176 cm
19
188 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Javier Xavier!
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, Leo Venanccio!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Daniel Cesar and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Venanccio misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Xavier throws a shot from downtown. Venanccio moves away and avoids it.
Xavier with a lazy takedown attempt
and Venanccio counters with a series of strikes. Xavier will be more careful next time no doubt.
Xavier tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Venanccio counters with a nice leg kick.
Xavier pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Venanccio changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Xavier looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Venanccio trying to control the action but Xavier is working from the bottom.
You can see the frustration on Xavier's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Xavier prevents Venanccio from moving into mount.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Xavier holds on tight, trying to prevent any damage.
Venanccio trying to control the action but Xavier is working from the bottom.
Venanccio wants to stand but Xavier has his arm trapped.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Xavier misses with a takedown
and Venanccio counters with a stiff right hand.
Venanccio tries to bum rush Xavier with a series of wild strikes but Xavier uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Javier Xavier seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Xavier lands a jab.

It looks like Leo Venanccio has been cut.
Xavier tries to clinch but Venanccio moves away

and Venanccio decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Xavier's guard.
Venanccio working some strikes from top position.
Venanccio trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Xavier controlling Venanccio's posture.
Venanccio must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Xavier is breathing heavily.

Venanccio gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Venanccio shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Xavier shoots in but Venanccio avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Javier Xavier. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Venanccio connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Venanccio drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Venanccio scoring with punches and elbows.
Venanccio is looking to take a break and control but Xavier is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Venanccio working away.
Venanccio trying to control the position but Xavier is working away.
Xavier is trying to work for a sweep but Venanccio has mounted him!
Venanccio landing strikes, looking to finish!
Xavier is in a horrible position here. Venanccio smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Xavier wants to control but Venanccio is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Venanccio is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Xavier is surviving well by controlling Venanccio's body position as best he can.
Venanccio wants to control the pace but Xavier is squirming around nicely.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Venanccio with good strikes from the mount here!
Venanccio trying to control but Xavier is having none of it.
Xavier is desperately trying to improve his position but Venanccio has a good base and remains in mount.

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.
Venanccio wants to control the pace but Xavier is squirming around nicely.

Venanccio is going olschool here, as he tries to force Xavier to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Xavier shrugs it off.
Xavier is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Venanccio trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Venanccio controlling the position easily from mount.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Venanccio sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leo Venanccio dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Leo Venanccio's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Xavier with a lazy takedown attempt
enabling Venanccio to counter with a crisp jab.
Xavier has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Xavier keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Xavier lands with a hook. Venanccio tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.

Venanccio moves into the clinch.

Venanccio breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Xavier bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.

Venanccio clinches with his opponent.

Venanccio breaks from the clinch.

Venanccio has closed the distance and engaged Xavier in a clinch.
Venanccio lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Venanccio is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Xavier gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Venanccio displaying some good clinch control by pressing Xavier up against the cage.
Xavier misses with a punch on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Venanccio breaks the clinch.
Venanccio staying out of range there.
Venanccio shoots in for a takedown but Xavier shows good takedown defense.
Javier Xavier has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Leo Venanccio.
Nice sprawl there from Xavier as Venanccio shoots in.
Venanccio stuffs the takedown.
Venanccio stuns Xavier with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Venanccio stuffs the takedown attempt from Xavier. Xavier gets slowly back to his feet.

Xavier shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Venanccio is trying to escape the mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Venanccio is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Xavier stands up from mount. Strange move.
Venanccio throws the kick towards the body but Xavier avoids it.
Venanccio looks to land a combination but Xavier avoids it well.
Xavier looks to clinch

and Venanccio counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Venanccio content to slow the pace in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Xavier is trying to drag Venanccio to the mat but Venanccio just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Xavier wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Venanccio drops down looking for an ankle pick but Xavier pulls his leg out and moves away.
Xavier swats away the attempt to clinch by Venanccio.
The fighters circling - Xavier throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Venanccio throws a head kick but Xavier moves out of range.

Xavier scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Xavier controlling the position from side mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Venanccio tries to buck Xavier off but Xavier is having none of it.

Xavier stands up and beckons Venanccio to his feet.
Xavier closes the distance but Venanccio moves to the side

and Venanccio counters with a shoot takedown. Xavier fights it but they end up in guard.
Xavier wants to stand but Venanccio is controlling the position.

Xavier is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
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!
Xavier can't break the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Venanccio pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Xavier sizes up Venanccio with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
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 Javier Xavier will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Leo Venanccio's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Venanccio moves into range and clinches up with Xavier.
Venanccio is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Xavier is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Xavier prevents a takedown attempt there.

Venanccio gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Xavier wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Venanccio manages to pass to side control.

Venanccio is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Xavier is trying to maintain the position but Venanccio is very close to passing his half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Xavier is pressing down on Venanccio's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Xavier has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Venanccio off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Xavier tries to clinch
and Venanccio counters with a three punch combo that has Xavier backing up. Xavier nods at Venanccio to acknowledge the strikes.
Xavier tries to clinch up

and Venanccio counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Venanccio trying to control but Xavier is working from the bottom.
Xavier wants to stand and escape but Venanccio is having none of it.
Venanccio wants to pass the guard but Xavier is keeping the position.
Venanccio trying to control the position from guard on top but Xavier is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Venanccio wants to get up but he can't break Xavier's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Venanccio sitting in guard here, content to control.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Xavier shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Venanccio counters with a good low kick that Xavier was not able to check.
Xavier misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Venanccio throws a shot to the body.
Venanccio shoots for a takedown but Xavier saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Xavier shoots and misses
and Venanccio counters with a leg kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Javier Xavier. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Xavier doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Venanccio moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Venanccio has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Xavier is trying to keep an underhook but Venanccio manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Venanccio wants to take a breather but Xavier is having none of it.
Xavier avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Venanccio.
Xavier controlling the position for now.
Xavier looks like he's trying to stand up.
Venanccio wants to get back to his feet.
Xavier trying to hold on to Venanccio's head to control him but Venanccio postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Venanccio seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Xavier does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Venanccio ducks under a wild hook from Xavier.

Venanccio gets a clinch.
Venanccio tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Xavier smiles and moves away.
Xavier throws a shot from downtown. Venanccio moves away and avoids it.

Venanccio gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Venanccio scores with a knee to the head.
Venanccio tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Xavier smiles and moves away.
Venanccio shoots in looking for a takedown. Xavier tries to sprawl out of it but Venanccio keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Xavier manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

And that's the end of the fight!
Leo Venanccio comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Venanccio 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Leo Venanccio!