PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Nick Papageorgio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bruninho Pereira (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Papageorgio
vs
Pereira

175 cm
20
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
18
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Nick Papageorgio!
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, Bruninho Pereira!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Mauricio Rocha and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Papageorgio!

It looks like Bruninho Pereira has been cut.

Pereira darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Papageorgio is looking to improve his position.
Papageorgio is looking to control Pereira's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Papageorgio avoid being mounted?

Pereira is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Papageorgio is trying to get back to full guard.

Pereira is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Papageorgio looks like he's trying to stand up.
Papageorgio slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Papageorgio pushes Pereira off and gets back to his feet.
Pereira fails in his attempt to clinch.
Pereira tries to clinch up.
Pereira tries to clinch up but Papageorgio circles away and keeps his distance.

Papageorgio has taken the fight to the clinch.
Pereira wants a takedown.
Papageorgio pushes Pereira back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Pereira looks gassed!
Papageorgio manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Papageorgio changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Pereira fights it off and pushes away nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Papageorgio tests Pereira's chin there with a solid looking shot.
A decent looking cross lands there for Papageorgio.

Pereira drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Papageorgio is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Pereira works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Papageorgio wants to get back to his feet.

Pereira is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Papageorgio knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Papageorgio wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Papageorgio is trying to control Pereira's posture but Pereira avoids it.
Papageorgio is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Pereira asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Pereira laying and praying for a moment but Papageorgio takes advantage and regains half guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Papageorgio has his takedown stuffed

and Pereira counters with a takedown into side control.

Pereira working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Pereira tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Pereira has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Papageorgio manages to work his way to half guard, despite Pereira's best efforts.
Pereira is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Pereira is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Papageorgio wants to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Papageorgio dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Bruninho Pereira's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Pereira has taken the fight to the clinch.

Pereira pulls Papageorgio into guard.
Papageorgio working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Pereira trying to control the position.
Pereira keeping moving, preventing Papageorgio from controlling successfully.
Papageorgio connects with a couple of short punches.

Pereira is looking for a triangle but Papageorgio pushes his legs off easily.
Pereira being controlled here, momentarily.
Papageorgio wants to stand but Pereira has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Papageorgio won't allow Pereira to sweep him here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Papageorgio wants to control from the top but Pereira keeps moving.
Pereira looking for a sweep. Not yet Pereira, not yet.
Papageorgio passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Pereira gets back to half guard.
Papageorgio lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Pereira is trying to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Papageorgio lands strikes from half guard.

Papageorgio escapes and gets back to his feet.
Pereira will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Papageorgio tries to close the distance and clinch but Pereira swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Papageorgio tries to clinch but Pereira moves out of range.
Pereira has his takedown stuffed
and Papageorgio counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Pereira is lucky that one didn't land flush.

Pereira moves into range and clinches up with Papageorgio.

Papageorgio breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Papageorgio is looking to clinch.
Papageorgio will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Papageorgio swings for the body but Pereira moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pereira has managed to clinch.
Papageorgio changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Pereira fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Pereira shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Papageorgio counters with a nice double leg into side control. Pereira won't be happy with that.
Nick Papageorgio has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bruninho Pereira.

Papageorgio stands up and we're back to a striking position.

Pereira takes the fight into the clinch.

Papageorgio manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Papageorgio keeping moving, preventing Pereira from controlling successfully.
Papageorgio tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Pereira trying to control the position from guard on top but Papageorgio is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Pereira is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Papageorgio is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Papageorgio has escaped and now he's on top!
Papageorgio lands a couple of digs.

Pereira had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Papageorgio is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Pereira Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Papageorgio's back instead.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Papageorgio defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Pereira's arms.

Pereira tightening his grip on Papageorgio, looking for the choke.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Papageorgio dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Bruninho Pereira's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Pereira fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Pereira tries for a takedown but Papageorgio sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Papageorgio lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Papageorgio.
Papageorgio tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Pereira showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Papageorgio.

Papageorgio drives through and clinches with Pereira against the cage.
Pereira wants a takedown but no success here.
Nick Papageorgio has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bruninho Pereira.

Papageorgio breaks the clinch.
Pereira keeps the fight on the outside.
Papageorgio lands a jab to the head.
Papageorgio lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Papageorgio lands a jab to the head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Papageorgio lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Pereira at a distance.
Papageorgio wants to clinch up but Pereira keeps it at a distance.
Papageorgio throws a body kick that misses.
Pereira shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Papageorgio as he avoids it easily.
Pereira fails with the takedown.
Papageorgio throws a sloppy head kick and Pereira moves out of range easily.
Papageorgio feints and then cracks Pereira's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Pereira down.
Pereira bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

Pereira scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Papageorgio landing strikes from the bottom.
Papageorgio is staying active underneath Pereira, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Pereira not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pereira lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Papageorgio is defending against the submission attempts here by Pereira.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Papageorgio pushes Pereira off looking to stand but Pereira dives back in and keeps control.

Pereira is working for a submission of some sort.
Pereira wants to control but Papageorgio is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Pereira shoots in but Papageorgio avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Papageorgio wants to clinch

and Pereira counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Pereira decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Pereira fails with the takedown.
A left lands for Papageorgio.
Pereira gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Papageorgio moves into the clinch.
Papageorgio has had enough of the clinch but Pereira keeps him there for the moment.
Papageorgio gets underhooks to prevent Pereira's takedown attempt.
Papageorgio prevents the takedown attempt.
Papageorgio is trying to break the clinch but Pereira has him pressed against the cage.
Papageorgio wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Pereira has him pressed against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Pereira decides to pull guard.

Pereira looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Pereira is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Papageorgio scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Pereira looking for a guillotine here but Papageorgio defends easily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Pereira is looking for a triangle but Papageorgio pushes his legs off easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pereira trying to keep a closed guard but Papageorgio is proving a slippery customer.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Bruninho Pereira.
I think Papageorgio 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 30:28
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nick Papageorgio!