PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rogerio Antunes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nick Papageorgio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Papageorgio has chosen Holiday Road as his entrance music. Rogerio Antunes could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Nick Papageorgio's chin.

Antunes
vs
Papageorgio

174 cm
22
180 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

175 cm
21
190 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rogerio Antunes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Nick Papageorgio!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Felipe Paraventi and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Antunes closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Antunes lands in his opponent's guard.

Antunes is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Antunes drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Antunes jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Papageorgio looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Papageorgio working a defensive guard here.
Papageorgio wants to stand up but Antunes is controlling him.

Papageorgio working for a triangle but Antunes defends it easily.

Antunes drops back looking for a leg! Papageorgio is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Papageorgio manages to kick Antunes off! Antunes jumps back into Papageorgio's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Papageorgio escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Antunes gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Antunes postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Papageorgio is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Antunes, into his guard.
Antunes is breathing heavily.
Papageorgio trying to control the position from guard on top but Antunes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Antunes escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Papageorgio gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Papageorgio content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Papageorgio avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Papageorgio is looking to work some ground and pound but Antunes has wrist control.
Papageorgio trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Papageorgio trying to control but Antunes is working from the bottom.

Antunes looking for subs off his back but Papageorgio has passed one foot through into half guard.

Papageorgio 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Papageorgio 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.
Papageorgio missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

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.
Papageorgio is trying to control. Antunes wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Antunes wants to improve his position but Papageorgio is controlling well.

Papageorgio is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Antunes has managed to free his arm - good work.

Antunes actively working from the bottom here.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Horrible takedown by Antunes or perhaps it was just good defense by Papageorgio which made him look bad.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Papageorgio shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

so Antunes counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Papageorgio wants to get back to his feet but Antunes is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Antunes thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rogerio Antunes dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Papageorgio with a poor takedown

and Antunes counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Papageorgio is looking to stand up but Antunes isn't so interested in that idea.
Antunes wants to control from the top but Papageorgio keeps moving.

Antunes thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Papageorgio lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Antunes!
The referee warns Antunes that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Antunes is wriggling around trying to escape.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
BOOM! Papageorgio connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Antunes is looking to improve his position but Papageorgio isn't that keen on the idea.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Antunes is working hard here to advance position.
Papageorgio breaks from Antunes's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Antunes is working to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Papageorgio working Antunes over with strikes here.
Papageorgio wants to control the pace but Antunes is squirming around nicely.
Antunes is trying desperately to improve position.
Papageorgio landing punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Antunes in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Antunes is bucking up trying to escape but Papageorgio cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Papageorgio prevents Antunes from getting the reversal.
Papageorgio with the ground and pound from mount.
Antunes is looking to improve his position but Papageorgio isn't that keen on the idea.

Papageorgio has hold of Antunes's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Antunes manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Antunes tries to hold on but Papageorgio pushes him away.
Papageorgio scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Antunes tries to reverse the position but Papageorgio maintains control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Papageorgio working for a submission but Antunes is keeping him at bay.
Antunes regains half guard.

Antunes looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Antunes is trying to get back to full guard.
Rogerio Antunes overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Papageorgio throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Papageorgio wants to get back to his feet.

Antunes looking for submissions off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Antunes is trying to maintain the position but Papageorgio is very close to passing his half guard.
Papageorgio wants to pass to mount but Antunes is defending the position.
Papageorgio is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.

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

Antunes scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Papageorgio is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Antunes has just dragged him back down to the mat.

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

Antunes looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rogerio Antunes dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Antunes shoots in and bounces Papageorgio off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Papageorgio is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Antunes defends well.

Antunes is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Papageorgio not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Papageorgio had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Antunes defends it easily.

Antunes drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Papageorgio dives on top into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Papageorgio throws a big right hand that misses.

Antunes looking for a guillotine here but Papageorgio defends easily.
Papageorgio trying to control the position from guard on top but Antunes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Antunes looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Papageorgio trying to control but Antunes is working from the bottom.
Papageorgio must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Antunes is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Antunes looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Papageorgio passes into half guard.
Papageorgio is keen to just control but Antunes is a slippery customer.
Papageorgio might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Antunes kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

Papageorgio is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Antunes has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Antunes is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Papageorgio pulls his head out easily.
Papageorgio tries to pass to full mount but Antunes defends it.

Antunes is defending against the submission attempts here by Papageorgio.
Antunes slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Nick Papageorgio has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Papageorgio wants to control from the top but Antunes keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

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

Antunes scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Antunes wants to lay and pray for a moment but Papageorgio keeps working.
Papageorgio throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Antunes prevents Papageorgio from standing back up.

Papageorgio manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Papageorgio misses with a wild combination.

Antunes shoots in and bounces Papageorgio off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
Rogerio Antunes showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Antunes, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rogerio Antunes!