PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Giovanni Fernandes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Apollo Youngblud (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.

Fernandes
vs
Youngblud

166 cm
18
162 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

Good wrestler
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Giovanni Fernandes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Apollo Youngblud!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, William Gold and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
An inside leg kick lands from Fernandes.

Youngblud moves into the clinch successfully.
A nice left hand lands by Fernandes.
Youngblud blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Youngblud stalling against the cage.
Fernandes misses with the head strike.

Youngblud is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Fernandes can't fight it off and eventually Youngblud manages to take the fight to the floor. Fernandes looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Fernandes wants to stand but Youngblud is controlling the position.
Fernandes tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Fernandes escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Youngblud gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Fernandes had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Youngblud defends it easily.

Youngblud got a little sloppy there for a moment and Fernandes has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Youngblud has managed to get both his arms back between Fernandes's legs - danger averted.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Youngblud with a nice head shot there.
Youngblud trying to control but Fernandes is working from the bottom.
Fernandes wants to get back to his feet but Youngblud is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Youngblud wants to pass the guard but Fernandes is keeping the position.
Youngblud working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Fernandes's head.

Fernandes is looking for a triangle but Youngblud pushes his legs off easily.
Youngblud with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Fernandes is breathing heavily.
Youngblud pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Fernandes is keeping the position for now.
Fernandes could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Youngblud engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Youngblud's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Youngblud lands a couple of elbows.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Fernandes keeping moving, preventing Youngblud from controlling successfully.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Youngblud showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Fernandes looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Youngblud passes into side control.
Fernandes taking a bit of punishment here - Youngblud scoring with strikes.
Fernandes tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Youngblud is chipping away with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Youngblud has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Apollo Youngblud seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fernandes throws a shot from downtown. Youngblud moves away and avoids it.
Youngblud slips a jab from Fernandes.

Youngblud shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Fernandes's guard.
Youngblud pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Fernandes is keeping the position for now.
Youngblud lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Youngblud stays in close to Fernandes's body and controls the position.
Youngblud pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Fernandes is keeping the position for now.
Youngblud slips nicely into half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Youngblud in particular looking to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Youngblud is thwarting Fernandes's attempts to control the position.
Youngblud lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Youngblud controlling the pace.
Youngblud is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Youngblud working the ground and pound effectively.
Fernandes can't escape the position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Youngblud fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Fernandes really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Youngblud landing punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Apollo Youngblud dominated that round.
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.

Youngblud tries to score a power double leg takedown but Fernandes sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Youngblud somewhat.
No luck for Youngblud with that takedown attempt.
Youngblud fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Giovanni Fernandes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Apollo Youngblud.
A low kick from Youngblud is predictable there
and Fernandes counters with a slapping leg kick.
Fernandes throws a wild body kick that Youngblud sees coming a mile off.
Youngblud takes one to the side of the head.
Youngblud doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Fernandes counters with a nice body kick.
Fernandes cracks the inside of Youngblud's front leg.
Fernandes misses with a few strikes there.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Youngblud.
Youngblud wants to lay and pray for a moment but Fernandes keeps working.
Youngblud is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A lull in the action here.
Fernandes managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Youngblud.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fernandes manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Youngblud is staying active underneath Fernandes, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Fernandes thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Youngblud's head.
Fernandes is looking to take a break and control but Youngblud is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Fernandes working over Youngblud with some ground and pound. Youngblud looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

Fernandes is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Youngblud defends it well.
Youngblud is trying to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Youngblud keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Fernandes is keen to just control but Youngblud is a slippery customer.
Youngblud controlling the position for now.
Apollo Youngblud has got the better of the ground game so far.
Youngblud keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Fernandes sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Youngblud defending well though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Youngblud is looking to get back to full guard here but Fernandes has managed to pass to side control instead.
Fernandes throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Youngblud works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Youngblud keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Youngblud gets full guard.
Youngblud preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Youngblud is looking to stand up but Fernandes isn't so interested in that idea.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Youngblud has control of Fernandes's left arm, preventing Fernandes from doing any damage.
Youngblud manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Fernandes is wriggling around trying to escape.
Fernandes regains half guard.
Youngblud working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Youngblud passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Fernandes!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Fernandes is trying desperately to improve position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Apollo Youngblud will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. 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.

No luck with that takedown attempt from Youngblud.
Youngblud defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Fernandes.

Youngblud gets the takedown into side control.
Fernandes is not content to let Youngblud control the position.
Fernandes is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Youngblud has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Youngblud creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

Youngblud has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Fernandes throws a head kick that misses.
Youngblud tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Fernandes swivels and escapes.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Youngblud steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Fernandes. That one must have hurt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fernandes tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Youngblud gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Youngblud breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Horrible takedown by Youngblud or perhaps it was just good defense by Fernandes which made him look bad.
Giovanni Fernandes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Apollo Youngblud.
Fernandes with a body punch. A glancing blow.

Fernandes shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Fernandes is fighting to break Youngblud's control of his arms but Youngblud is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Fernandes advances to half guard.
Fernandes thows a huge punch but Youngblud dodges it nicely.
Fernandes is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Fernandes not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Fernandes sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Youngblud defending well though.
Fernandes throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Youngblud to regain full guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Youngblud holds on and takes a little breather.
Fernandes throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Youngblud uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Good leg kick by Fernandes there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Youngblud takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
An inside leg kick lands from Fernandes.
Youngblud changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Fernandes tries to avoid it but Youngblud manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Fernandes to the ground. Fernandes escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Fernandes scores with the left hand. Youngblud knows he should have avoided that one.
Youngblud has a takedown stuffed.
Fernandes dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Youngblud. That did some damage!
Crunch! Fernandes slams his shin into Youngblud's torso.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Youngblud.
Youngblud tries to close the distance and clinch up but Fernandes swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fernandes jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Giovanni Fernandes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Fernandes shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Youngblud as he avoids it easily.

Youngblud bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
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!
Youngblud in side control lands a decent elbow.

Youngblud stands up.

Youngblud shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Fernandes's guard.
Apollo Youngblud is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Fernandes looking to control.
Youngblud pushing down on Fernandes's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Youngblud moves nicely into side control.
Fernandes is trying to get back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Apollo Youngblud comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Youngblud winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 27:30
Judge William Gold scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Apollo Youngblud!