PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Fernando Conde (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johnny Nova (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Conde
vs
Nova

180 cm
22
189 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

188 cm
20
192 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Fernando Conde!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Johnny Nova!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Paulo Santos and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nova fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Conde shoots for a takedown but Nova saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Nova shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Conde tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Nova is working for a guillotine from mount but Conde frees his head quite easily.
Conde tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Conde in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Conde is looking to get to half guard.
Conde swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Conde is trying desperately to improve position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Conde wants to control but Nova is having none of it.
Nova pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Conde manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Nova thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Conde's head.
Conde wants to get back to full guard.
Nova is trying to control the action in half guard but Conde is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Conde is looking for a sweep. Nova is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Conde avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Nova.
Nova is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Nova is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Conde is holding on to half guard well.
Conde tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Nova has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Conde is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nova with a couple of short strikes.
Conde wants to control but Nova is having none of it.
Conde is squirming around, avoiding Nova's attempts to control the action.
Conde wants to hold on but Nova pushes him away.
Conde sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Conde is trying to maintain the position but Nova is very close to passing his half guard.
Conde misses with some strikes from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Conde moves into full guard.
Nova postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Nova slips nicely into half guard.
Nova wants to take a breather but Conde is having none of it.
Conde tries to get to full guard but Nova has control of the leg.
Nova seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Conde does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Nova frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

Nova with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Conde is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Conde gets back to half guard.
Conde is not content to let Nova control the position.
Nova passes the guard and advances to mount!
Nova prevents Conde from getting the reversal.
Nova cracks Conde with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Nova looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Nova scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Conde?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Nova scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Conde is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Nova's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Nova is thwarting Conde's attempts to control the position.
Nova scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Conde tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Nova seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Conde does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Nova prevents Conde from improving his position.
Nova lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Conde flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Conde looking for submissions off his back.
Nova controlling the pace.

Nova is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Johnny Nova has got the better of the ground game so far.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Nova trying to control the action but Conde is working from the bottom.
Conde tries to roll over but Nova keeps him under control.
Nova working over Conde with some ground and pound. Conde looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Conde looking to force a kimura from the bottom here. He's concentrating on that move too much though and Nova pushes past his half guard into mount!
Nova scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Nova with the ground and pound from mount.
Nova has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Conde's face.
Nova lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Nova scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Conde?
Nova working the ground and pound effectively.
Nova wants to control the pace but Conde is squirming around nicely.
Nova lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Conde hang on?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Conde throwing hammer fists to the chest of Nova. What's that going to do exactly?
Nova lands a heavy elbow.
BOOM! Nova connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Conde really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Nova content just to control the position here.
Nova with the ground and pound from mount.
Conde swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nova is landing with some decent strikes but Conde is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Conde is looking to improve his position but Nova isn't that keen on the idea.
Nova landing strikes, looking to finish!
Nova with good strikes from the mount here!

Nova has control of Conde's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Conde regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Nova breaks from Conde's wrist control and lands an elbow.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Conde can't escape the position.
Conde is squirming around, avoiding Nova's attempts to control the action.
Nova with shots to the head and body - Conde looks very uncomfortable down there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johnny Nova showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Nova is looking to clinch.
Nova fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Conde lands with a kick to the temple. Nova shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

Nova shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Nova showed some decent athleticism there.
Conde is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Nova's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Nova's back!
Nova tries to break free.

Conde is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Nova knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Nova for a finish.
Nova breaks Conde's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Nova looking to pass the guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nova stands and throws Conde's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Conde is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Nova is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Conde is trying desperately to improve position.

Nova working for a guillotine from mount but Conde is in no mood to give up.
Nova punishing his opponent with strikes.
Conde tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Conde in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Nova lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
The referee warns Conde that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Conde takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Nova tries to control but Conde wriggling away.
Conde tries to hold on but Nova postures up.
Conde throwing hammer fists to the chest of Nova. What's that going to do exactly?
Conde is squirming around, avoiding Nova's attempts to control the action.
Nova landing strikes from the mount.
Conde is looking to improve his position but Nova isn't that keen on the idea.
Nova dominating with strikes here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nova lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Conde gets back to half guard.
Conde wants to get back to full guard.
Nova wants to free his trapped foot but Conde is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Conde wants to improve his position but Nova is controlling well.
Fernando Conde has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Nova is working for a kimura but Conde is defending it quite comfortably.
Conde trying to control but Nova postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Conde misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Nova lands strikes from half guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Conde scores with a takedown into Nova's guard.
Nova keeping moving, preventing Conde from controlling successfully.
Conde working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Conde slips nicely into half guard.
Conde not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Johnny Nova.
I've got Nova 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight for Johnny Nova!
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight for Johnny Nova!
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight for Johnny Nova!

Johnny Nova wins by unanimous decision!