PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Coleman Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matheus Firmo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Firmo comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Sou Grafiteiro Por Amor/Banda Grafith kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Cruz
vs
Firmo

189 cm
18
140 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

170 cm
18
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Hates pizza

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Coleman Cruz!
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, Matheus Firmo !
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Matheus Silva and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz throws a head kick that misses.

Firmo closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Firmo has clasped his hands together around Cruz's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Cruz tries to escape but Firmo is in control.
Firmo trying to control the position but Cruz is working away.
Cruz wants to get back to his feet but Firmo drags him back down.
Firmo trying to control the position but Cruz is working away.
Firmo really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Cruz. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Cruz is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Firmo throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Cruz is trying to control Firmo 's posture but Firmo avoids it.
Cruz is trying to get back to his feet.
Cruz being controlled for a moment.
Cruz wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Firmo looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Cruz is trying to control Firmo 's posture but Firmo avoids it.
Cruz is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Firmo is controlling him well.
Firmo remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Firmo trying to control the action but Cruz is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz is trying to get back to his feet.
Firmo has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Cruz!
Cruz is squirming around, avoiding Firmo 's attempts to control the action.
Cruz gets back to half guard.

Cruz has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Firmo is on him like a limpet, forcing Cruz back against the cage.

Firmo has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Cruz clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cruz is trying to stand back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Firmo trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Cruz looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.

Cruz preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Firmo .
Cruz trying to get back to his feet but Firmo is in full control for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cruz is looking to stand back up. He's having to work hard to escape but eventually he manages it.
Firmo throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Firmo closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Cruz is breathing heavily.
Firmo seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Firmo trying to mount his opponent but Cruz defends it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Firmo is looking for a kimura here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matheus Firmo dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Cruz closes the distance and clinches.
Firmo is trying to force a seperation but Cruz has the dominant position.
Cruz pressing his opponent against the cage.
Firmo blocks a body shot from Cruz.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz wants to stall.
Cruz tries to land knees in the clinch but Firmo avoids the damage to the body.
Cruz throws a head punch that misses.
Cruz is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Cruz tries to stall but Firmo uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Firmo tightens his grip and picks Cruz up, before dumping him to the ground. Cruz manages to land in guard.
Firmo stays in close to Cruz's body and controls the position.
Firmo won't allow Cruz to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz pulls Firmo in close to his closed guard and prevents Firmo from doing any damage or advancing position.

Cruz working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Firmo has passed into half guard!
Firmo wants to take a breather but Cruz is having none of it.
Cruz wants to control but Firmo is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Firmo thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Cruz's head.
Firmo throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Cruz is trying to stand.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Firmo trying to control from half guard but Cruz is working away.

Cruz actively working from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Firmo is looking to take a break and control but Cruz is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Firmo is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Cruz is looking to escape.

Cruz actively working from the bottom here.
Cruz really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cruz looks like he's trying to stand up.
Firmo wants to control but Cruz is keeping him busy.
Cruz looks like he's trying to stand up.
Firmo trying to control the action but Cruz is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Matheus Firmo has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Firmo misses with a low kick.
Matheus Firmo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Firmo .
Firmo is looking to take a break and control but Cruz is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cruz is trying to buck Firmo off.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
You can see the frustration on Cruz's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Matheus Firmo has got the better of the ground game so far.

Firmo decides to stand back up. Firmo steps back and let's Cruz get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matheus Firmo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Firmo scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Cruz throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
Firmo swinging wildly here.

Firmo shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Cruz's guard.
Firmo trying to control but Cruz is working from the bottom.

Cruz is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Cruz is looking to stand up but Firmo isn't so interested in that idea.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz keeping moving, preventing Firmo from controlling successfully.

Cruz throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Firmo engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Firmo with a flurry of punches that miss.
Cruz is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Cruz is looking to stand up but Firmo isn't so interested in that idea.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Matheus Firmo hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Firmo lands a jab-cross combination.

Cruz is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Firmo 's half guard.
Cruz wants to stand up but Firmo manages to regain full guard.

Firmo working for a triangle but Cruz defends it easily.
Firmo pulls Cruz in close to prevent any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Firmo has his feet on Cruz's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

Firmo shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Firmo showed some decent athleticism there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz tries to kick Firmo off but Firmo keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Firmo is taking a breather. Cruz says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

Cruz kicks Firmo off and gets back to his feet.

Firmo changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Cruz looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Firmo throwing strikes but missing, from 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!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cruz wants to control but Firmo postures up.
Firmo slows the pace down.
Coleman Cruz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Matheus Firmo is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Cruz is trying to improve his position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matheus Firmo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Firmo 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 27:30
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matheus Firmo !
After winning the bout, Matheus Firmo thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.