PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Napoleon Cleveland (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dante Exum (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Exum comes into a darkened arena with his song building. No Games kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Cleveland
vs
Exum

189 cm
24
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

195 cm
25
220 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight 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, Napoleon Cleveland!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Dante Exum!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Matheus Silva and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Exum shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Cleveland tries to get to full guard but Exum has control of the leg.
Cleveland controlling the position well.
Exum controlling the action here.

Exum is trying to work for a kimura but Cleveland is defending well.
Exum is trying to control. Cleveland wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Cleveland is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Exum pulls his head out easily.
Exum is looking to take a break and control but Cleveland is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Cleveland is looking for a sweep. Exum is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Cleveland is trying to control but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Cleveland is controlling Exum's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Cleveland slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cleveland seems keen to control Exum's posture.
Exum showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Exum trying to control but Cleveland is working from the bottom.
Exum throws a big elbow that misses.
Cleveland looking for a sweep. Not yet Cleveland, not yet.
Exum pushes down on Cleveland's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Cleveland wants to improve his position but Exum is controlling well.
Exum keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cleveland wants to get back to full guard.
Cleveland is positioning himself well to prevent Exum advancing to mount.
Cleveland is refusing to be controlled, as Exum sits in half guard.
Exum looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Exum's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Exum throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Cleveland was covering up waiting for the punch and Exum finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Cleveland looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Exum trying to control the position from guard on top but Cleveland is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Exum is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Exum preventing the sweep.
Cleveland manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Exum manages to get himself to full guard.

Exum has Cleveland pulled in close to control his posture.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Exum is working an open guard so Cleveland takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Exum closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Exum prevents Cleveland from improving his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cleveland is not content to let Exum control the position.
Cleveland is trying to control but can't.
Cleveland keeping hold of Exum's head, controlling as best he can.
Exum perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Exum is thwarting Cleveland's attempts to control the position.
Exum is controlling the pace.
Exum tries to pass the half guard into mount. Cleveland knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Exum throwing shots but Cleveland is blocking nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dante Exum dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Exum looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Cleveland!
Cleveland is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Exum off and has taken his back!
Cleveland has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Exum's body.
Cleveland tries to keep control of the position but Exum is staying busy.
Cleveland is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Exum is keeping busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Exum trying to control the hands but Cleveland breaks the grip.
You can see the frustration on Exum's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Exum wants to control his opponent's hands but Cleveland gets his hands free.
Exum can't escape the position.
Exum is keeping busy.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Cleveland controlling the positon.
Exum trying to control the hands but Cleveland breaks the grip.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cleveland seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Exum for as long as he can get away with.
Cleveland trying to control.
Cleveland just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.
Cleveland avoiding Exum 's attempts to control his hands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dante Exum has got the better of the ground game so far.
Good control from Cleveland.
Exum trying to control but not successfully.
Cleveland is hanging on to Exum's back as he tries to escape.
Exum wants to control his opponent's hands but Cleveland gets his hands free.
Cleveland just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.
Exum trying to control the action but Cleveland just sinks the hooks in.
Exum is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.

Cleveland is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Exum has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cleveland is looking for a rear naked choke here but Exum reverses the position brilliantly into Cleveland's guard!
Cleveland controls Exum momentarily but Exum frees himself.
Exum trying to control but Cleveland is working from the bottom.
Exum postures up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cleveland bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Exum's guard.

Cleveland stands up from guard. Let's bang!

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Exum breaks the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Napoleon Cleveland dominated that second 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. 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.

Exum feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Cleveland wants to sweep here but Exum controlling him for the moment.
Cleveland wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Exum is now in half guard.
Exum seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Cleveland has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Exum is working away from the top position though.
Exum wants to pass the guard but Cleveland is defending well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Exum trying to control the action but Cleveland is working from the bottom.
Cleveland keeping control of the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cleveland trying to control here.
Exum stalling.
Cleveland is trying to get back to full guard.
Cleveland desperately trying to maintain half guard.

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.
Exum sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Exum trying to control from half guard but Cleveland is working away.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Exum misses with a body kick.

Exum closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Cleveland to the mat! Cleveland manages to get full guard.
Exum trying to control but Cleveland is working from the bottom.
Cleveland utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Exum is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Exum accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Cleveland looking to control but Exum passes into half guard.
Exum passes into side control, despite Cleveland's attempt to control the position.
Exum has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Cleveland tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Cleveland gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Cleveland is trying to stand.
Cleveland wants to control but Exum is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Cleveland is looking for a sweep. Exum is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Cleveland keeping control of the position.
Cleveland is trying to maintain the position but Exum is very close to passing his half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cleveland keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Exum is figuring out what he wants to do next.
The fighters are battling for position here. Cleveland manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Cleveland keeping full guard, as Exum tries to pass.
Cleveland can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Exum controls the pace.
Exum must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Exum preventing the sweep.
Exum wants to control from the top but Cleveland keeps moving.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Exum controlling from the top position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dante Exum comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Exum has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 28:29
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dante Exum!
Dante Exum made sure to give a little speech post fight, saying 'I want to thank all my fans and managers and my opponent for a great fight and a great opportunity to show what i could do in this victory.'.