PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Juju Chavez (ranked 2952 p4p, 2896 weight class) and Raniel Mancuso (ranked 189 p4p, 185 weight class). Mancuso has chosen O Retrô Ativo - Heróis do Status Quo as his entrance music. This should be fireworks!

Chavez
vs
Mancuso

169 cm
22
144
3 - 1 - 0

180 cm
22
142
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Juju Chavez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Raniel Mancuso!
The judges for this bout are Percy O'Donnell, Frank Antenori and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mancuso misses with the combination.
Mancuso lands a head kick. Chavez smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Chavez fails with a takedown attempt.
Chavez misses with a jab, cross combination.
Mancuso throws a jab but it's blocked by Chavez.
Chavez avoids the head kick by Mancuso.
Chavez throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Mancuso pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Chavez changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Mancuso throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mancuso lands a head kick!
Chavez digs a good body shot into Mancuso's ribs.
Chavez misses with a wild combination.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Mancuso dodges the punch combination from Chavez.
Raniel Mancuso is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chavez throws a body shot but no joy.
A head kick from Mancuso lands but Chavez takes it in his stride.
Chavez works over Mancuso's head and body with a nice combination.
Mancuso misses with a head kick.
Chavez connects with a body shot.
Mancuso throws a head kick but Chavez moves out of range.
Chavez looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Mancuso throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Chavez has Mancuso up against the cage in a clinch.
Mancuso is looking to break free of the clinch but Chavez has double underhooks.
Mancuso is trying to force a seperation but Chavez has the dominant position.
Mancuso lands a knee to the body.
Chavez is stalling here.
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!
Chavez swings wildly with an uppercut but Mancuso uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mancuso breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Chavez walks forward, straight into a front kick from Mancuso.
Juju Chavez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mancuso throws a body punch but Chavez moves out of range.
Chavez attempts a counter takedown but Mancuso avoids it well and moves away.
Chavez has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Mancuso.
Mancuso avoids the body shot from Chavez.
Mancuso tries to clinch up.

Mancuso has Chavez up against the cage in a clinch.

Mancuso breaks the clinch.
Chavez tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Mancuso manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Mancuso misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Chavez feinted with a counter takedown.
Mancuso lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Mancuso buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mancuso moves in looking to clinch but Chavez pushes him off.

Chavez tries to keep at a distance but Mancuso has taken the fight into the clinch.
Mancuso wants to take the fight to the mat but Chavez manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Mancuso's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

Chavez pulls guard.
Mancuso content to stall in guard here.
Mancuso told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mancuso is continuing to stall.
Chavez wants to sweep but no luck.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Chavez is working an open guard so Mancuso takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Mancuso is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
A slapping leg kick lands for Mancuso.
Chavez tries to close the distance and clinch but Mancuso swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Mancuso moves into range and clinches up with Chavez.

Chavez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Chavez misses the shot to the body.
Mancuso uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Chavez.

Mancuso has taken the fight to the clinch.

Mancuso breaks the clinch.
Mancuso circles away from the clinch attempt.

Mancuso has taken the fight to the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Chavez tries to circle away but Mancuso has him pinned against the cage.
Mancuso tries to circle away but Chavez has him pinned against the cage.
Chavez misses with an elbow strike.

Mancuso pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Chavez avoids a kick to the body.
Mancuso scoring well with a low kick there.
Mancuso wants to clinch up but Chavez keeps it at a distance.
Mancuso dodges the punch combination from Chavez.
Mancuso tries to clinch there but Chavez circles away.
Chavez throws a head kick that misses.
Mancuso keeps Chavez at a distance using the push kick.
Mancuso misses with a two punch combination.
A head kick by Mancuso misses

and Chavez counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Chavez is looking to stand up but Mancuso won't let him.
Mancuso is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Chavez is controlling him.
Chavez throws a big elbow that misses.

Chavez postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Mancuso is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Chavez, into his guard.

Mancuso must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mancuso is stalling in the full guard.
We've been hearing good reports from Chavez's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.

Mancuso got a little sloppy there for a moment and Chavez has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Mancuso has managed to get both his arms back between Chavez's legs - danger averted.
Mancuso wants to stand but Chavez is controlling his posture from full guard.
Chavez looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's two 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.

Chavez looking for a guillotine here but Mancuso defends easily.

Chavez throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Mancuso escapes and throws Chavez's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Mancuso staying calm.
Chavez manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Mancuso in particular looking to stall.
Chavez tries to roll over but Mancuso keeps him under control.
Chavez is working hard here to advance position.
Chavez is pressing down on Mancuso's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Chavez is trying to keep Mancuso in close.
Mancuso not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Chavez wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Mancuso is now in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Chavez misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Mancuso perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Mancuso decides to stand up.
Chavez misses with a few strikes there.
Chavez looks to land a combination but Mancuso avoids it well.
Mancuso tries to bum rush Chavez with a series of wild strikes but Chavez uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Mancuso throws a nice looking combination but Chavez bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Chavez feinted with a counter takedown.
Chavez checks a low kick from Mancuso.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Mancuso circles away from the clinch attempt
and Mancuso counters with a one-two to the body.
Chavez blocks a head kick by Mancuso.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Raniel Mancuso showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Mancuso throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Chavez is looking to wear down Mancuso with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Mancuso will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Juju Chavez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Mancuso ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Chavez moves away.
Chavez fails with an attempt to clinch.
Chavez fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Mancuso leaves Chavez with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Chavez tries to clinch but Mancuso moves out of range.
Chavez blocks a head kick by Mancuso.
Chavez shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Mancuso as he jumps to the side.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A combination from Chavez does no damage.
Chavez swings widly with a right hand
and Mancuso counters with a two punch combo.
Mancuso displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Chavez.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Juju Chavez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mancuso throws a sloppy head kick and Chavez moves out of range easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mancuso looks to land a combination but Chavez avoids it well.
Chavez throws a sloppy head kick and Mancuso moves out of range easily.
Mancuso throws a low kick but Chavez avoids it.
Chavez looks to land a combination but Mancuso avoids it well.
Chavez looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Mancuso throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Chavez avoids the head kick by Mancuso.
Mancuso tries to clinch up.
Mancuso with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Chavez fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
No joy there for Chavez, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Mancuso throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Mancuso goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

Mancuso moves into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mancuso pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
No luck for Mancuso with that takedown attempt.
Mancuso takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Chavez wants to clinch up but Mancuso keeps it at a distance.
Mancuso throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Chavez shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Mancuso napping and manages to drive through into side control!
An elbow from Chavez crashes against the mat.
Mancuso on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Chavez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mancuso keeps working.

Chavez tries for a kimura but Mancuso is defending well.
Chavez tries to advance to mount but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Chavez tries for a kimura but Mancuso is defending well.
Mancuso parries the strikes from Chavez easily there. Chavez is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Mancuso to escape.
Raniel Mancuso is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Chavez lands some shots froms side control.
Mancuso dodges the ground and pound from Chavez.
Mancuso managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Chavez.
Chavez trying to control the position but Mancuso is working away.

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.

Chavez thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Sloppy strikes there by Chavez.

Chavez goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Mancuso rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Chavez's guard! Nice work there by Mancuso!
Juju Chavez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Mancuso decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
A combination from Chavez does no damage.
Chavez blocks a jab.

Mancuso moves into range and clinches up with Chavez.
Chavez throws an elbow but it's blocked.

And that's the end of the fight!
Raniel Mancuso comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Mancuso 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Raniel Mancuso!
Raniel Mancuso tried to hype himself up post fight but didn't word it too well and it ended up with him sounding like a bit of a tool.