PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between renato paiva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Enrique Morales (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

paiva
vs
Morales

187 cm
22
195 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

190 cm
22
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, renato paiva!
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, Enrique Morales!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Thiago Cunha and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
paiva tries to bum rush Morales with a series of wild strikes but Morales uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Morales shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with paiva but paiva pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Morales fails with a takedown attempt.
Morales looks for a takedown but paiva sprawls well.
renato paiva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Enrique Morales.
paiva misses with a jab, cross combination.
paiva throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Morales.
Morales has a takedown stuffed.
A combination from paiva does no damage.

Morales drives through with a takedown into guard.
paiva knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Morales on the ground.
paiva keeping moving, preventing Morales from controlling successfully.
paiva wants to stand up but Morales is controlling him.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Morales trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
paiva wants to stand but Morales is controlling the position.
Morales tries to free his leg and advance position but paiva is retaining full guard.
Morales stops paiva from standing up.

Morales postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! paiva is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Morales, into his guard.
Morales looks gassed!
paiva wants to stand but Morales has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

paiva stands and steps away. Morales gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
paiva misses with a few strikes there.
paiva fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
paiva misses with a few strikes there.
Morales tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but paiva paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Morales closes this distance looking for a takedown but paiva circles away.
Morales shoots in for a takedown but paiva shows good takedown defense.
paiva looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
paiva misses with a few strikes there.
paiva fails to land with a series of punches.
paiva fails to land with a series of punches.
Morales tries for a takedown but paiva sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
paiva misses with a wild combination.
paiva throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Morales.
Morales misses with a takedown attempt - paiva sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
renato paiva is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
paiva misses with a wild combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
paiva fails to land with a series of punches.
Nice sprawl there from paiva as Morales shoots in.
paiva throws a series of punches but Morales avoids them all with ease.
Morales shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has paiva pinned against the cage. paiva gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Morales avoids a punch combination nicely.
A combination from paiva does no damage.
Morales wants to clinch up but paiva keeps it at a distance.
Morales shoots for a double leg takedown but paiva sprawls well. He's pushed Morales's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
paiva looks to land a combination but Morales avoids it well.
Morales shoots in looking for a takedown. paiva tries to sprawl out of it but Morales keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. paiva manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
paiva looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Morales shoots in looking for a takedown. paiva tries to sprawl out of it but Morales keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. paiva manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
paiva misses with a few strikes there.
paiva looks to land a combination but Morales avoids it well.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Morales.
paiva looks to land a combination but Morales avoids it well.
Morales shoots in but paiva avoids the takedown attempt easily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
paiva misses with a few strikes there.
Morales fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Morales shoots for a takedown but paiva saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
paiva will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
paiva throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Morales shoots in looking for a takedown. paiva tries to sprawl out of it but Morales keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. paiva manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Enrique Morales seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
paiva looks to land a combination. Morales sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
paiva stuffs the takedown attempt from Morales. Morales gets slowly back to his feet.
renato paiva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Enrique Morales.
Morales avoids a punch combination nicely.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
paiva misses with a wild combination.
paiva misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
paiva throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Morales.
Morales wants to clinch up but paiva keeps it at a distance.
paiva misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Morales is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Morales fails with the takedown.
Left hook, right uppercut from paiva.
Morales shoots in and drives through. paiva sprawls well.
Morales shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
paiva misses with a series of wild punches.
renato paiva is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Morales shoots in and drives through. paiva sprawls well.
Morales takes a swing at paiva's ribcage but misses.

That's two 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.
paiva fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Morales fails to land the takedown.
Morales has a takedown stuffed.
Morales shoots in but paiva avoids the takedown attempt easily.
paiva throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Morales throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
A combination from paiva does no damage.
Morales shoots for a takedown but paiva saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
paiva swats away the attempt to clinch by Morales.
Morales showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from paiva.
The fight stays on the outside here - Morales looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from paiva.
Morales misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
paiva fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
paiva misses with a jab, cross combination.
Morales shoots in for a double leg but paiva sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
paiva misses with a series of wild punches.
paiva misses with a series of wild punches.
Morales fails with the takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
paiva rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Morales moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
paiva looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
paiva keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Morales throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around paiva's waist but paiva gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Morales off to one side.
Morales moves in looking to clinch but paiva pushes him off.
paiva rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Morales moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Morales fails with the takedown.
paiva lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Morales circles away quickly and effectively.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Morales tries to clinch there but paiva circles away.
Some wild striking there from paiva.
Morales wants to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

renato paiva dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

paiva misses with a jab, cross combination.
Morales shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts paiva as he jumps to the side.
paiva lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Morales circles away quickly and effectively.
paiva throws a right and a left that Morales avoids nicely.
Morales closes this distance looking for a takedown but paiva circles away.
paiva throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
paiva will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Morales shoots in and drives through. paiva sprawls well.
renato paiva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Enrique Morales.
paiva throws a right and a left that both miss.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Morales shoots in looking for a takedown. paiva tries to sprawl out of it but Morales keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. paiva manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Morales fails with a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morales shoots in looking for a takedown. paiva tries to sprawl out of it but Morales keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. paiva manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
paiva throws a right and a left that Morales avoids nicely.
Morales misses with a wild combination.
paiva throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
letting Morales counter with a right hand.
Morales misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
paiva lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Morales circles away quickly and effectively.
paiva misses with a combination
and Morales counters with a series of strikes. paiva will be more careful next time no doubt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
paiva swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Morales counters with a single leg into guard. paiva didn't expect that.
Morales trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Morales is looking to stand up but paiva won't let him.
Morales wants to control from the top but paiva keeps moving.
paiva utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
paiva wants to get back to his feet but Morales is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

paiva wriggles free and stands up.
Morales misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
paiva throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morales has a takedown stuffed.
paiva throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Morales.
paiva rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Morales moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Morales shoots in for a double leg but paiva sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Morales shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with paiva but paiva pushes him off and we're back to square one.
paiva throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Morales counters with a takedown into side control.
paiva is not content to let Morales control the position.
paiva managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Morales.
Morales trying to control the position but paiva is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
paiva is pushing Morales's head away, looking to escape. Morales manages to hold on to the position though.

Morales is trying to get an arm triangle but paiva is defending well.
paiva wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Morales is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, paiva has escaped the position, nice work there.
Enrique Morales has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
renato paiva is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Morales tries for a kimura but paiva is defending well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Enrique Morales comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think paiva has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 29:28
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 29:28
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... renato paiva!