PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Matheus Demetrio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Juninho Palaver (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Demetrio
vs
Palaver

180 cm
18
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

192 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Win Nutritional RJ

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, Matheus Demetrio!
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, Juninho Palaver!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Paulo Santos and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Palaver lands a nice shot that snaps Demetrio's head back.
The crowd cheers as Demetrio lands an impressive looking overhand right. Palaver doesn't seem phased though.

Palaver closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Demetrio to the mat! Demetrio manages to get full guard.
Palaver throws a big right hand that misses.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Palaver wants to control from the top but Demetrio keeps moving.
Demetrio might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Demetrio wants to stand up but Palaver is controlling him.
Demetrio knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Palaver on the ground.
Demetrio keeping moving, preventing Palaver from controlling successfully.
Palaver has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Palaver missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Demetrio keeping moving, preventing Palaver from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palaver lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Palaver is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Palaver throws a head kick that misses.
Palaver misses with a takedown attempt - Demetrio sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Palaver fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Demetrio, pushing him back against the cage.

Demetrio pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Palaver shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Palaver is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Palaver avoids the attempt from Demetrio to control.
Palaver sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palaver avoids the attempt from Demetrio to control.

Palaver looking to secure an arm triangle but Demetrio defends it well.
Palaver looks gassed!
Demetrio tries to hold on but Palaver postures up.
Demetrio is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Palaver is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palaver tries to control but Demetrio wriggling away.
Demetrio wants to control but Palaver is having none of it.

Palaver is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Demetrio has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Demetrio!

Palaver looking for a guillotine here but Demetrio defends easily.
Demetrio trying to control but Palaver is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Demetrio is looking to stand up but Palaver won't let him.
Palaver looking to control.
Demetrio wants to get up but he can't break Palaver's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Palaver bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Demetrio's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Palaver takes one on the chin but keeps coming.

Palaver drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Demetrio is looking to reverse the position.
Palaver staying calm.
Palaver working away.
Demetrio is pushing Palaver's head away, looking to escape. Palaver manages to hold on to the position though.

Palaver tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Palaver has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Palaver is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Demetrio is pushing Palaver's head away, looking to escape. Palaver manages to hold on to the position though.
Palaver is looking to take a break and control but Demetrio is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Palaver in the domination position with Demetrio hanging on.

Palaver goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Demetrio rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Palaver's guard! Nice work there by Demetrio!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Demetrio trying to stand up but can't free himself from Palaver's guard.

Palaver has his foot on Demetrio's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Demetrio works his way back into a safe position though.

Palaver isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Demetrio stacks Palaver on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Demetrio!
Demetrio trying to control the action but Palaver is working from the bottom.
Palaver is trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Demetrio wants to lay and pray for a moment but Palaver keeps working.
Demetrio tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Demetrio is looking to take a break and control but Palaver is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Demetrio misses with a head kick.

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.
A head kick from Demetrio lands but Palaver takes it in his stride.

Demetrio darts in and clinches Palaver up against the cage.

Demetrio pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Demetrio moves into the clinch.

Demetrio breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Demetrio looks to clinch

and Palaver decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Demetrio's guard.
Demetrio is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Demetrio is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Palaver is controlling him.
Demetrio controls Palaver momentarily but Palaver frees himself.
Demetrio keeping moving, preventing Palaver from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matheus Demetrio dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're 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.

Demetrio throws a series of punches but Palaver moves out of range.

Palaver scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Palaver throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Demetrio has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Palaver is working away from the top position though.
Demetrio is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Palaver throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Demetrio is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Palaver is working for a kimura but Demetrio is defending it quite comfortably.
Palaver takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Demetrio tries to kick Palaver off but Palaver keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Palaver fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Demetrio sprawls well initially but Palaver persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Demetrio has one foot on Palaver's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Palaver moves out of range as Demetrio strikes.
Nice sprawl there from Palaver as Demetrio shoots in.
Demetrio moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Demetrio.

Palaver drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Palaver drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Demetrio manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Palaver has Demetrio in his guard.
Palaver looking for a sweep. Not yet Palaver, not yet.

Palaver is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Palaver is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palaver has a closed guard, preventing Demetrio from standing up.

Demetrio stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Demetrio throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Palaver.
A punch combination from Demetrio misses.

Demetrio takes the fight into the clinch.
Demetrio is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matheus Demetrio. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Demetrio fails to pull guard.

Demetrio is fighting off a takedown attempt but Palaver is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Demetrio to the mat. Demetrio regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Palaver trying to control but Demetrio is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Palaver stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Demetrio misses with a takedown

and Palaver counters with a nice double leg into side control. Demetrio won't be happy with that.
Palaver trying to control the action but Demetrio is working from the bottom.

Palaver wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Demetrio, who protects the arm well.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Palaver lands a few punches from side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Juninho Palaver comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Palaver 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 28:29
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Juninho Palaver!