PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Steve Cusumano (ranked 2824 p4p, 2908 weight class) and Timothy Poggle (ranked 397 p4p, 401 weight class). Cusumano's entrance music is Gamefire. A fine choice. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Cusumano
vs
Poggle

175 cm
35
180
15 - 9 - 1

178 cm
42
169
26 - 14 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
World class boxer
Heavy handed

The Dirty Needle Project (Proven 160Q @ $160)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Steve Cusumano!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 26 - 14 - 1, fighting out of New York, Timothy Poggle!
The judges for this bout are Paulsen Ambrosius, Wagner Zegers and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cusumano works Poggle's body with a nice hook.
Poggle misses with a few strikes there.
Poggle throws a nice looking combination but Cusumano bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Poggle tries to bum rush Cusumano with a series of wild strikes but Cusumano uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Cusumano lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Poggle circles away quickly and effectively.
Cusumano defending well as Poggle loads up on a big left hand.
We've been told by Cusumano's head coaches at Iron mikes mma that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Cusumano throws the left hand but Poggle avoids the punch easily.
Cusumano has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Poggle finds it's way round the side to connect with Cusumano's head.
Steve Cusumano seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cusumano fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Poggle looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Cusumano swinging wildly here.
Poggle only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Poggle misses with a body shot.
Poggle falls off balance throwing a combination
and Cusumano makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Poggle swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Poggle tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Cusumano manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Poggle misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Cusumano.
A looping hook to the body misses from Poggle. Cusumano does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Poggle. Cusumano does a little dance to reset his feet.
Cusumano misses with an attempted mid kick.
Poggle showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Cusumano.
Cusumano misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Cusumano throws a push kick but Poggle slaps the foot to one side.
Cusumano is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Cusumano darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Cusumano works Poggle's body with a nice hook.
Cusumano throws a series of punches but Poggle moves out of range.
Poggle is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Cusumano rather than just go for the knockout.
Poggle lands a glancing blow to the side of Cusumano's head.
Cusumano misses with a straight left.
Cusumano will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Poggle has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Poggle tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Poggle clinches with his opponent.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Cusumano breaks the clinch.
Cusumano throws a right and a left that both miss.

Poggle takes the fight into the clinch.
Poggle lands with a short punch from the clinch.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Poggle.
Poggle tries a body shot but Cusumano blocks it.
Poggle misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Poggle lands with a short shot to the head.
A short uppercut from Poggle.
Poggle misses with some punches.
Poggle has Cusumano pressed against the cage, preventing Cusumano from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Cusumano blocking some punches.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Poggle.
Cusumano is trying to break the clinch but Poggle has him pressed against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Poggle tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Poggle lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Cusumano blocks an uppercut.
Poggle throws a head punch that misses.
Poggle softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Poggle misses with a body punch.
Cusumano blocks a body shot from Poggle.
A short right from Poggle.
Cusumano wants to break the clinch but can't.
Cusumano blocks an uppercut.

Cusumano escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Poggle slips a jab and a cross from Cusumano.

Poggle gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Poggle tries to throw a body punch but Cusumano avoids it by throwing Poggle back against the cage.
Poggle swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Poggle misses with a punch to the body.

Cusumano breaks the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cusumano misses with an uppercut.
Poggle tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cusumano was well out of range. Poor timing from Poggle.
Poggle looks to land a right hand but Cusumano moved out of range.
Poggle throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Cusumano stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Poggle tries to clinch but Cusumano is having none of it.
Cusumano bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Poggle throws an off balance right hand
and Cusumano counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Cusumano lands with a shot to the body.
Cusumano throws a series of punches but Poggle avoids them all with ease.
Poggle rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Cusumano moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Cusumano moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Poggle jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Cusumano slips a jab and a cross from Poggle.
Cusumano connects with a looping right hand.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Good standup being displayed there by Cusumano as he connects with a hook.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Timothy Poggle will probably get the nod.
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.

Cusumano avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Cusumano has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Poggle cracks Cusumano with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Steve Cusumano is winning the standup battle so far.
A combination from Cusumano does no damage.
Poggle misses with a wild combination.
Danga de danga de dang - Poggle scores with a four punch combination!

It looks like Steve Cusumano has been cut.
Poggle fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Cusumano looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Poggle tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Cusumano drops his hands momentarily and Poggle takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Cusumano with a hook.
Cusumano throws a right and a left that both miss.
Poggle takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Poggle misses with a few strikes there.
Cusumano avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Poggle catches Cusumano with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Steve Cusumano is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cusumano drops Poggle with a beautiful combination! Poggle stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Cusumano is looking for the KO!

Poggle is rocked!
Some wild striking there from Poggle.
Poggle is still on wobbly legs! Can Cusumano finish him?
Poggle doesn't manage to clinch there - Cusumano circles away.
Cusumano drops Poggle with a straight left! Oh this is bad for Poggle! Cusumano dives in and starts dropping bombs - the referee has no choice but to step in and save him!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:21 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Steve Cusumano!
Steve Cusumano retains his welterweight title!
Steve Cusumano seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.