PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Frankie Yani (ranked 4367 p4p, 24255 weight class) and Rodrigo Dias (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Yani
vs
Dias

171 cm
18
145
0 - 0 - 0

171 cm
19
150
0 - 3 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Frankie Yani!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 1, fighting out of New York, Rodrigo Dias !
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Lou da Vinci and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yani just misses with a punch to the body.
Dias dives in and grabs Yani's left leg, looking for a takedown. Yani pushes down on Dias 's head and hops out.

Yani bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Dias tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
Yani trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Dias doesn't escape.
Yani misses with a punch to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dias breaks Yani's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Dias with a flurry of punches that miss.
Yani avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Yani looking for a sweep. Not yet Yani, not yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dias with a flurry of punches that miss.
Dias must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Dias wants to pass the guard but Yani is keeping the position.
Yani has his hands on Dias 's head, controlling the position.
Dias stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Yani swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Yani working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Dias .
Yani scores with a couple of body punches from the bottom.

That's two 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.
Dias is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Yani looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Dias preventing the sweep.
Yani managing to control the position.

Yani is looking for a triangle but Dias pushes his legs off easily.
Dias being controlled here momentarily.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dias is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Dias slips under a jab from Yani.
Yani throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Yani throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Dias counters by moving into the clinch.
Yani gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Dias .
Dias jumps guard but Yani turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Frankie Yani has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rodrigo Dias .
Yani gets underhooks to prevent Dias 's takedown attempt.
Dias gets underhooks to prevent Yani's takedown attempt.
Dias managing to block the knees to the body from Yani.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yani stops a takedown attempt from Dias .
Dias letting Yani take a breather here.
Yani gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Dias .
Dias tries for a takedown. No joy.

Dias decides to pull guard.
Yani with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Dias trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Yani works over Dias with some ground and pound from guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Frankie Yani will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Yani looks to land a combination but Dias avoids it well.
Dias shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Yani as he avoids it easily.
Dias tries to clinch but Yani moves out of range.
Yani swats away the attempt to clinch by Dias .
Yani stuffs the takedown attempt from Dias . Dias gets slowly back to his feet.

Yani shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yani sitting in guard here, content to control.
Yani postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Dias looking for a guillotine here but Yani defends easily.
Frankie Yani overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yani is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Yani scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Dias wants to sweep but no luck.
Yani showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Dias looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Yani is stalling in the full guard.
Yani lands a couple of elbows.
Yani stopping the sweep attempt from Dias .

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Dias drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Dias takes the fight into the clinch.
Yani is looking for a takedown.

Yani escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Dias shoots in for a takedown but Yani shows good takedown defense.
Frankie Yani has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rodrigo Dias .
Dias tries a head kick but it misses.
Dias is breathing heavily.
Dias tries to clinch up.
Dias will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Yani is looking to counter the offense by Dias and move into the clinch.
Dias slips under a jab from Yani.
Dias throws a head kick that misses.

Yani forces Dias back against the cage and clinches.
Dias blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dias prevents a body shot from Yani.
Dias tries to pull guard but Yani forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Yani escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Yani moves into the clinch.
Dias tries to pull guard but Yani won't allow it.
Dias goes for a takedown attempt but Yani pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Dias wants to land a leg kick but Yani is out of range.
Yani drops down looking for a counter takedown but Dias sprawls and moves away.

Yani closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Yani lands in his opponent's guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Yani slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Frankie Yani dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Yani tries a head kick but it misses.
Dias is looking to clinch but Yani is avoiding it.
A clash of legs there as Dias blocks the low kick.

Yani is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Dias 's half guard.
Yani looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Yani has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dias is trying to stand back up but Yani is controlling him
Dias tries to roll over but Yani keeps him under control.
Dias felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Yani content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dias trying to control here.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Dias .

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.

Yani changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Dias looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Dias takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A lull in the action here.
Dias is working to avoid the ground and pound but Yani connects with a decent elbow.
Dias is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yani cracks Dias with a big elbow.
Dias gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Yani with shots to the head and body - Dias looks very uncomfortable down there.
Yani is landing with some decent strikes but Dias is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Yani content just to control the position here.
Dias is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Yani tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Frankie Yani is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dias keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Yani takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Dias is looking to improve his position but Yani isn't that keen on the idea.
Yani takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Yani lands a big elbow.

And that's the end of the fight!
Frankie Yani showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Yani has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Columbo Gatti scores the fight 30:27
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 30:27
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Frankie Yani!