PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mike Miller (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Endu Rastalli (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mike Miller had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 207.9lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Miller
vs
Rastalli

190 cm
20
215 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

188 cm
20
192 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mike Miller!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Endu Rastalli!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, George Francis and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice defenses there by Rastalli.
Miller fails with a takedown attempt.
Miller looks frusrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Rastalli darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Miller is looking to improve his position.

Rastalli escapes and gets back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rastalli shoots in and bounces Miller off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Rastalli sitting in guard here, content to control.
Miller is breathing heavily.
Miller is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Rastalli is controlling him.
Rastalli controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Miller working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Rastalli has passed into half guard!
Rastalli uses his free foot to push down on Miller's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Miller.
Rastalli landing punches.
Rastalli content just to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Let's hope that Rastalli has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Miller wants to get back to his feet.

Rastalli get's back to his feet.

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.
Rastalli avoids a punch combination nicely.
Miller lunges at Rastalli with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Rastalli's hand.
A head kick misses from Miller.
Miller with a lazy takedown attempt

and Rastalli counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Miller's guard now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mike Miller. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rastalli postures up.
Miller looking to control but Rastalli passes into half guard.
Miller trying to control from the bottom.
Rastalli prevents Miller from standing back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Endu Rastalli dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Miller throws a left and a right that both miss

and Rastalli counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Rastalli stands up over Miller, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rastalli is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Miller wants to sweep but no luck.
Rastalli forces his way into half guard.
Miller won't allow Rastalli to pass to mount.
Rastalli controlling the action here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rastalli frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Miller is wriggling around here but as he tries to escape, Rastalli has taken his back.
Miller looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Miller wants to get back to his feet.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Rastalli. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Miller tries to escape the position.
Miller tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Endu Rastalli has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rastalli looking to control and managing it successfully.
Miller tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Miller is working hard here to advance position.
Rastalli wants to take Miller's back here but Miller is holding on to an arm, himself looking to escape.
Rastalli wants to control the pace but Miller is squirming around nicely.
Miller tries to hold on but Rastalli pushes him away.
Miller is in all sorts of trouble here.
Rastalli controlling from the full mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Miller is working to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rastalli controlling from mount.

Rastalli is standing up, even though he is in mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Miller misses with a double jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Endu Rastalli showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Miller misses with a two punch combination.
A punch combination from Miller misses.
A low kick from Miller misses

and Rastalli counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Miller!
Rastalli sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Miller is wriggling around trying to escape.
Miller tries to hold on but Rastalli postures up.
Rastalli controlling from the full mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Rastalli landing shots from mount.
Rastalli content just to control the position here.

Despite being in the dominant position, Endu Rastalli just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rastalli closes the distance and clinches up with Miller, looking for a takedown. Rastalli pushes Miller against the cage but Miller circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Rastalli shoots and misses

and Miller counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rastalli keeping full guard, as Miller tries to pass.
Rastalli is pulling down on Miller's head to control his posture.
Miller tries to free his leg and advance position but Rastalli is retaining full guard.
Miller has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Miller passes Rastalli's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Miller slips a nice elbow through Rastalli's hands, connecting with Rastalli's forehead.
Mike Miller has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Miller seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Rastalli does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Well, if Miller is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Rastalli regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Miller is fighting to break Rastalli's control of his arms but Rastalli is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Miller trying to control the position from guard on top but Rastalli is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rastalli controlling the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Endu Rastalli.
I've got Rastalli 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 28:29
Judge George Francis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Endu Rastalli!