PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between CJ Rage (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Filipo Barzino (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.

Rage
vs
Barzino

185 cm
20
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

225 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Inexperienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Enjoys gardening

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 New York, CJ Rage!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Filipo Barzino!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, Franklyn Lucas and Alyssa Summers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Barzino looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Barzino drives through and clinches with Rage against the cage.
Barzino tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Barzino tries to break the clinch but Rage is controlling the position.
Rage tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Barzino just stands there and leans against the cage.

Barzino decides to pull guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rage accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Rage thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Barzino is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Rage trying to control the position from guard on top but Barzino is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barzino avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rage missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rage won't allow Barzino to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Rage misses with a jab, cross combination.

Rage shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Barzino manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Rage with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rage throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rage thows a big elbow that misses.

Rage stands up and waves to Barzino to follow him.

Barzino gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Barzino has control of Rage's left arm, preventing Rage from doing any damage.
Rage has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Rage postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barzino working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Rage.
Barzino wants to stand up but Rage is controlling him.
Rage chips away with some ground and pound.
Rage postures up.
Barzino wants to stand but Rage is controlling the position.
Rage in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Rage shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Barzino is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Rage loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Rage with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rage is breathing heavily.
Barzino has his hands on Rage's head, controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rage postures up in Barzino's guard and throws a big left but Barzino blocks it.
Rage throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Barzino works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Barzino working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Rage.
Barzino throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Rage throwing strikes but missing.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Barzino clinches with his opponent.
Barzino effectively controlling the action here.
Barzino throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
A right hand to the body from Barzino.

Barzino turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Barzino in side control lands a decent elbow.
Rage on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Rage tries to get out of the position.

Barzino decides to stand back up.
Barzino looks for the body kick but Rage saw that one coming.
Rage shoots in but Barzino avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Rage takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Barzino with a lazy takedown attempt

so Rage counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Barzino trying to control the position.
Rage throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

CJ Rage dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Barzino connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Rage's hands.

Barzino gets caught flat footed, as Rage shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Barzino keeping moving, preventing Rage from controlling successfully.
Rage looking to sit in guard and control but Barzino gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Barzino wants to control from the top but Rage keeps moving.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barzino stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rage swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Rage managing to control the position.
Rage keeping full guard, as Barzino tries to pass.

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.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Barzino has his takedown stuffed

and Rage counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Rage thows a huge punch but Barzino dodges it nicely.
Rage seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Barzino does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Barzino moves into full guard.
Rage loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Barzino wants to sweep here but Rage controlling him for the moment.
Rage trying to control but Barzino is working from the bottom.
Barzino is trying to control the position but Rage postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rage trying to control but Barzino is working from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Barzino scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.

Barzino shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Rage is trying to defend but Barzino finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Rage is looking for a sweep. Barzino is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Ground and pound from Barzino.

Barzino decides to return to a standing position.
CJ Rage is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barzino wants to clinch but Rage slips to the side

and Rage counters with a single leg into guard. Barzino didn't expect that.
Barzino utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Rage in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Rage might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Barzino working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Rage.
Barzino striking off his back.
Barzino manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Rage manages to get himself to full guard.
Barzino trying to control but Rage is working from the bottom.
Barzino landing some decent shots from guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

CJ Rage dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Barzino changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Rage tries to avoid it but Barzino manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Rage to the ground. Rage escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Filipo Barzino seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rage takes a head kick and keeps coming.

Rage shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Barzino in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Barzino keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
CJ Rage overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Barzino takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Rage lands a big elbow.
Rage fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Rage lands a big elbow.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rage tries to control but Barzino wriggling away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barzino is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Barzino is in all sorts of trouble here.
Barzino is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Rage lands with some strikes.
Rage lands a big elbow.
Barzino is in all sorts of trouble here.
A nice elbow there by Rage.
The referee warns Barzino that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Rage scoring with strikes but Barzino is staying in there.
Barzino really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
CJ Rage is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

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.
Barzino wants to control but Rage is having none of it.
Rage lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Rage connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Barzino blocking the ground and pound.
Barzino blocking the ground and pound.
Barzino really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Barzino tries to lock up and control but Rage gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rage lands with some strikes.
Rage misses with a head shot.
Barzino flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Barzino tries to hold on but Rage pushes him away.
The referee warns Barzino that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Rage looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Barzino is in all sorts of trouble here.
Rage sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Barzino wants to control but Rage is having none of it.
Rage won't let Barzino get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Rage working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Barzino is wriggling around trying to escape.
Barzino tries to lock up and control but Rage gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Rage lands a big elbow.
Rage lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Barzino is squirming around, avoiding Rage's attempts to control the action.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Barzino really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

And that's the end of the fight!
CJ Rage showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Rage, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 John Roberts scores the fight 30:27
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... CJ Rage!