PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Marius Cepulis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leo Milani (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Marius Cepulis has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Cepulis
vs
Milani

190 cm
23
185 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

183 cm
24
187 lbs
4 - 6 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent MT
Experienced

Good wrestler
Brawler
Powerful

Cobra Kai Nutrition (NEW 158 OUT)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Marius Cepulis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Leo Milani!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cepulis gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Milani to score an easy takedown into full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Milani pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Cepulis is keeping the position for now.
Milani postures up and lands a big shot to Cepulis's brow.
Milani throws and elbow that misses. Cepulis uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Milani's guard. Nice move by Cepulis!
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Milani can do anything to dispel that myth.
Milani trying to strike off his back.
Cepulis sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Milani's guard.
Cepulis thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Milani wants to improve his position but Cepulis is controlling well.
Milani flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cepulis lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Milani looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Milani looks gassed!
Milani strikes from the bottom but Cepulis passes into mount!
Cepulis landing strikes from the mount and Milani is in trouble!
Milani is trying desperately to improve position.
Cepulis lands with some strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cepulis connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Cepulis looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Cepulis lands a nice shot to the head.
Milani flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
A nice elbow there by Cepulis.
Cepulis is landing with some decent strikes but Milani is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

Milani is rocked!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Milani is bucking up trying to escape but Cepulis cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Milani is still in real trouble! Can Cepulis finish him?
Cepulis with the ground and pound from mount.
A nice elbow there by Cepulis.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cepulis raining down shots from the mount!
Milani is in all sorts of trouble here.
Cepulis scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Milani?
Milani seems to have recovered his senses.
Cepulis is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Milani is looking to improve his position but Cepulis isn't that keen on the idea.
Cepulis working Milani over with strikes here.
Milani is wriggling around trying to escape.
BOOM! Cepulis connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Cepulis fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cepulis prevents Milani from getting the reversal.
Milani flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Cepulis lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Milani hang on?
Milani throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Cepulis landing punches.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Milani is wriggling around trying to escape.
Cepulis connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cepulis with good strikes from the mount here!
Cepulis lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marius Cepulis dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Cepulis shoots in for a takedown but Milani shows good takedown defense.
Nice takedown defense from Milani. No joy for Cepulis on that attempt.
Milani fails with the takedown.
Milani with a poor takedown

and Cepulis counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Cepulis postures up in Milani's guard and throws a big left but Milani blocks it.

Milani looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Milani is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cepulis forces his way into half guard.

Milani looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Milani is looking for a sweep. Cepulis is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Cepulis 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.
Milani blocking the ground and pound attempt from Cepulis.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Milani stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Milani wants it to stay on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marius Cepulis. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cepulis lands a high kick!

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.
Milani gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Cepulis counters with a leg kick.
Milani fails to land the takedown.
Milani gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Cepulis counters with a big head kick but Milani shrugs it off.
Milani misses with a takedown attempt
and Cepulis counters with a nice kick to the body.

Cepulis shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Milani manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Milani throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Milani is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Cepulis sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Milani's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Milani keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Cepulis missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Milani flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Ground and pound from Cepulis.
Milani manages to get to full guard.
Milani will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

That's four 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.
Cepulis tries to free his leg and advance position but Milani is retaining full guard.

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

and Cepulis counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Cepulis.
Milani doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Milani trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

Milani working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Cepulis doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Cepulis manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Milani looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Cepulis passes into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marius Cepulis dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Cepulis goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Leo Milani seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cepulis has his takedown stuffed

and Milani counters with a takedown into side control.
Cepulis parries the strikes from Milani easily there. Milani is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Cepulis to escape.

Milani is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Cepulis is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Cepulis dodges the ground and pound from Milani.

Milani looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cepulis manages to work his way to half guard, despite Milani's best efforts.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Milani with the ground and pound but Cepulis uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Milani throws a strike but Cepulis rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Marius Cepulis overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Milani throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Milani throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

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.
Milani tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Milani is striking off his back. Cepulis thinks nothing of it though and passes easily into half guard.
Milani on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Milani tries to roll over but Cepulis keeps him under control.
Cepulis thows a huge punch but Milani dodges it nicely.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Milani has his takedown stuffed
and Cepulis counters with a nice body kick.

Cepulis decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Milani regains full guard. Nicely done.

Milani had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Cepulis defends it easily.
Milani trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Milani throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Milani tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Milani trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Milani throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

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.
Cepulis won't allow Milani to sweep him here.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Cepulis tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Milani shoots for a takedown but Cepulis saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Milani closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Milani throwing shots but Cepulis is blocking nicely.
Milani with the ground and pound but Cepulis uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Milani throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Milani in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Milani is looking to work some ground and pound but Cepulis has wrist control.
Leo Milani has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Marius Cepulis is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Milani scoring with some ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
Leo Milani comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Cepulis 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 29:28
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marius Cepulis!