PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Joseph Mascolo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brand Pound (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Brand Pound will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Mascolo
vs
Pound

167 cm
18
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
130 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big right hand

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Joseph Mascolo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Brand Pound!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Arvi Lind and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck for Pound with that takedown attempt.
Mascolo tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Pound was well out of range. Poor timing from Mascolo.
Mascolo throws out a loose jab but Pound uses good head movement to avoid it.
Mascolo with a hook.
Pound avoids a punch combination nicely.
Mascolo throws a head kick that misses.
Mascolo thows a body shot but no joy.
Mascolo misses with a wild body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mascolo tries to close the distance and clinch but Pound swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Pound closes this distance looking for a takedown but Mascolo circles away.
Mascolo scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Mascolo swinging wildly here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mascolo misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Pound.
Mascolo scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Mascolo throws a nice looking combination but Pound bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Mascolo has his takedown stuffed

and Pound counters with a shoot takedown. Mascolo fights it but they end up in guard.
Pound won't allow Mascolo to sweep him here.
Mascolo wants to get back to his feet but Pound passes into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mascolo wants to get back to his feet.
Mascolo is looking for a sweep. Pound is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Mascolo is looking to escape.
Pound looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Mascolo misses with the combination.
Mascolo throws a sloppy head kick and Pound moves out of range easily.
Pound is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Mascolo looks to score with a jab to the body but Pound is just out of range.
Pound swats away the attempt to clinch by Mascolo.
Pound avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Mascolo closes the distance but Pound moves to the side

and Pound counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Mascolo trying to get back to full guard but Pound takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Mascolo is looking to improve his position but Pound isn't that keen on the idea.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mascolo is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Brand Pound will probably get the nod.
That's time! Mascolo's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Mascolo pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Pound shoots in looking for a takedown. Mascolo tries to sprawl out of it but Pound keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Mascolo manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Mascolo misses with an uppercut. Pound saw that one coming.
Pound uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Mascolo.
Pound displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Mascolo throws out the jab.
Mascolo looks to score with a jab to the body but Pound is just out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mascolo wants to clinch but Pound slips to the side

and Pound counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Pound prevents Mascolo from standing back up.
Pound is breathing heavily.
Mascolo is looking to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mascolo is trying to stand up here but Pound is controlling him well.
Pound is trying to control the action in half guard but Mascolo is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Mascolo pushes Pound off looking to stand but Pound dives back in and keeps control.
Pound prevents Mascolo from improving his position.
Pound is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Mascolo is trying to stand up here but Pound is controlling him well.

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.
Pound prevents Mascolo from improving his position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Mascolo throws a body punch but Pound moves out of range.
Mascolo changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Mascolo misses with a body shot.
Mascolo takes a swing at Pound's ribcage but misses.
A left and a right from Mascolo both land. Nice combination.
Mascolo fails to land with a series of punches.
Mascolo connects with a single shot there.
Joseph Mascolo is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mascolo fails to land with a series of punches.
Mascolo tries to clinch but Pound moves away

and Pound counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Mascolo wants to stand and escape but Pound is having none of it.
Mascolo trying to control the position.
Mascolo wants to sweep but no luck.
Mascolo wants to get back to his feet but Pound is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mascolo lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Pound!
Mascolo tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Mascolo is trying to stand up but he's being controlled by his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brand Pound showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Mascolo throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Pound dodges the punch combination from Mascolo.
Mascolo missing with a left hand there. Pound was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Mascolo throws a body punch but Pound moves out of range.
Mascolo tests Pound's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Mascolo throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Mascolo throws the left hand but Pound avoids the punch easily.
Pound takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Mascolo lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Pound circles away quickly and effectively.
Mascolo throws out a loose jab but Pound uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mascolo just misses with a punch to the body.
Mascolo misses with a hook.
Mascolo throws a right and a left that both miss.
Mascolo swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Mascolo is looking to clinch but Pound is avoiding it.
Nice shot lands for Mascolo.
Mascolo throws a right and a left that Pound avoids nicely.
Mascolo misses with a body shot.
Mascolo throws a shot from downtown. Pound moves away and avoids it.
Mascolo throws a series of punches but Pound avoids them all with ease.
Pound ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

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.
Mascolo throws a body punch but Pound moves out of range.
Mascolo tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Pound paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Mascolo throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Mascolo looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Mascolo misses with a two punch combination.
Pound showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Mascolo.
Mascolo is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Pound.
Joseph Mascolo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mascolo throws a one two combo.
Mascolo throws a jab when Pound was well out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mascolo looks to land a combination but Pound avoids it well.
Pound on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Mascolo misses with a wild body shot.
Mascolo tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Pound was well out of range. Poor timing from Mascolo.
Pound drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Mascolo gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Pound counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Pound sitting in guard here, content to control.
Mascolo wants to stand and escape but Pound is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mascolo trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mascolo looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joseph Mascolo showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Pound has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:29
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Brand Pound!