PBP Commentary

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

Michaels
vs
Cicci

190 cm
18
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

179 cm
22
194 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Sean Michaels!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Piralli Cicci!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, Daniel Bishop and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cicci has taken the fight to the clinch.

Cicci gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Michaels blocking the ground and pound attempt from Cicci.
Cicci sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Cicci trying to mount his opponent but Michaels defends it.

Cicci is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Michaels defends it well.

Cicci is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Cicci is keen to just control but Michaels is a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Michaels tries to kick Cicci off but Cicci keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Michaels clinches but Cicci breaks the clinch

and Cicci counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Cicci is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Cicci wants to pass the guard but Michaels is defending well.
Michaels is trying to stand.
Cicci trying to control from half guard but Michaels is working away.
Michaels is looking to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cicci seems to be working for a kimura but Michaels defends the submission attempt.
Cicci looks gassed!
Michaels tries to kick Cicci off but Cicci keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Michaels tries to clinch but Cicci moves away

and Cicci counters with a single leg into guard. Michaels didn't expect that.
Michaels 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.
Cicci trying to control the position from guard on top but Michaels is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michaels is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Cicci is controlling him.

Cicci drops back looking for a leg! Michaels is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Michaels manages to kick Cicci off! Cicci jumps back into Michaels's guard.
Cicci wants to control from the top but Michaels keeps moving.

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.
Cicci postures up.

Cicci is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Michaels throws a right and a left that both miss.
Michaels wants to clinch

and Cicci counters with a takedown into side control.

Cicci is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Michaels is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Piralli Cicci 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.

Michaels moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

Cicci throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Michaels was covering up waiting for the punch and Cicci finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Cicci postures up.
Cicci wants to control from the top but Michaels keeps moving.

Cicci postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Michaels is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Cicci, into his guard.
Cicci is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cicci is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Michaels defends well.
Cicci wants to sweep here but Michaels controlling him for the moment.
Michaels trying to control the position from guard on top but Cicci is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Michaels is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Cicci is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Michaels preventing the sweep.
Cicci keeping moving, preventing Michaels from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Cicci shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Michaels defends it nicely.
Michaels darts in trying to clinch

and Cicci counters with a shoot takedown. Michaels fights it but they end up in guard.
Cicci trying to control but Michaels is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cicci won't allow Michaels to sweep him here.
Cicci prevents Michaels from getting back to his feet.
Michaels will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Cicci drops back, looking for a kneebar! Michaels looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Michaels looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Michaels!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Michaels throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Cicci gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Cicci is trying to get back to full guard.
Michaels thows a huge punch but Cicci dodges it nicely.

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.
Michaels prevents Cicci from improving his position.
Cicci trying to control here.

Cicci looking for submissions off his back.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Michaels throws a right and a left that Cicci avoids nicely.
Sean Michaels seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Michaels clinches but Cicci breaks the clinch

and Cicci counters with a shoot takedown. Michaels fights it but they end up in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Piralli Cicci showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Michaels gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Cicci trying to control but Michaels is working from the bottom.
Michaels controls Cicci momentarily but Cicci frees himself.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Michaels has momentary wrist control but Cicci slips an elbow through the middle.
Cicci stays in close to Michaels's body and controls the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cicci throws a big right hand that misses.

Michaels drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Michaels jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Cicci looking to hit a scissor sweep but Michaels is one step ahead there.
Michaels throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Cicci works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

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.
Cicci keeping full guard, as Michaels tries to pass.

Cicci looking for a guillotine here but Michaels defends easily.

Cicci looking for a guillotine here but Michaels defends easily.
Cicci keeping moving, preventing Michaels from controlling successfully.
Cicci looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michaels trying to control the position from guard on top but Cicci is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Piralli Cicci is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Cicci controlling the position.
Michaels pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Cicci is keeping the position for now.
Cicci wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Cicci looking to control.
Piralli Cicci has got the better of the ground game so far.
Cicci keeping moving, preventing Michaels from controlling successfully.
Cicci is pulling down on Michaels's head. It's preventing any offense from Michaels, at least for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Michaels is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Cicci has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Michaels trying to control but Cicci is working from the bottom.
Michaels looking to pass the guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cicci is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Piralli Cicci comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Cicci 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 Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 26:30
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 26:30
Judge James Glass scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Piralli Cicci!