PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mike Cirianni (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Freddy James (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying James's choice of entrance music: Temper Temper by Goldie. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Cirianni
vs
James

182 cm
19
185 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

191 cm
22
193 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Experienced

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Mike Cirianni!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Freddy James!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Elvis Blanc and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cirianni takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Cirianni closes the distance and clinches up with James, looking for a takedown. Cirianni pushes James against the cage but James circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
James changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
James throws a leg kick that misses.
Cirianni shoots in looking for a takedown. James tries to sprawl out of it but Cirianni keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. James manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
James fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

Cirianni clinches.

Cirianni breaks from the clinch.
Cirianni swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and James counters with a nice body shot.
Cirianni shoots in but James avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mike Cirianni. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Donk. James catches Cirianni right on the button with a cross.
Cirianni darts in trying to clinch
and James counters with a three punch combo that has Cirianni backing up. Cirianni nods at James to acknowledge the strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
James throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Cirianni.
Cirianni clinches but James breaks the clinch
and James counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Cirianni darts in trying to clinch

and James counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by James.
James is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Cirianni breaks the clinch.

James forces Cirianni back against the cage and clinches.
James wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Cirianni misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from James.

Cirianni breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Cirianni shoots in and bounces James off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Cirianni is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
James is looking to stand up but Cirianni isn't so interested in that idea.
James seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
James manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Cirianni manages to get himself to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
James wants to get up but he can't break Cirianni's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Cirianni scrambles and gets back to his feet.
James throws a leg kick but Cirianni sees it coming and checks it nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cirianni wants to clinch but James slips to the side
and James counters with a one-two to the body.
A head kick misses from Cirianni.
James connects with a looping right hand.
Cirianni avoids a punch combination nicely.
James stuffs the takedown.
James moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Cirianni clinches but James breaks the clinch
and James counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
James tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
James keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
James wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

Cirianni shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
James really wants to buck Cirianni off and get back to his feet.
Cirianni breaks from James's wrist control and lands an elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cirianni is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, James has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Cirianni fails to take his opponent's back.

Cirianni working for a submission but James is keeping him at bay.
Cirianni lands with some strikes.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Cirianni stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.

Cirianni has closed the distance and engaged James in a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Freddy James 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.

Cirianni gets in close and instigates a clinch.
James can't break the clinch.
James tries to break the clinch but Cirianni is controlling the position.
Cirianni changes levels and goes for a takedown here. James fights it off and pushes away nicely.
James scores with a nice head shot.
James circles away from the clinch attempt
and James counters with a series of strikes. Cirianni will be more careful next time no doubt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Cirianni closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming James to the mat! James manages to get full guard.

James manages to escape and get back to his feet.

Cirianni clinches with his opponent.
Cirianni with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
James can't break the clinch.

Cirianni breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Cirianni clinches but James breaks the clinch
enabling James to counter with a crisp jab.
Cirianni shoots for a takedown but James saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Cirianni tries to clinch but James moves away
and James connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Cirianni clinches but James breaks the clinch
and James counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
A nice combination there by James.
James changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Cirianni showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from James.
James circles away from the clinch attempt

and James counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by James.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
James is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Cirianni breaks the clinch.
James misses with a wild combination.
Cirianni dodges the punch combination from James.
James misses with a two punch combination.
Cirianni misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mike Cirianni. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cirianni avoids a punch combination nicely.
Cirianni clinches but James breaks the clinch
and James counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Cirianni throws a right and a left that both miss.
Cirianni tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Cirianni clinches but James breaks the clinch
and James counters with a left to the body.
Freddy James is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
James fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Cirianni looks to clinch
and James counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
A right-left combo lands from James.
James misses with a series of wild punches.
Cirianni fails with an attempt to clinch.
James moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Cirianni is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
James misses with a two punch combination.
Cirianni is looking to clinch.

James tries to keep at a distance but Cirianni has taken the fight into the clinch.
Cirianni tries a knee to the head but James blocks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cirianni breaks from the clinch.

James tries to keep at a distance but Cirianni has taken the fight into the clinch.
James has had enough of the clinch but Cirianni keeps him there for the moment.
James on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Cirianni breaks the clinch.
James moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Cirianni tries to close the distance and clinch but James swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Cirianni tries to clinch up but James circles away and keeps his distance.
Cirianni tries to clinch but James moves away
and James counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Cirianni thinking.
Cirianni closes the distance but James moves to the side
and James counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Freddy James showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Cirianni throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Cirianni tries to clinch but James moves away
and James counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Cirianni thinking.
Cirianni is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
James is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Cirianni rather than just go for the knockout.
Cirianni wants to clinch but James slips to the side
and James counters with a nice uppercut.
James darts in trying to clinch

and Cirianni moves into the clinch.
Cirianni tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Cirianni breaks from the clinch.
James misses with a double jab
and Cirianni connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Cirianni feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to James's calf.

Cirianni clinches.
Cirianni prevents James from breaking the clinch.
Cirianni tries to break the clinch but James is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
James on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
James is trying to break the clinch but Cirianni has him pressed against the cage.

Cirianni breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Cirianni misses with a takedown attempt - James sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cirianni misses with a hook
and James counters with a left and a right that stings Cirianni.
Cirianni changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. James tries to avoid it but Cirianni manages to keep hold of a leg and drag James to the ground. James escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mike Cirianni. That's going to take a lot out of him.
James's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and James duly obliges.
James ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Mike Cirianni seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
James lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Cirianni takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Cirianni falls off balance throwing a combination

and James holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
James can't break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cirianni breaks the clinch.
Cirianni tries to clinch but fails miserably
and James counters with a left to the body.
James scores with a shot to the body.
James lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by James.
James throws a combination. Cirianni tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
James moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
James throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
James lands a right hook to the body.
James will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
James is working the combinations to good effect here.
Cirianni tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and James connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

James rushes Cirianni and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
James is looking to break free of the clinch but Cirianni has double underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
James wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
James tries to break the clinch but Cirianni is controlling the position.
James is pressed up against the cage. Cirianni has hold of a leg and is looking to drag James down to the mat. James avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Cirianni instigates a clinch.
Cirianni is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but James is keeping busy.
Cirianni tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
James wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Cirianni tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. James just stands there and leans against the cage.
James wants to break the clinch but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Cirianni breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Cirianni throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around James's waist but James gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Cirianni off to one side.
Cirianni looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
The fight stays on the outside here - Cirianni looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Danga de danga de dang - James scores with a four punch combination!
Cirianni looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
James lands the left hand.
Cirianni misses with a head kick.
Cirianni misses with a hook to the body
and James counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
James lands a jab-cross combination.
Cirianni throws a sloppy head kick and James moves out of range easily.
James scores with a jab to the body.

James clinches up with Cirianni and pushes him back against the cage.
Mike Cirianni has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cirianni keeps control of James as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

And that's the end of the fight!
Freddy James comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got James 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 Robert Douchet scores the fight 27:30
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Freddy James!