PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Solomon Venris (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mac Danzig (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Danzig comes into a darkened arena with his song building. the Smiths - Meat Is Murder kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Venris
vs
Danzig

165 cm
19
152 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

170 cm
20
149 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Great elbows
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Solomon Venris!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mac Danzig!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Alexandre Firmino and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Danzig is defended easily by Venris.

Venris clinches up with Danzig and pushes him back against the ropes.

Danzig has Venris pressed up against the ropes. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Danzig pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Venris tumbling to the mat - Danzig dives into Venris's guard.
Danzig trying to control the position from guard on top but Venris is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Danzig 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.
Danzig throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Venris works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Danzig drops back looking for a leg! Venris is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Venris manages to kick Danzig off! Danzig jumps back into Venris's guard.
Venris knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Danzig on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Venris kicks Danzig off and gets to his feet.

Venris takes the fight into the clinch.
Venris lands an elbow inside that Danzig shrugs off.

It looks like Mac Danzig has been cut.
Danzig is working for takedown but Venris is calmly controlling the position for now.
Venris lands a nice elbow.
Venris prevents Danzig from breaking the clinch.
Venris trying to land knees to the body.
Danzig is looking for a takedown up against the ropes. Venris gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Solomon Venris has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mac Danzig.
Venris lands an elbow inside that Danzig shrugs off.

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

Venris gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Venris misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Danzig.
Danzig wants a takedown.
Danzig blocks the elbow strike.
Venris lands an elbow inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Venris lands an elbow inside that Danzig shrugs off.
Danzig tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Danzig is working for a takedown up against the ropes. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Danzig takes an elbow to the temple.
Venris tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Danzig avoids it.
With the fighters up against the ropes, Venris throws an elbow but misses.
Venris lands an elbow inside that Danzig shrugs off.

That has opened up Mac Danzig's cut even more.
Danzig drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Venris gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Danzig on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Danzig works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Danzig stops Venris from standing up.
Venris keeping moving, preventing Danzig from controlling successfully.
Danzig missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Danzig won't allow Venris to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Danzig throws a strike but Venris rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Danzig is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Danzig passes to full mount!
Danzig can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Venris is looking to escape.
Danzig with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Danzig throwing strikes but Venris uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Danzig wants to control but Venris is keeping him busy.
Danzig thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Danzig wants to control but Venris is keeping him busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Mac Danzig will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Mac Danzig's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

Venris tries to clinch but Danzig moves out of range.

Danzig shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Danzig showed some decent athleticism there.
Danzig wants to take a breather but Venris is having none of it.
Venris keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Danzig is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Danzig throwing shots but Venris is blocking nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Danzig is looking for a kimura but Venris is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Danzig to get the leverage.

Danzig wants to work for an arm triangle but Venris is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Danzig sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Venris defending well though.
Danzig is looking to take a break and control but Venris is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Danzig is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Venris!

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.
Danzig throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Danzig throws some wild stikes that Venris manages to avoid easily.
Danzig throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Venris because Danzig loaded up on that one.
Danzig misses with a head shot.
Danzig throws some wild stikes that Venris manages to avoid easily.
Venris wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Danzig.
Danzig punching from mount but Venris doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Danzig punching from mount but Venris doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Venris wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Danzig.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Danzig scoring with strikes but Venris is staying in there.
Danzig trying to control but Venris is having none of it.
Danzig prevents Venris from getting the reversal.

Danzig swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Venris is now in Danzig's guard. A big mistake from Danzig there, giving up the dominant position!
Danzig controls Venris momentarily but Venris frees himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Danzig has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Venris wants to pass the guard but Danzig is keeping the position.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Venris decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Danzig, up you get!
Danzig fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Venris avoids it really well and circles away.
Danzig has a takedown stuffed.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Danzig circles away from the clinch attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mac Danzig showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Mac Danzig's cut.
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. This is the final round!

Venris fails with an attempt to clinch.
Danzig avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Venris forces Danzig back against the ropes and clinches.
Venris tries to land knees in the clinch but Danzig avoids the damage to the body.
Danzig is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Venris pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Danzig takes an elbow to the forehead.
Venris lands a damaging elbow.

Danzig gets control of Venris's arms and successfully pulls guard. Danzig will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Danzig manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
The referee warns Venris that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Venris's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.

Danzig is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Venris is surviving well by controlling Danzig's body position as best he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Venris is trying to escape the mount.
Danzig cracks Venris with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Mac Danzig has got the better of the ground game so far.
Danzig can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Venris is looking to escape.
Venris tries to buck Danzig off but he can't manage it.
Venris tries to hold on but Danzig pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Danzig controlling from the full mount.
Danzig wants to control the pace but Venris is squirming around nicely.

Venris defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Danzig.
Venris's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Danzig scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Danzig moves to take his opponent's back.

Danzig working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Venris can't escape the position.
Danzig is not going to allow Venris to sit and survive in this position.

Venris is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Danzig gets his way!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Venris avoids the strikes from Danzig.
A lull in the action here.

Danzig looking for the choke but no joy.
Venris wriggles onto his back under a barage of strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mac Danzig comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Danzig 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight for Mac Danzig!
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight for Mac Danzig!
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight for Mac Danzig!

Mac Danzig wins by unanimous decision!