PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Leonel Messi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Damian Conde (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Messi
vs
Conde

189 cm
25
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
20
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
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 Sydney, Leonel Messi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Damian Conde!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, Bruno Hogan and Steve Erwin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Conde tries to clinch up.
Conde throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Conde uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Messi.

Conde is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Messi's half guard.
Messi throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Messi is looking to control Conde's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Messi avoid being mounted?
Messi is trying to get back to full guard.
Conde blocks the strikes from Messi.
Messi throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
The fighters are battling for position here. Messi manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Messi with a couple of shots from the bottom there - nothing Conde can't handle though.

Messi is working an open guard so Conde takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Messi wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Messi shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Conde counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Conde breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Messi lunges at Conde with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Conde's hand.
Messi looks to land a combination. Conde sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Conde misses with a combination

and Messi counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Conde preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Messi landing with the ground and pound.
Messi lands a couple of elbows.
Conde looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Messi in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Messi postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Messi throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Conde works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Messi is fighting to break Conde's control of his arms but Conde is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Conde looks gassed!
Conde looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Messi is working Conde over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Messi scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Conde wants to sweep but no luck.
Messi is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Messi is looking to work some ground and pound but Conde has wrist control.
Messi is looking to work some ground and pound but Conde has wrist control.

Conde kicks Messi off and gets to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Conde misses with a body punch
and Messi counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Messi has his takedown stuffed

and Conde counters with a nice double leg into side control. Messi won't be happy with that.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Messi manages to work his way to half guard, despite Conde's best efforts.
Messi is refusing to be controlled, as Conde sits in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Messi is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Conde's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Conde's back!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Messi misses with a punch to the head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Conde grimaces as he takes a shot to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leonel Messi dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Conde throws a combination that misses
and Messi counters with a left to the body.
Conde throws a left and a right that both miss
and Messi counters with a left to the body.
Messi is looking to clinch but Conde is avoiding it.
Conde throws a left and a right that both miss
and Messi counters with a big head kick but Conde shrugs it off.
Messi misses with a takedown

and Conde moves into the clinch.
Messi has Conde pressed against the cage, preventing Conde from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Conde taking a breather.
Conde goes for a takedown in the clinch but Messi prevents it.
Conde is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Messi tries to pull guard but Conde holds him up against the cage and eventually Messi drops back down to his feet.
Conde tries to throw a body punch but Messi avoids it by throwing Conde back against the cage.
Messi looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Conde tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Messi avoids it.
Conde missing with knees to the body.
Messi with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Conde trying to stall but Messi improves his position.
Messi wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Conde has him pressed against the cage.
Messi tries to break the clinch but Conde is controlling the position.
Conde goes for a takedown in the clinch but Messi prevents it.
With the fighters up against the cage, Messi throws an elbow but misses.
A frustrated look appears on Messi's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Conde escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

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.
Conde doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Messi tries to clinch but Conde is having none of it.
Conde slips a jab and a cross from Messi.
Conde keeps the fight on the outside.
Messi is looking to clinch.
Messi keeps the fight on the outside.
Messi is looking to wear down Conde with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Messi fails with the takedown

and Conde decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Messi's guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Leonel Messi. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Messi trying to keep a closed guard but Conde is proving a slippery customer.
Messi trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Messi striking off his back but it's not causing Conde any problems.
Conde won't allow Messi to get back to his feet.

Conde decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Messi dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

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.
A head kick by Conde misses
and Messi counters with a nice body shot.
Messi misses with a takedown attempt

and Conde counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Conde stalling against the cage.
Messi wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Messi tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Conde displaying some good clinch control by pressing Messi up against the cage.
Conde tries to land knees in the clinch but Messi avoids the damage to the body.

Conde breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Messi jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Leonel Messi will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. And we move into the final round!

Horrible takedown by Messi or perhaps it was just good defense by Conde which made him look bad.

Conde has taken the fight to the clinch.
Conde stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Messi tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Conde just stands there and leans against the cage.
Conde misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Messi.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Conde breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Messi jabs Conde to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Conde takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Messi shoots in for a takedown but Conde shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Leonel Messi. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Conde throws a lazy head kick
and Messi counters with a left and a right that stings Conde.
Messi throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Conde's head.
Conde looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Leonel Messi is winning the standup battle so far.
Messi scores with a head kick. Conde tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Conde leaves Messi with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Messi cracks the inside of Conde's front leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Messi closes the distance looking to clinch
and Conde counters with a solid body kick.
Conde doesn't manage to clinch there - Messi circles away.
Conde throws a lazy head kick
and Messi counters with a big head kick but Conde shrugs it off.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Messi fails with the takedown

and Conde counters by moving into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Conde breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Conde closes the distance and pushes Messi back into the cage.

Conde escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Conde wants to clinch up but Messi keeps it at a distance.
Messi tries for a takedown but Conde sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Messi tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Conde was well out of range. Poor timing from Messi.
Conde tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's four 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.
Messi misses with a takedown

and Conde counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Damian Conde has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Leonel Messi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Messi managing to block the knees to the body from Conde.
Conde stalling the fight.
Conde lands a nice shot to the body.

Conde has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Messi clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Messi wants to control his opponent's hands but Conde gets his hands free.
Conde controlling well, preventing Messi from escaping the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Leonel Messi showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Messi, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Damien Edna scores the fight 30:27
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Leonel Messi!