PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Basso Toscano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bro Ham (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Toscano
vs
Ham

173 cm
22
160 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

165 cm
20
158 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Pill Popper's Palace

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Basso Toscano!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Bro Ham!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Daniel Cesar and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Toscano lands with a nice combination. Ham backs away looking to recover.
Ham wants to clinch up but Toscano keeps it at a distance.
Toscano circles away from the clinch attempt.
Ham should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Toscano looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Ham throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.

Ham darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Toscano is breathing heavily.
Ham is pressing down on Toscano's thigh, looking to free his foot. Toscano is holding on for now.

Ham looking for a submission but Toscano manages to get full guard, putting an end to that submission attempt.
Ham throws a big right hand that misses.
Ham postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ham gets to his feet - Toscano follows without any prompting.
Ham takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

Ham shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Toscano keeping full guard, as Ham tries to pass.
Toscano can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Ham controls the pace.
Ham tries to free his leg and advance position but Toscano is retaining full guard.
Ham is looking to stand up but Toscano won't let him.
Ham trying to control the position from guard on top but Toscano is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ham stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Toscano swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ham wants to control from the top but Toscano keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Nice uppercut there from Ham.
Toscano shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Ham moves into the clinch.

Ham has picked Toscano up - he's going for a ride! Ham dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Ham wants to stand up but Toscano is controlling the position.
Ham is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Ham wants to take a breather but Toscano is having none of it.
Ham trying to control from Toscano's half guard. Toscano has other ideas though and has regained full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Toscano trying to control the position.
Ham is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Ham trying to control the position from guard on top but Toscano is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Toscano looking to control.
Ham looking to sit in guard and control but Toscano gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Toscano looking to sit in guard and control but Ham gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Ham controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Toscano throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Ham pushing down on Toscano's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Toscano is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Ham scores with a couple of nice shots.
Ham tries to pass the half guard into mount. Toscano knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Toscano is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Ham wants to free his trapped foot but Toscano is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Ham wants to take a breather but Toscano is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bro Ham dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Ham swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Toscano shoots in for a takedown but Ham shows good takedown defense.

Ham gets a takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ham throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Ham throwing shots but Toscano is blocking nicely.
Ham is pressing down on Toscano's thigh, looking to free his foot. Toscano is holding on for now.
Toscano misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Ham is tying to control. Toscano wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Toscano avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Ham.
Ham wants to pass the guard but Toscano is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Toscano fails to land the takedown.
Ham moves in looking to clinch but Toscano pushes him off.

Ham scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Nice strikes from Ham there.
Toscano moves into full guard.
Ham pushing down on Toscano's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Nice strikes from Ham there.

Ham stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Ham keeps the fight on the outside.

Ham has managed to clinch.
Toscano blocks the elbow strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ham breaks from the clinch.
Ham throws a hook but Toscano blocks it.

Ham shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Ham showed some decent athleticism there.
Ham drops an elbow to the side of Toscano's head.
Ham thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Toscano's head.
Bro Ham has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ham not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Ham is looking to stall here but Toscano recovers full guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Toscano keeping moving, preventing Ham from controlling successfully.
Ham pushes down on Toscano's leg and manages to get into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ham looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Ham seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Ham landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Ham trying to pass the guard but Toscano defending well.
Toscano is looking for a sweep. Ham is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Ham wants to work for an arm triangle but Toscano is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Toscano is not content to let Ham control the position.
Ham moves nicely into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Ham remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Toscano trying to control but Ham flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!
Ham is punishing Toscano with strikes - can he finish him?!
Ham throwing sloppy strikes.
Toscano is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Ham.
Even with his hooks in, Ham manages to miss with strikes from the back.

Ham working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bro Ham 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. This is the final round!

A kick lands to the mid section there for Toscano.
Toscano circles away from the clinch attempt

and Toscano moves into the clinch.

Toscano ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Toscano no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Ham with a nice head shot there.
Toscano trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Ham trying to control the position from guard on top but Toscano is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Toscano is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Ham slips nicely into half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ham is nestled in close to Toscano, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Toscano is trying to stand.
Ham slips a nice elbow through Toscano's hands, connecting with Toscano's forehead.
Ham throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Ham working Toscano over with strikes.
Ham wants to take a breather but Toscano is having none of it.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Ham connects with a nice short shot to Toscano's temple.
Ham not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Ham tries to pass to full mount but Toscano defends it.
Toscano is not content to let Ham control the position.
Ham wants to free his trapped foot but Toscano is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Ham gets the takedown into side control.

Ham is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Toscano knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Toscano struggling a bit here.

Ham tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Ham decides to stand back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Toscano throws a leg kick which misses Ham's front leg but catches the back leg as Ham tries to avoid it.
Basso Toscano is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ham misses with a combination
and Toscano counters with a good low kick that Ham was not able to check.

Ham clinches up with Toscano and pushes him back against the cage.
Toscano gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Ham.
Toscano throws a knee to the head but misses.
Toscano has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Ham avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Ham.
Ham prevents the takedown attempt.
Ham gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Toscano leaning his opponent against the cage.
Ham wants to break the clinch but can't.
Ham is pressed up against the cage. Toscano has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Ham down to the mat. Ham avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Basso Toscano. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ham throws a body punch but Toscano moves out of range.

Toscano feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Ham is striking from the bottom but Toscano uses the opportunity to pass into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ham is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Toscano pulls his head out easily.
Ham is trying to maintain the position but Toscano is very close to passing his half guard.
Ham wants to sweep but Toscano has passed to side control!
Ham is looking for a sweep.
Toscano is putting a hurting on Ham here, landing some big shots from side control.
Basso Toscano has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
You can see the frustration on Ham's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Basso Toscano.
I think Ham 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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:30
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bro Ham!