PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Astador Persetti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chris Eckhoff (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Eckhoff has chosen Walk by Pantera as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Chris Eckhoff told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Persetti
vs
Eckhoff

170 cm
22
160 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

181 cm
21
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Prefers ground

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Likes ground

PURE
Fuel

PURE
Firebird Designs

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Astador Persetti!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Chris Eckhoff!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, George Francis and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Eckhoff tries to clinch but Persetti moves out of range.
Persetti fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Persetti tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Eckhoff swivels and escapes.

Eckhoff shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Persetti is breathing heavily.
Eckhoff missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Eckhoff wants to stand up but Persetti is controlling the position.
Persetti tries to get to full guard but Eckhoff has control of the leg.
Eckhoff has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Eckhoff is trying to control the action in half guard but Persetti is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Eckhoff wants to pass to mount but Persetti is defending the position.

Eckhoff is trying to work for a kimura but Persetti is defending well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Eckhoff is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Persetti has managed to free his arm - good work.
Persetti is trying to get back to full guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Eckhoff closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Persetti struggling a bit here.
Persetti stops Eckhoff from passing to mount.

Eckhoff is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Persetti is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Eckhoff goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Persetti rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Eckhoff's guard! Nice work there by Persetti!
Persetti won't allow Eckhoff to get back to his feet.

Eckhoff pushes Persetti off and gets back to his feet.
Eckhoff changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Persetti takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Eckhoff fails in his attempt to clinch.

Persetti shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Persetti was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Eckhoff tries to lock up and control but Persetti gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Eckhoff is looking to get to half guard.
Persetti misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Persetti prevents Eckhoff from getting the reversal.

Persetti is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Eckhoff has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Eckhoff!

Eckhoff stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Eckhoff throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Persetti's head.

Persetti scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Persetti wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Eckhoff, who protects the arm well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Eckhoff manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Eckhoff works his way to full guard. Good work.
Eckhoff is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Eckhoff lands a couple of decent looking body shots there.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Persetti won't allow Eckhoff to get back to his feet.
Eckhoff looking for a sweep. Not yet Eckhoff, not yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Eckhoff dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Eckhoff has taken the fight to the clinch.
Eckhoff is trying to break the clinch but Persetti has him pressed against the cage.

Persetti is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Eckhoff can't fight it off and eventually Persetti manages to take the fight to the floor. Eckhoff looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Eckhoff is looking to stand back up but Persetti counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Eckhoff.
Persetti has knee on belly momentarily but Eckhoff bucks him off and regains half guard.
Eckhoff makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Eckhoff.
Persetti might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Persetti pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Eckhoff is keeping the position for now.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Persetti preventing the sweep.

Persetti drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Persetti jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Eckhoff tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Persetti stays in close to Eckhoff's body and controls the position.
Eckhoff controls Persetti momentarily but Persetti frees himself.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Persetti has his takedown stuffed

and Eckhoff decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Persetti's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Persetti has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Eckhoff can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Eckhoff wants to stand but Persetti has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Eckhoff postures up.
Eckhoff wants to stand but Persetti is controlling his posture from full guard.
Eckhoff stopping the sweep attempt from Persetti.
Chris Eckhoff has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Persetti working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Eckhoff.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Persetti circles away from the clinch attempt.
Eckhoff misses with a wild combination.
Persetti shoots in and drives through. Eckhoff sprawls well.
Persetti avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Eckhoff misses with a takedown

and Persetti counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Eckhoff can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Persetti controls the pace.
Eckhoff looking to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Persetti prevents Eckhoff from getting back to his feet.
Persetti won't allow Eckhoff to sweep him here.
Eckhoff throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Eckhoff is trying to control the position but Persetti postures up.

Eckhoff is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Eckhoff wants to stand and escape but Persetti is having none of it.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Eckhoff gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Eckhoff wants to stand up but Persetti is controlling him.

Eckhoff isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Persetti stacks Eckhoff on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Persetti!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Astador Persetti dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Persetti blocks a head kick by Eckhoff.
Persetti misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Eckhoff.
Persetti with a poor takedown

so Eckhoff counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Eckhoff trying to control the position from guard on top but Persetti is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Persetti avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Persetti escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Eckhoff gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Persetti looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Persetti wants to sweep here but Eckhoff controlling him for the moment.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Eckhoff postures up.

Persetti looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Eckhoff slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Persetti is looking for a triangle but Eckhoff pushes his legs off easily.
Persetti is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Eckhoff won't allow Persetti to sweep him here.

Persetti has his feet on Eckhoff's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Persetti with a poor takedown
and Eckhoff counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Persetti is lucky that one didn't land flush.

Persetti gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Eckhoff stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Persetti swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Eckhoff scoring with punches to the head and body.

Eckhoff drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Persetti dives on top into guard.
Eckhoff looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Persetti puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Persetti controlling the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Eckhoff wants to get back to his feet.
Persetti works his foot free and advances to mount.

Persetti goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Eckhoff is on top in guard.
Persetti on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Persetti tries to get out of the position.
Eckhoff wanted to stand there but Persetti had control of the position.
Eckhoff trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

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.
Eckhoff is fighting to break Persetti's control of his arms but Persetti is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Persetti tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Persetti keeping full guard, as Eckhoff tries to pass.
Eckhoff landing some decent shots from guard.
Eckhoff trying to control the position from guard on top but Persetti is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Persetti fails in his attempt to clinch.
Chris Eckhoff is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Eckhoff moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.

Persetti closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Eckhoff to the mat! Eckhoff manages to get full guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Eckhoff wants to sweep here but Persetti controlling him for the moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Chris Eckhoff.
I think Eckhoff 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge George Francis scores the fight 29:29
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a draw!