PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tony Rizzo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jimmy Shug (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jimmy Shug has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Rizzo
vs
Shug

188 cm
19
170 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

167 cm
21
167 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tony Rizzo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jimmy Shug!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Frank Dennis and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shug tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Shug changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Rizzo looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Shug lands a nice forearm strike.
Shug is looking to take a break and control but Rizzo is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Rizzo throws Shug to one side and escapes!
The fighters circle momentarily. Rizzo darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Rizzo looks to land a combination but Shug avoids it well.
Rizzo tries to clinch up but Shug circles away and keeps his distance.
Shug 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.
Shug avoids a punch combination nicely.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Shug showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Rizzo.

Shug throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Rizzo was covering up waiting for the punch and Shug finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Shug looks gassed!

Rizzo is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shug is in close to Rizzo's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Shug throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Shug wants to control from the top but Rizzo keeps moving.
Rizzo keeping full guard, as Shug tries to pass.
Shug stopping the sweep attempt from Rizzo.
Shug trying to control the position from guard on top but Rizzo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rizzo working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Shug.
Shug has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Rizzo had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Shug defends it easily.
Shug trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rizzo has his foot on Shug's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Shug works his way back into a safe position though.
Shug prevents Rizzo from getting back to his feet.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Rizzo looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Rizzo keeping moving, preventing Shug from controlling successfully.
Rizzo utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Shug pushes down on Rizzo's leg and manages to get into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rizzo is staying active underneath Shug, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Shug is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Rizzo has one foot on Shug's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Rizzo works over Shug's head and body with a nice combination.
A leg kick checked by Shug.
Rizzo wants to clinch up but Shug keeps it at a distance.
Rizzo throws a head kick that misses.
Rizzo looks to land a combination but Shug avoids it well.
Left hook, right uppercut from Rizzo.
Some wild striking there from Rizzo.
Rizzo throws out a powerful jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Shug scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Rizzo closes this distance looking for a takedown but Shug circles away.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Rizzo enables Shug to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Rizzo manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Rizzo is pulling down on Shug's head to control his posture.
Shug trying to control the position from guard on top but Rizzo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Rizzo looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Rizzo is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Shug is aware though and is defending well.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Shug landing some decent shots from guard.
Shug throws a big right hand that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jimmy Shug will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Shug misses with a takedown attempt - Rizzo sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Rizzo throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Rizzo lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Rizzo goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Shug is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
No joy there for Shug, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Rizzo misses with a few strikes there.
Shug wants to clinch up but Rizzo keeps it at a distance.
Tony Rizzo is winning the standup battle so far.
Rizzo blocks a head kick by Shug.
Rizzo throws a series of punches but Shug avoids them all with ease.
Shug is breathing heavily.
Rizzo wants to clinch.

Rizzo darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Shug looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Shug is trying to stand up here but Rizzo is controlling him well.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Shug can do anything to dispel that myth.
Shug is refusing to be controlled, as Rizzo sits in half guard.

Rizzo is trying to work for a kimura but Shug is defending well.
Shug punching from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rizzo tries to stand and escape but Shug actually recovers to full guard.
Rizzo pushes down on Shug's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Shug is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Shug is defending against the submission attempts here by Rizzo.
Rizzo will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Rizzo is looking for a kimura but Shug is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Rizzo to get the leverage.
Shug wants to improve his position but Rizzo is controlling well.
Shug throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rizzo is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Shug has managed to free his arm - good work.

Rizzo is trying to work for a kimura but Shug is defending well.

Rizzo seems to be looking for submissions.

Rizzo seems to be looking for submissions.
Rizzo is thwarting Shug's attempts to control the position.
Shug is trying to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rizzo is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Shug is trying to stand back up but Rizzo is controlling him
Rizzo lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Shug is defending against the submission attempts here by Rizzo.

Rizzo is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Shug is just riding it out for now. Rizzo eventually gives up the hold.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Rizzo trying to work for an americana but Shug has managed to regain full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tony Rizzo dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Rizzo tries to keep at a distance but Shug has taken the fight into the clinch.
Shug is trying to pull guard but Rizzo turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Rizzo is pressed up against the cage. Shug has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Rizzo down to the mat. Rizzo avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Shug fails with an attempt to clinch.

Shug clinches up against the cage.

Shug is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Rizzo can't fight it off and eventually Shug manages to take the fight to the floor. Rizzo looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Jimmy Shug has got the better of the ground game so far.

Rizzo is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Shug is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Shug takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Shug avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rizzo controls Shug momentarily but Shug frees himself.
Rizzo pulls Shug in close to prevent any damage.
Shug in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Rizzo trying to keep a closed guard but Shug is proving a slippery customer.

Rizzo has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Shug can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Rizzo looking to control.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Shug won't allow Rizzo to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shug landing with the ground and pound.

Rizzo throws his legs up looking for a submission but Shug uses it to pass to side control.
Shug working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Shug works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Rizzo is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Shug's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Rizzo trying to control from the bottom.
Shug is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Shug takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rizzo is refusing to be controlled, as Shug sits in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rizzo moves into full guard.
Rizzo avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Shug accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Shug wants to control from the top but Rizzo keeps moving.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Shug got a little sloppy there for a moment and Rizzo has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Shug has managed to get both his arms back between Rizzo's legs - danger averted.
Shug trying to control but Rizzo is working from the bottom.
Rizzo is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Shug is controlling him.
Shug keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Rizzo's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shug looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Rizzo looking for a guillotine here but Shug defends easily.
Shug pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rizzo is keeping the position for now.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Rizzo has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Shug off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Rizzo misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Jimmy Shug.
I think Shug 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight for Tony Rizzo!
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight for Tony Rizzo!
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight for Tony Rizzo!

Tony Rizzo wins by unanimous decision!
A pretty intense looking Tony Rizzo took the opportunity post-fight to ask for a shot at the title.