PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Learned Astronomer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tommy Victorio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Victorio is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Breaking Benjamin - Dance With The Devil. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Astronomer
vs
Victorio

189 cm
26
200 lbs
9 - 4 - 1

197 cm
25
201 lbs
11 - 5 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Perkele!
Milwaukee's Best 160 SALE $140

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Learned Astronomer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Tommy Victorio!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Igor Prikhodko and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Astronomer throws a push kick but Victorio slaps the foot to one side.

Victorio gets a takedown into half guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Astronomer is looking for a sweep. Victorio is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Astronomer is working hard here to advance position.
Victorio sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Astronomer defending well though.
Victorio wants to control but Astronomer is keeping him busy.
Victorio prevents Astronomer from improving his position.
Victorio not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Astronomer works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Victorio looking to pass the guard.
Astronomer preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Victorio throwing strikes but missing.
Astronomer looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Victorio preventing the sweep.
Astronomer is pulling down on Victorio's head. It's preventing any offense from Victorio, at least for the moment.
Victorio stands up over Astronomer, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Victorio in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Victorio throws a big elbow that misses.
Victorio working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Astronomer is pulling down on Victorio's head to control his posture.
Victorio trying to control the position from guard on top but Astronomer is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Astronomer lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Victorio!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Victorio really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Astronomer throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Victorio because Astronomer loaded up on that one.
Astronomer throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Victorio can't escape the position.
Victorio has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Astronomer lands a big elbow.
Astronomer scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Victorio is desperately trying to improve his position but Astronomer has a good base and remains in mount.
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!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Astronomer scoring with strikes but Victorio is staying in there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Astronomer landing strikes, looking to finish!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Learned Astronomer 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.

Victorio throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Astronomer stuns Victorio with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Victorio throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Victorio throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Astronomer comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
We've been told by Astronomer's head coaches at NGF Private Gym that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
No joy there for Astronomer, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Victorio shoots for a takedown but Astronomer saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Victorio scores with a push kick.

Astronomer gets a double leg takedown into Victorio's guard.
Victorio looking to control.

Victorio working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Astronomer doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Astronomer manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Victorio keeping moving, preventing Astronomer from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Victorio trying to keep a closed guard but Astronomer is proving a slippery customer.

Victorio has his foot on Astronomer's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Astronomer works his way back into a safe position though.
Astronomer controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Learned Astronomer overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Astronomer trying to control but Victorio is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Victorio wants to sweep but no luck.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Learned Astronomer just wasn't active enough.
Astronomer closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Astronomer on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Victorio lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Astronomer throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Victorio takes a jab right on the kisser.
Victorio paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Astronomer tries to move into range but Victorio moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Victorio throws a sloppy head kick and Astronomer moves out of range easily.
Victorio lands with a hook. Astronomer tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Victorio walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Astronomer checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Victorio misses with a right hand

and Astronomer counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Astronomer throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Victorio is trying to control but Astronomer passes into side control!
Victorio is in a bad spot here and he knows it... just holding on for now.
Astronomer landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The strikes coming from Astronomer are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Victorio has found himself in a tricky position here. He's been working his transitions in training so let's see if he can work his way out of it.
Astronomer grinds an elbow into Victorio's temple.
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!
You can see the frustration on Victorio's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Victorio tries to buck Astronomer off but Astronomer is having none of it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Victorio is not content to let Astronomer control the position.
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 Learned Astronomer will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Victorio keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Victorio scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Astronomer takes a swing at Victorio's ribcage but misses.
A slow jab from Astronomer misses its intended target.
Victorio tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Victorio lands a glancing blow to the side of Astronomer's head.

Astronomer moves into the clinch.
Victorio scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Astronomer lands with a short shot to the head.
A short right from Astronomer.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Astronomer creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Victorio wants a takedown.
Victorio has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Astronomer misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Victorio - that landed with a thud.
Victorio misses with some punches.
Astronomer will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Victorio up against the cage.
Victorio wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Astronomer has him pressed against the cage.
Victorio has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Astronomer after a bit of a struggle.
Astronomer lands a right hand that snaps the head of Victorio backwards.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Astronomer.
Astronomer works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Astronomer trying to stall but Victorio improves his position.
Victorio is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Victorio misses with a punch to the body.
Astronomer lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Victorio.
Astronomer fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Astronomer is trying to maintain a safe position but Victorio gets an underhook and turns Astronomer into the cage.
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!
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Astronomer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Victorio tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

Victorio gets control of Astronomer's arms and successfully pulls guard. Victorio will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Astronomer missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Astronomer looking to sit in guard and control but Victorio gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Victorio stopping the sweep attempt from Astronomer.
Astronomer not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Tommy Victorio has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Victorio throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Astronomer is trying to keep Victorio in close.
Victorio working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Victorio connects with a couple of short punches.
Victorio trying to control the position from guard on top but Astronomer is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Learned Astronomer is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Victorio postures up in Astronomer's guard and throws a big left but Astronomer blocks it.
Victorio pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Astronomer is keeping the position for now.
Astronomer not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Victorio in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Victorio passes Astronomer's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Astronomer is looking for a sweep. Victorio is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Astronomer has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Victorio is working away from the top position though.
Astronomer is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Victorio is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Victorio thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Astronomer's head.

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 Learned Astronomer.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Astronomer, 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 30:27
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:28
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Learned Astronomer!
Our winner, Learned Astronomer, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.