PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Santo Fitzgerald (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lace Troyer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Troyer has chosen Brown Girl in the Ring as his entrance music. Lace Troyer has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Fitzgerald
vs
Troyer

151 cm
23
215 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

180 cm
25
203 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Solid chin

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Santo Fitzgerald!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Lace Troyer!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, Chad Campbell and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Fitzgerald shoots in and gets a takedown into Troyer's guard.
Troyer has momentary wrist control but Fitzgerald slips an elbow through the middle.
Troyer is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

Troyer is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Fitzgerald accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Fitzgerald lands a couple of digs.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fitzgerald preventing the sweep.
Troyer controlling the position.
Fitzgerald throws an elbow that misses. Troyer uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Fitzgerald's guard. Nice move by Troyer!

Fitzgerald might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Troyer is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Troyer is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Fitzgerald looking for a sweep. Not yet Fitzgerald, not yet.
Fitzgerald trying to keep a closed guard but Troyer is proving a slippery customer.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Troyer content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Fitzgerald could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Fitzgerald being controlled here, momentarily.

Troyer got a little sloppy there for a moment and Fitzgerald has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Troyer has managed to get both his arms back between Fitzgerald's legs - danger averted.
Fitzgerald is trying to control the position but Troyer postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Troyer sitting in guard here, content to control.
Troyer's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Fitzgerald working a defensive guard here.
Troyer is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Fitzgerald punishes Troyer's body with a nice straight punch.

Troyer moves into range and clinches up with Fitzgerald.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Troyer managing to block the knees to the body from Fitzgerald.

Troyer is trying to trip Fitzgerald. He has hold of a leg but Fitzgerald is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Troyer persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Fitzgerald can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Troyer controls the pace.

Fitzgerald has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Troyer can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Troyer wants to get up but he can't break Fitzgerald's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Fitzgerald trying to keep a closed guard but Troyer is proving a slippery customer.
Troyer lands a couple of digs.
Troyer showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Fitzgerald keeping full guard, as Troyer tries to pass.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fitzgerald trying to keep a closed guard but Troyer is proving a slippery customer.
Troyer stays in close to Fitzgerald's body and controls the position.
Fitzgerald is trying to control the position but Troyer postures up.

Troyer gets to his feet - Fitzgerald follows without any prompting.
Fitzgerald takes one to the side of the head.

It looks like Santo Fitzgerald has been cut.

Troyer decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Fitzgerald trying to control here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Troyer looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Fitzgerald with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

Troyer is working for a kimura but Fitzgerald is defending it quite comfortably.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lace Troyer dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Santo Fitzgerald's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Troyer misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Troyer closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Fitzgerald gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Troyer.

Troyer breaks from the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Fitzgerald tries to sprawl but Troyer drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Troyer works his way into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A lull in the action here as Troyer stalls from top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fitzgerald tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Troyer wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Troyer tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Fitzgerald is letting Troyer control him for a moment.
Troyer trying to control the position but Fitzgerald is working away.
Lace Troyer has got the better of the ground game so far.

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

That's two 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.

Troyer working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Fitzgerald wants to control but Troyer postures up.

Troyer looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Troyer grinds an elbow into Fitzgerald's temple.
Fitzgerald is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Fitzgerald is being controlled here.
Troyer wants to stand but Fitzgerald has his arm trapped.
Troyer is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fitzgerald prevents Troyer from moving into mount.
Troyer has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Troyer is working Fitzgerald over with some ground and pound from side control.
A lull in the action here.

Troyer tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Troyer has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Fitzgerald tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Fitzgerald struggling a bit here.

Troyer is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Fitzgerald is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Troyer working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Fitzgerald is holding Troyer down, trying to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fitzgerald can't do much from the bottom here.
Fitzgerald tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Troyer controls the position.

Troyer is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Fitzgerald is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Troyer trying to control the action but Fitzgerald is working from the bottom.
Fitzgerald tries to strike from the bottom but misses.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Troyer is trying to get an arm triangle but Fitzgerald is defending well.

Troyer tries for a kimura but Fitzgerald is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lace Troyer showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Santo Fitzgerald's cut.
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!

Troyer looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Fitzgerald throws a quick counter head kick but Troyer was just out of range.

Fitzgerald drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Fitzgerald drops back, looking for a kneebar! Troyer looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Troyer looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Troyer!

Troyer stands up and we're back to a striking position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fitzgerald displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Troyer.

Troyer closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Fitzgerald pulls Troyer into guard.
Troyer wants to pass the guard but Fitzgerald is keeping the position.
Troyer is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Troyer postures up.
Fitzgerald trying to strike off his back.

Fitzgerald looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Troyer passes into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fitzgerald has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Troyer is working away from the top position though.
Fitzgerald knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Troyer on the ground.
Fitzgerald is looking to improve his position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Troyer looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Troyer is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Fitzgerald is defending against the submission attempts here by Troyer.
Troyer takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Fitzgerald is trying to control but can't.

Troyer is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Fitzgerald sees it coming and defends easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Troyer moves nicely into side control.

Troyer tries for a kimura but Fitzgerald is defending well.
Fitzgerald wants to control but Troyer postures up.

Troyer is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Fitzgerald has escaped the position, nice work there.
A lull in the action here.
Fitzgerald is not content to let Troyer control the position.
Troyer working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fitzgerald trying his best to control but Troyer has mounted him.
Fitzgerald wants to hold on but Troyer pushes him away.
Fitzgerald is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Troyer controlling from mount.
Lace Troyer is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Troyer with shots to the head and body - Fitzgerald looks very uncomfortable down there.
Fitzgerald is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Troyer controlling the position easily from mount.

Troyer has control of Fitzgerald's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Fitzgerald regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Santo Fitzgerald has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Troyer with the ground and pound from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lace Troyer comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Troyer winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 John Roberts scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lace Troyer!
Lace Troyer took his opportunity to call for a title shot in his post fight interview.