PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Thad Fitzgerald (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jose Landi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Fitzgerald
vs
Landi

195 cm
22
177 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

181 cm
23
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
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 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thad Fitzgerald!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jose Landi!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Thiago Cunha and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Landi fails with an attempt to clinch.

Landi closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Fitzgerald to the mat! Fitzgerald manages to get full guard.
Fitzgerald is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

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

Fitzgerald had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Landi defends it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Landi wants to control from the top but Fitzgerald keeps moving.
Fitzgerald looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Landi gets to his feet - Fitzgerald follows without any prompting.

Fitzgerald gets caught napping as Landi dives in and scores a takedown. Fitzgerald manages to retain guard.
Landi throws a strike but Fitzgerald rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Landi lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Fitzgerald trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

Fitzgerald is looking for a triangle but Landi pushes his legs off easily.
Landi trying to control the position from guard on top but Fitzgerald is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Landi wants to stand but Fitzgerald is controlling his posture from full guard.
Fitzgerald wants to sweep here but Landi controlling him for the moment.
Fitzgerald is pulling down on Landi's head. It's preventing any offense from Landi, at least for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Fitzgerald has an active guard here but Landi has managed to pass into half guard.
Fitzgerald slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Fitzgerald keeping moving, preventing Landi from controlling successfully.

Fitzgerald looking for a guillotine here but Landi defends easily.
Fitzgerald will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Landi trying to control but Fitzgerald is working from the bottom.

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.
Fitzgerald pulls Landi in close to his closed guard and prevents Landi from doing any damage or advancing position.

Landi stands and steps away. Fitzgerald gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Landi drives through with a takedown into Fitzgerald's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

Landi got a little sloppy there for a moment and Fitzgerald has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Landi has managed to get both his arms back between Fitzgerald's legs - danger averted.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Landi dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Fitzgerald tries to sprawl but Landi drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Fitzgerald tries to roll over but Landi keeps him under control.
Fitzgerald trying to control from the bottom.
Jose Landi has got the better of the ground game so far.
Landi wants to pass the guard but Fitzgerald is defending well.
Fitzgerald wants to get back to full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fitzgerald keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Ground and pound from Landi.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Landi trying to control the action but Fitzgerald is working from the bottom.
Fitzgerald wants to get back to full guard.
Fitzgerald wants to sweep but Landi has passed to side control!
Landi trying to control the action but Fitzgerald is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Landi scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Fitzgerald to see if he's OK.
Fitzgerald is trying to control Landi's posture but Landi avoids it.
Fitzgerald taking a bit of punishment here - Landi scoring with strikes.
Landi with the ground and pound but Fitzgerald regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Landi is thwarting Fitzgerald's attempts to control the position.
Fitzgerald is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Landi is looking to take a break and control but Fitzgerald is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Fitzgerald really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Fitzgerald has his hands clasped together around Landi's back. He's all about the action.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Fitzgerald gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Landi to score an easy takedown into full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fitzgerald wants to improve his position but instead Landi has moved into half guard.
Fitzgerald is trying to get back to full guard.
Fitzgerald trying to hold on to Landi's head to control him but Landi postures up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Fitzgerald throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Landi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Fitzgerald fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Landi sprawls well initially but Fitzgerald persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Landi wants to stand back up but Fitzgerald manages to pass into side control.

Fitzgerald tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Fitzgerald has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Landi manages to get back to half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Landi wants to get back to his feet.
Landi trying to control from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Landi regains full guard. Nicely done.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Fitzgerald's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Landi is looking for a triangle here but Fitzgerald uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Landi tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
Landi is in bad spot here.
Can Landi hold on?! Fitzgerald is landing more strikes to his hapless foe.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fitzgerald lands strikes to the head.
Landi wants to control his opponent's hands but Fitzgerald gets his hands free.

Landi showing good submission defense here.
Fitzgerald landing with strikes.
Fitzgerald punches Landi on the ear.
Landi is trying to stand back up.
You can see the frustration on Landi's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Landi is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Landi is trying to break free.
Landi takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Fitzgerald lands a punch to the side of the head from the back.

Fitzgerald looking to break Landi's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Landi remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Fitzgerald will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Fitzgerald is punishing Landi with strikes - can he finish him?!
Fitzgerald throwing strikes from the back - he gets a warning from the referee for striking the back of the head but all these shots are hurting Landi!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Landi is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.

Fitzgerald working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Fitzgerald not allowing Landi to control his hands.

Landi is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Fitzgerald throwing damaging strikes from the back! Landi could be in trouble here!

And that's the end of the fight!
Thad Fitzgerald showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Landi 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 28:29
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jose Landi!