PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Augustine Tupper (ranked 4418 p4p, 180 weight class) and Frank Rizzo (ranked 1467 p4p, 70 weight class). Tupper comes to the cage accompanied by Can't Stop: Red Hot Chili Peppers. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Tupper
vs
Rizzo

167 cm
24
139 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

175 cm
23
140 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Lethal high kicks
KO power

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Bee Krazy
Sin City Allstars

Groove Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Augustine Tupper!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Frank Rizzo !
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, John Mangel and Francis DeMontford.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rizzo throws a low kick but Tupper avoids it.
Rizzo throws a body shot but no joy.
Rizzo cracks Tupper with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Frank Rizzo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rizzo lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Rizzo walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Tupper checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Tupper shoots for a takedown but Rizzo saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Tupper looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Tupper throws a hook but Rizzo avoids it easily.
Tupper misses with a left hand
and Rizzo counters with a right hand to the body.
Tupper throws a looping overhand right but Rizzo ducks down to avoid it.
Tupper throws the kick towards the body but Rizzo avoids it.
Rizzo feints a counter leg kick.
Rizzo throws a front kick aimed at Tupper's knee but Tupper avoids it well.
Tupper swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Tupper shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Rizzo defends it nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Rizzo .
Rizzo on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Tupper connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

Rizzo is rocked!
Rizzo scores with a hook to the body. Tupper takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Rizzo is still on wobbly legs! Can Tupper finish him?
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Tupper tries to move into range but Rizzo moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Tupper lands a head shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tupper shoots in but Rizzo avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Augustine Tupper. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rizzo uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Tupper.
Rizzo scores with a sloppy right hand. Tupper should have avoided that one.
Rizzo seems to have recovered his senses.

Tupper looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Rizzo !
Rizzo is trying to control Tupper's posture but Tupper avoids it.
Rizzo manages to get back to half guard.
Rizzo wants to get back to full guard.

Rizzo looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Rizzo is not content to let Tupper control the position.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Tupper is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Rizzo defends it well.
Rizzo is positioning himself well to prevent Tupper advancing to mount.
Rizzo is looking to improve his position.

Tupper is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Tupper seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rizzo makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Rizzo .
Rizzo bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Tupper's guard.

The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rizzo preventing the sweep.

Tupper is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Rizzo defends well.
Rizzo is stalling in the full guard.
Rizzo trying to control but Tupper is working from the bottom.
Rizzo stopping the sweep attempt from Tupper.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rizzo decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Tupper, up you get!
Rizzo with a nice cross.
Rizzo avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Rizzo looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Rizzo misses with an uppercut. Tupper saw that one coming.
Tupper takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Tupper feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Rizzo s jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Rizzo has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Donk. Rizzo catches Tupper right on the button with a cross.
Rizzo has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Rizzo ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Tupper moves away.
Tupper with a hook.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tupper takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Tupper's corner calls for a 1-2. Tupper obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Rizzo tries a low kick but Tupper avoids it.
Tupper throws a big shot that misses.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Rizzo . Tupper shrugs it off though.
Rizzo connects with a single shot there.
Tupper rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Rizzo counters with a nice low kick that buckles Tupper's knee momentarily.
Tupper throws out a loose jab but Rizzo uses good head movement to avoid it.
Tupper checks a low kick from Rizzo .
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Frank Rizzo will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Rizzo waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Tupper.
Tupper lands a head kick!
Rizzo connects with an inside leg kick.
Tupper scores with a shot to the body.
Rizzo lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Tupper takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Rizzo lands a jab to Tupper's midsection.
Tupper connects with a single shot there.
Tupper walks into a stiff left hand from Rizzo .
Tupper has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Rizzo .
Tupper throws a hook but Rizzo blocks it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tupper misses with a takedown attempt - Rizzo sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Rizzo lands a jab to the nose.
Rizzo scores with a spinning back kick!
Donk. Rizzo catches Tupper right on the button with a cross.
A solid body kick from Rizzo .

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rizzo fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Rizzo .
Rizzo displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Tupper throws out the jab.
Tupper throws a poor cross that misses
and Rizzo counters with a nice kick to the body.
Rizzo throws a hook but Tupper blocks it.
A swing and a miss from Tupper.
Tupper uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Rizzo lunges at Tupper with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Tupper's hand.
Rizzo throws a right and a left that both miss.
A little feinted left hand from Tupper on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Rizzo ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Rizzo takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Frank Rizzo is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rizzo swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Rizzo .
Tupper throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Rizzo sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Rizzo only half commits to the counter leg kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Tupper throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Rizzo 's waist but Rizzo gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Tupper off to one side.
Rizzo gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Tupper.
Rizzo moves out of range of the body kick.
Tupper takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Tupper - that will leave a mark!
Tupper shoots in but Rizzo avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Augustine Tupper. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rizzo fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
A bone on bone clash there as Tupper blocks the leg kick.
Tupper seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
A clash of legs there as Tupper blocks the low kick.
Rizzo connects with a crisp jab.
Tupper is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Tupper misses with a hook. Rizzo ducked under it nicely.
Tupper throws a sloppy head kick and Rizzo moves out of range easily.
Rizzo scores with a jab to the body.
Rizzo slips a straight right by Tupper.
Rizzo dips to his left and cracks Tupper with an uppercut!
Tupper dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Rizzo . That did some damage!
Tupper buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Tupper scores with a nice strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rizzo throws a leg kick that is checked
and Tupper counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Tupper pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Rizzo .
Rizzo throws a quick inside leg kick.
Rizzo lands with a hook. Tupper tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Rizzo sizes up Tupper with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Rizzo 's corner calls for a 1-2. Rizzo obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Rizzo slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Tupper looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rizzo is fending him off so far but Tupper persists. Nope, Rizzo circles away and we're back to standing.
Tupper takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Tupper waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Rizzo .
Frank Rizzo seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Tupper fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Tupper throws a leg kick but Rizzo moved away.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Rizzo .
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Rizzo gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Tupper to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rizzo is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tupper's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Rizzo pulls Tupper in close to prevent any damage.
Tupper slips nicely into half guard.
Tupper landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

Tupper is working for a kimura but Rizzo is defending it quite comfortably.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rizzo desperately trying to maintain half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Rizzo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Tupper blocks a low kick nicely.
A little feinted left hand from Tupper on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Rizzo tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Tupper was well out of range. Poor timing from Rizzo .
Rizzo misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Tupper.
Rizzo lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Rizzo on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Tupper jabs Rizzo to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Tupper shoots in but no luck this time.
Tupper looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Tupper throws a sloppy head kick and Rizzo moves out of range easily.
Tupper tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Rizzo throws a front kick aimed at Tupper's knee but Tupper avoids it well.
Tupper feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Rizzo throws a nice outside leg kick.
Rizzo avoids the head kick by Tupper.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rizzo looks to score with a jab to the body but Tupper is just out of range.
Rizzo scores with a jab to the body.
Tupper has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Rizzo .
Rizzo feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Tuppers jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
This has been an exciting period of action!
A nice combination there by Rizzo .
Tupper on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tupper displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Rizzo throws out the jab.
Rizzo throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Tupper sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Tupper is looking to counter punch.

Tupper shoots in and gets a takedown into Rizzo 's guard.
Tupper throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Rizzo works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Tupper 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.
Rizzo pulls Tupper in close to prevent any damage.
Tupper tries to free his leg and advance position but Rizzo is retaining full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tupper postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Rizzo keeping moving, preventing Tupper from controlling successfully.
Tupper throwing strikes from guard but Rizzo blocks nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rizzo wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Tupper is now in half guard.
Tupper prevents Rizzo from improving his position.

Tupper is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Rizzo is just riding it out for now. Tupper eventually gives up the hold.
Tupper wants to pass the guard but Rizzo is defending well.
Augustine Tupper has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Augustine Tupper overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Tupper stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tupper landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Rizzo is looking to improve his position.

Tupper is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Rizzo doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Tupper.
Tupper is just content to waste time from the top position. Rizzo takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Rizzo is pulling down on Tupper's head to control his posture.

That's four 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.
Let's hope that Rizzo has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Tupper connects with a couple of short punches.
Rizzo is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Frank Rizzo is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Tupper distracts Rizzo with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Tupper trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Rizzo manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Rizzo drops back looking for a leg! Tupper is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Tupper manages to kick Rizzo off! Rizzo jumps back into Tupper's guard.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Frank Rizzo .
I've got Rizzo 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 Eliza Hachem scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 27:30
Judge Francis DeMontford scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Frank Rizzo !
A relieved looking Frank Rizzo thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.