PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between El Misterioso Damballah (ranked 982 p4p, 127 weight class) and Max Roberts (ranked 1441 p4p, 180 weight class). Roberts has chosen Break Stuff as his entrance music. Max Roberts has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Misterioso Damballah
vs
Roberts

179 cm
32
180 lbs
24 - 28 - 0

181 cm
36
178 lbs
16 - 15 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Powerful takedowns
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Trashy Bar (158+q / 30$)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 24 - 28 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, El Misterioso Damballah!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Max Roberts!
The judges for this bout are Steve Montenegro, Lou da Vinci and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Roberts punishes Damballah's body with a nice straight punch.
Damballah moves away from the strike by Roberts.
Roberts misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Damballah.
Damballah throws a right and a left that both miss.
Roberts now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Damballah scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Damballah does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Damballah misses with a double jab.
Roberts just misses with a punch to the body.
Damballah misses with a double jab.
Damballah throws a right hand that Roberts ducks under and follows up with a left that Roberts also avoids with ease.
And Roberts tries to counter it with a takedown but Damballah pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Damballah tries to bum rush Roberts with a series of wild strikes but Roberts uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
El Misterioso Damballah seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Damballah goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

It looks like Max Roberts has been cut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Damballah throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Roberts looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Roberts misses with a series of wild punches.
Damballah tries to bum rush Roberts with a series of wild strikes but Roberts uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Damballah takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Damballah fails to land with a series of punches.
Roberts appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Roberts shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Damballah's guard.
Damballah is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Roberts wants to control from the top but Damballah keeps moving.
Roberts stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Damballah swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Damballah keeping moving, preventing Roberts from controlling successfully.
Roberts trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Damballah wants to get back to his feet but Roberts is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Damballah uses the cage to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Roberts slips under a jab.
Damballah bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Roberts's head.
Damballah pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Roberts is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Damballah.
Damballah defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Roberts.
Damballah lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Roberts circles away quickly and effectively.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Roberts throws a hook but Damballah avoids it easily.
Damballah swinging wildly here.
Damballah fails to land with a series of punches.
Roberts tries a head kick but it misses.
Damballah throws a poor cross that misses
and Roberts counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Damballah throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Roberts has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Roberts slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Damballah misses with a straight right.
Roberts scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Damballah throws a head kick that misses

and Roberts counters with a nice double leg into side control. Damballah won't be happy with that.
Roberts is looking to take a break and control but Damballah is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Roberts prevents Damballah from escaping the position.
Damballah is not content to let Roberts control the position.
Roberts prevents Damballah from escaping the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Roberts wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Damballah, who protects the arm well.
Roberts prevents Damballah from escaping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Roberts tries to move to full mount but Damballah actually manages to regain half guard.
Damballah pushes Roberts off looking to stand but Roberts dives back in and keeps control.

Damballah has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Roberts is on him like a limpet, forcing Damballah back against the cage.
Roberts blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Damballah working aggressively here.
Damballah working aggressively here.

Roberts pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Roberts shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Damballah napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Damballah throws Roberts to one side and escapes!
Roberts cracks a nice hook into Damballah's ribs.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Roberts tests Damballah's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Roberts dodges the punch combination from Damballah.
Roberts is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Damballah with a body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

El Misterioso Damballah dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Max Roberts's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

A lazy left from Damballah finds it's target.
Roberts takes one to the chin there.
A swing and a miss from Roberts.
Damballah misses with a straight left.
A little jabbing left from Roberts on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Roberts stuns Damballah with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Damballah misses with a wild combination.
Damballah misses with a series of wild punches.
Sloppy strikes from Damballah. Those never looked like landing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Damballah pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Roberts swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Roberts moves out of range of the leg kick from Damballah.
Roberts let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Damballah changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Damballah scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Roberts fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Damballah sprawls well initially but Roberts persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Damballah is trying to stand.

Damballah is defending against the submission attempts here by Roberts.
Damballah wants to get back to his feet.
Damballah trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Roberts wants to control but Damballah is keeping him busy.
Roberts stops Damballah from getting back to his feet.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Damballah misses with a combination

and Roberts decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Damballah's guard.

Damballah pushes Roberts off and gets back to his feet.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Damballah looks to land a combination but Roberts avoids it well.
A head kick misses from Damballah.
Roberts fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Damballah manages to avoid it.
Damballah throws a series of punches but Roberts avoids them all with ease.
Damballah throws a left and a right that both miss
and Roberts counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Roberts is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Damballah rather than just go for the knockout.
Damballah misses with a low kick.
The fighters circling - Roberts throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Damballah throws a lazy head kick

and Roberts counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Roberts is keen to just control but Damballah is a slippery customer.

Roberts is looking for a kimura but Damballah is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Roberts to get the leverage.

Damballah pushes Roberts off and gets back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roberts lands with a cross.
Damballah throws a nice looking combination but Roberts bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Roberts is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Roberts shoots in but no luck this time.
El Misterioso Damballah is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Crunch! Damballah slams his shin into Roberts's torso.
Roberts slips a jab and a cross from Damballah.
Damballah is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Roberts can do to turn this around?
Nice body kick there by Damballah.
A big left from Damballah misses.
Damballah lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Damballah misses with a wild combination.
Damballah misses with a series of wild punches.
Roberts avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Roberts avoids the body shot from Damballah.
Roberts shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Damballah as he jumps to the side.
Damballah swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Damballah throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Roberts counters with a stiff right hand.
Damballah throws a head kick but Roberts moves out of range.
Roberts is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Damballah scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
El Misterioso Damballah is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Roberts is defended easily by Damballah.
El Misterioso Damballah has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Max Roberts.
Roberts throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Damballah takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Roberts dodges the punch combination from Damballah.
Roberts dodges the punch combination from Damballah.
Roberts with the counter takedown but Damballah avoids it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

El Misterioso Damballah dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Max Roberts'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!

Damballah throws a front kick aimed at Roberts's knee but Roberts avoids it well.
Damballah misses with a kick to the body.
Damballah throws a right hand that Roberts ducks under and follows up with a left that Roberts also avoids with ease.
And Roberts tries to counter it with a takedown but Damballah pushes his down on his head and steps out.
El Misterioso Damballah is winning the standup battle so far.
Damballah stalks Roberts and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Roberts's face. Roberts staggers backwards, shaken.
Damballah takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Roberts scores with a hook.
Roberts swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Roberts avoids a punch combination nicely.
Sloppy strikes from Damballah. Those never looked like landing.
A looping hook to the body misses from Damballah. Roberts does a little dance to reset his feet.
Roberts cracks a nice hook into Damballah's ribs.
Damballah moves out of range as Roberts strikes.
Damballah misses with a combination
and Roberts counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Roberts ducks right into an uppercut from Damballah.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Damballah will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Damballah backing away here, and Roberts unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Damballah shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Roberts misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Damballah.
Damballah throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Roberts slips a jab and a cross from Damballah.
Roberts throws a sloppy head kick and Damballah moves out of range easily.
Damballah lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Nice sprawl there from Damballah as Roberts shoots in.
Roberts blocks a jab.
Damballah misses with a two punch combination.
Roberts changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Damballah looks to throw the jab but Roberts is out of range.
Damballah misses with a series of wild punches.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Damballah throws a right hand that Roberts ducks under and follows up with a left that Roberts also avoids with ease.
Damballah throws a right and a left that both miss.
Damballah slips under a jab from Roberts.
Roberts throws a hook but Damballah avoids it easily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Roberts slips under a jab.
Damballah misses with a jab, cross combination.
Roberts looks to throw the jab but Damballah is out of range.
Good standup being displayed there by Roberts as he connects with a hook.
Damballah takes one to the side of the head.
Some wild striking there from Damballah.
A nice side step and Roberts releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Damballah throws out a loose jab but Roberts uses good head movement to avoid it.

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

Damballah has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Roberts has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Damballah fails to land.
Damballah misses with a punch on the inside.
Damballah working aggressively here.
Roberts is trying to pull guard but Damballah has him pressed against the cage.
Damballah lands an elbow inside that Roberts shrugs off.
Damballah lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Roberts backwards.
A head punch on the inside from Damballah fails to land.
Damballah lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Roberts or not.
Damballah misses with a body punch.

Roberts breaks the clinch.
Damballah throws a right and a left that Roberts avoids nicely.
Damballah throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Max Roberts has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Damballah throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Roberts counters with a takedown into side control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Damballah is trying to buck Roberts off.

Roberts is trying to get an arm triangle but Damballah is defending well.
El Misterioso Damballah is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Roberts trying to control the action but Damballah is working from the bottom.

Roberts is trying to get an arm triangle but Damballah is defending well.

And that's the end of the fight!
El Misterioso Damballah showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Damballah has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Steve Montenegro scores the fight 30:27
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 30:27
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... El Misterioso Damballah!
After the fight, El Misterioso Damballah was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.
Max Roberts was interviewed post fight and said 'I'm a much better fighter than what you seen here, TRUST ME, ill be better next time.'.