PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Brett Stone (ranked 3121 p4p, 6250 weight class) and Rocco Damato (ranked 35 p4p, 128 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Damato's choice of entrance music: Thunderstruck. Rocco Damato is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Stone
vs
Damato

178 cm
18
205
1 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
150
1 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Brett Stone!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rocco Damato!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Aafke Stam and Paulsen Ambrosius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Damato uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Stone.
Damato fails in his attempt to clinch.
Damato shoots in looking for a takedown but Stone manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Damato's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Stone misses with a hook. Damato ducked under it nicely.

Damato closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Stone to the mat! Stone manages to get full guard.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Stone manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Damato looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Stone lands with a right to the head.
Stone has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Damato after a bit of a struggle.
Stone can't get the takedown.

Stone has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Damato is trying to keep an underhook but Stone manages to get the takedown into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Damato is looking for a sweep. Stone is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Stone is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Damato is refusing to be controlled, as Stone sits in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stone not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stone not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Damato is defending against the submission attempts here by Stone.
The fighters are battling for position here. Damato manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Stone stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Damato swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Stone lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

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.
Stone's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Stone trying to control but Damato is working from the bottom.
Damato keeping full guard, as Stone tries to pass.
Stone trying to control but Damato is working from the bottom.
Stone sitting in guard here, content to control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Stone moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stone stops a takedown attempt from Damato.
Stone keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Damato's efforts to push away.
Stone has Damato pushed against the cage.
Damato gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Stone.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Brett Stone. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stone holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Damato tries to score a body lock takedown but Stone shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Stone taking a breather.
Our sources have told us that Stone has been working on his knees in the buildup to the fight.
Damato is looking to take this one to the mat.
Stone misses with a punch to the body.
Damato gets underhooks to prevent Stone's takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Stone can't get the takedown.
Damato prevents a body shot from Stone.
Damato works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.

Damato ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Damato no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Stone trying to control but Damato is working from the bottom.
Stone has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Damato preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Stone trying to control but Damato is working from the bottom.
Damato is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Our spies down at at Blanc Fitness Academy inform us that Damato has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Damato is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brett Stone dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Stone swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Stone throws a body shot but no joy.

Damato gets tackled into the cage by Stone. Stone maintains the clinch.
Damato lands a nice shot to the body.
Stone taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

Stone turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Stone manages to end up in side control.
Damato wants to control but Stone postures up.

Stone swings around for an armbar but Damato sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Stone's guard.
Damato throws a big right hand that misses.
Damato throws a big elbow that misses.

Stone looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Stone is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Stone holds on and takes a little breather.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Stone is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Damato is aware though and is defending well.
Damato trying to control the position from guard on top but Stone is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Damato is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Damato working some strikes from top position.
Stone keeping moving, preventing Damato from controlling successfully.

Stone has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Damato can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Stone keeping moving, preventing Damato from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Stone wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Damato throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Damato fails with an attempt to clinch.

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

Damato is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Stone is aware though and is defending well.
Stone distracts Damato with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Stone working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Damato's head.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Stone's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Damato is breathing heavily.
Damato is trying to control the position but Stone postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stone trying to control but Damato is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Damato manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Stone manages to get himself to full guard.

Stone is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Damato defends well.
Stone is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Damato wants to control from the top but Stone keeps moving.
Damato lands a couple of digs.
Stone is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Stone is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Damato defends well.
Stone pulls Damato in close to prevent any damage.
Damato working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Stone looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Damato puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.

Damato is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Stone doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Damato.
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 Brett Stone will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Damato avoids the body shot from Stone.

Stone feints and as Damato raises his hands in defense, Stone changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Damato kicks Stone off and gets to his feet.
Stone throws a jab but it's blocked by Damato.
Damato wants to clinch.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Damato.
Damato shoots for a double leg takedown but Stone sprawls well. He's pushed Damato's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Stone misses with a hook. Damato ducked under it nicely.
Damato blocks a jab.
A shot to the body from Stone misses
and Damato counters with a stiff right hand.
Rocco Damato seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Stone throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Damato takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Damato shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Stone as he avoids it easily.
Brett Stone has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rocco Damato.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Damato shoots in and drives through. Stone sprawls well.

Stone rushes Damato and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Damato tries to throw a body punch but Stone avoids it by throwing Damato back against the cage.
Damato looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Damato is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Stone gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Stone misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Damato gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Stone.

Stone has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Damato regains guard immediately.
Stone sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Damato's guard.
Stone drops an elbow to the side of Damato's head.
Stone passes the guard and advances to mount!
Stone is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Damato can do to turn this around?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stone cracks Damato with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Stone lands a couple of nice shots there from 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!
Damato reaches up to try and control the position but Stone seems to have an arm triangle now! Uh oh! Damato rolls and tries to escape and now Stone has his back!

Stone looking for the choke but no joy.
Stone is hanging on to Damato's back as he tries to escape.
Stone has his opponent trapped and is landing shots. Not a good position for Damato.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stone is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Brett Stone is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Brett Stone overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Damato trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Stone controlling the positon.

And that's the end of the fight!
Brett Stone showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Stone 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 Daniel Blasius scores the fight 30:28
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Brett Stone!
After winning the bout, Brett Stone thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.