PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Roberto Fabinho (ranked 1544 p4p, 3397 weight class) and Marco Battaglia (ranked 222 p4p, 448 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Fabinho might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Glowed Up - Kaytranada. I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Fabinho
vs
Battaglia

193 cm
23
200
3 - 2 - 0

190 cm
23
190
3 - 5 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Good low kicks
Granite chin

Conquer

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Roberto Fabinho!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Marco Battaglia!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Alyssa Summers and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fabinho misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Battaglia.
Fabinho will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Fabinho rushes Battaglia and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Battaglia blocks an uppercut.
Battaglia has a couple of punches blocked by Fabinho.
Fabinho tries a body shot but Battaglia blocks it.

Fabinho turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Fabinho manages to end up in side control.
Battaglia regains half guard.

Battaglia looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fabinho takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

Battaglia looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Battaglia looking for a kimura from the bottom but Fabinho passes into side control!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fabinho tries to advance to mount but can't.
Fabinho working the ground and pound but Battaglia is defending the strikes.
Battaglia is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Fabinho off and has taken his back!
Fabinho trying to control the hands but Battaglia won't let him.
Battaglia scores with punches from the back.
Battaglia scores with a nice shot to the head of his opponent. Fabinho is looking for a way out.
Fabinho breaks Battaglia's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Battaglia looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Battaglia trying to keep a closed guard but Fabinho is proving a slippery customer.
Fabinho with a nice head shot there.
Fabinho tries to free his leg and advance position but Battaglia is retaining full guard.
Battaglia trying to keep a closed guard but Fabinho is proving a slippery customer.
Fabinho throwing strikes from guard but Battaglia blocks nicely.
Battaglia avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Battaglia seems keen to control Fabinho's posture.
Fabinho wants to control from the top but Battaglia keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Battaglia trying to keep a closed guard but Fabinho is proving a slippery customer.

Fabinho got a little sloppy there for a moment and Battaglia has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Fabinho has managed to get both his arms back between Battaglia's legs - danger averted.
Fabinho working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Battaglia's head.
Fabinho cracks Battaglia with a solid left hand.
Battaglia wants to sweep but no luck.

Battaglia has an active guard here but Fabinho has managed to pass into half guard.
Fabinho wants to free his trapped foot but Battaglia is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Battaglia tries to get to full guard but Fabinho has control of the leg.
Fabinho trying to pass the guard but Battaglia defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Battaglia wants to get back to full guard.
Fabinho seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Battaglia does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fabinho working Battaglia over with strikes.
Fabinho frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Battaglia is trying to escape the mount.
Fabinho putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Battaglia felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Fabinho is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Fabinho punishing his opponent with strikes.
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!
Fabinho trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Battaglia is looking to get to half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Roberto Fabinho dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Fabinho throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
The crowd cheers as Fabinho lands an impressive looking overhand right. Battaglia doesn't seem phased though.
A looping hook to the body misses from Battaglia. Fabinho does a little dance to reset his feet.
Fabinho dives in and grabs Battaglia's left leg, looking for a takedown. Battaglia pushes down on Fabinho's head and hops out.
Fabinho tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Battaglia manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Fabinho tries to bum rush Battaglia with a series of wild strikes but Battaglia uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Battaglia scores with a spinning back kick!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Battaglia scores with a jab to the head.
Battaglia ducks under a wild hook from Fabinho.
Battaglia tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.

Fabinho rushes Battaglia and presses him up against the cage.

Battaglia pulls guard successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Battaglia working for a triangle but Fabinho defends it easily.
Fabinho wants to control from the top but Battaglia keeps moving.

Fabinho thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Fabinho is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Battaglia can do to turn this around?
Battaglia wants to sweep here but Fabinho controlling him for the moment.
Battaglia pulls Fabinho in to control the position.
Fabinho slips nicely into half guard.
Fabinho is keen to just control but Battaglia is a slippery customer.
Fabinho has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Fabinho is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Battaglia moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Fabinho drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Battaglia manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Fabinho has Battaglia in his guard.

Fabinho bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Battaglia's guard.

Fabinho throws an elbow that misses. Battaglia uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Fabinho's guard. Nice move by Battaglia!

Battaglia working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Fabinho's head.

Fabinho is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Battaglia works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Fabinho wants to control but Battaglia is keeping busy.
Battaglia wants to control but Fabinho is keeping him busy.
Fabinho is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Fabinho looking for submissions off his back.
Battaglia lands strikes from half guard.
Battaglia lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Fabinho wants to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fabinho is staying active underneath Battaglia, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Battaglia is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Battaglia can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Fabinho is looking to escape.
Fabinho tries to hold on but Battaglia postures up.
Fabinho is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at Xtreme Black House, so we'll see if he gets out of it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Battaglia raining down hammerfists from mount.
Fabinho can't escape the position.
Fabinho bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Marco Battaglia will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get 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.

Fabinho misses with a body shot.
Battaglia thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Fabinho if he has to take too many more of those.
Battaglia looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Fabinho is fending him off so far but Battaglia persists. Nope, Fabinho circles away and we're back to standing.
Fabinho looks to land a left hand but Battaglia moved out of range nicely.

Fabinho forces Battaglia back against the cage and clinches.
Fabinho lands with a right to the head.
Fabinho takes a shot to the head.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Fabinho.
Fabinho has a couple of punches blocked by Battaglia.
Fabinho gets underhooks to prevent Battaglia's takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fabinho stops a takedown attempt from Battaglia.
Roberto Fabinho has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Marco Battaglia.
Fabinho tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Battaglia is looking to take this one to the mat.
Fabinho blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Battaglia has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Fabinho is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Battaglia tries to work over Fabinho's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Battaglia takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A nice left hand lands by Fabinho.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Battaglia scores with a nice hook to the head.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Fabinho.
Fabinho lands a shoulder strike.
Fabinho throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
A short uppercut from Fabinho.
Fabinho lands a hook to the side of the head.
Fabinho blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Fabinho struggles to land a body shot inside as Battaglia controls his hands.

Fabinho has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Battaglia clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Fabinho is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Battaglia is defending well though. Fabinho let's go of the attempt for now.
Battaglia wants to control his opponent's hands but Fabinho gets his hands free.

Battaglia is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Battaglia is taking damage to the body and head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fabinho struggling to land strikes to the head as Battaglia covers up.
Battaglia tries to break free.
Fabinho avoiding Battaglia 's attempts to control his hands.
Fabinho is punishing Battaglia with some ground and pound.
Fabinho controlling well, preventing Battaglia from escaping the position.

Battaglia is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here.
Fabinho thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.
Roberto Fabinho is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
I would not like to be Battaglia right now.
Fabinho is looking to control Battaglia but Battaglia is wriggling around and keeping busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
What can Battaglia do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Battaglia tries to escape the position.
Marco Battaglia has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.
Battaglia is in bad spot here.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Fabinho controlling the positon.
Battaglia is really stuck here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Roberto Fabinho showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Fabinho 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 Russell Pearce scores the fight for Roberto Fabinho!
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight for Roberto Fabinho!
Judge John Roberts scores the fight for Roberto Fabinho!

Roberto Fabinho wins by unanimous decision!
Roberto Fabinho decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.