PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Karsten Koererlaerer (ranked 1339 p4p, 3644 weight class) and Rocco Damato (ranked 154 p4p, 329 weight class). Damato is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Thunderstruck. Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Rocco Damato enters the cage!

Koererlaerer
vs
Damato

180 cm
22
155
8 - 0 - 0

170 cm
23
150
6 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Insanely flexible

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Altitude Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Karsten Koererlaerer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rocco Damato!
The judges for this bout are Albert Achterberg, Paul Aken and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Koererlaerer showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Damato.
A cross from Koererlaerer lands.
Damato jabbing away but nothing is landing.
We've been hearing reports that Koererlaerer has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.

Koererlaerer drives through with a takedown into Damato's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Koererlaerer's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Damato working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Koererlaerer.
Damato pulls Koererlaerer in close to his closed guard and prevents Koererlaerer from doing any damage or advancing position.
Koererlaerer prevents Damato from getting back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Koererlaerer lands a couple of elbows.
Koererlaerer wants to control from the top but Damato keeps moving.
Koererlaerer trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Damato manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Damato postures up.

Koererlaerer manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Damato fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Damato ducks under a wild hook from Koererlaerer.
Damato tries to clinch up but Koererlaerer circles away and keeps his distance.
Damato feints a jab promting Koererlaerer to slip. Damato then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Koererlaerer slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Damato is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Koererlaerer shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Koererlaerer slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Koererlaerer sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Damato's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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 tries to roll over but Koererlaerer keeps him under control.
Koererlaerer not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Koererlaerer throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Damato pushes Koererlaerer off looking to stand but Koererlaerer dives back in and keeps control.
Koererlaerer throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Koererlaerer is nestled in close to Damato, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Koererlaerer missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Koererlaerer prevents Damato from improving his position.
Koererlaerer landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Koererlaerer trying to control the action but Damato is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Damato keeping control of the position.
Koererlaerer is looking to take a break and control but Damato is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Koererlaerer takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Damato is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Koererlaerer scores with a couple of nice shots.

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.
Koererlaerer thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Damato's head.
Koererlaerer is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Koererlaerer working over Damato with some ground and pound. Damato looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Koererlaerer lands a nice short elbow.
Koererlaerer working over Damato with some ground and pound. Damato looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Damato regains full guard. Nicely done.
Koererlaerer throws a strike but Damato rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Koererlaerer pushes Damato off and scrambles back to his feet.
Damato throws a right hand that Koererlaerer ducks under and follows up with a left that Koererlaerer also avoids with ease.
Damato misses with a two punch combination.
Koererlaerer tries to counter with a takedown but Damato is quick to defend against it.
Damato shoots for a double leg takedown but Koererlaerer sprawls well. He's pushed Damato's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Damato.
Damato misses with a two punch combination.
We've been informed that Damato has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Koererlaerer misses with a takedown attempt - Damato sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Damato has managed to clinch.
Koererlaerer is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
A shot in the inside from Damato.
Koererlaerer tries for a takedown but Damato manages to get underhooks.
Koererlaerer is looking for a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Karsten Koererlaerer. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Koererlaerer tries for a takedown but Damato manages to get underhooks.

Damato breaks from the clinch.
Koererlaerer tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Damato swivels and escapes.

Koererlaerer looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Damato keeping moving, preventing Koererlaerer from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Koererlaerer stops Damato from standing up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Damato seems keen to control Koererlaerer's posture.
Koererlaerer is working Damato over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Koererlaerer postures up in Damato's guard and throws a big left but Damato blocks it.
Koererlaerer throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Koererlaerer wants to control from the top but Damato keeps moving.
Koererlaerer is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Damato looking to control.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Damato working a defensive guard but Koererlaerer passes into half guard.
Koererlaerer 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 two minutes gone in the round.
Ground and pound from Koererlaerer.
Damato is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Koererlaerer scores with a couple of nice shots.
Koererlaerer is looking to take a break and control but Damato is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Koererlaerer stalling away here and it's allowed Damato to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Koererlaerer pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Damato is keeping the position for now.
Koererlaerer stops Damato from standing up.
Damato is adopting a defensive guard.
Koererlaerer landing with the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koererlaerer in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Koererlaerer with a nice head shot there.
Koererlaerer is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Damato can do to turn this around?
Koererlaerer with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Koererlaerer has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Damato is pulling down on Koererlaerer's head. It's preventing any offense from Koererlaerer, at least for the moment.
Koererlaerer connects with a couple of short punches.
Koererlaerer lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Damato wants to stand up but Koererlaerer is controlling him.
Koererlaerer throwing strikes but missing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Koererlaerer lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Koererlaerer working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Damato's head.
Koererlaerer with a flurry of punches that miss.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Koererlaerer chips away with some ground and pound.
Damato trying to keep a closed guard but Koererlaerer is proving a slippery customer.
Koererlaerer scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Koererlaerer looking to pass the guard.
Koererlaerer with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Karsten Koererlaerer dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Damato slaps away a takedown attempt from Koererlaerer, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Koererlaerer fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Damato avoids it really well and circles away.
Koererlaerer showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Damato.
Damato tries to bum rush Koererlaerer with a series of wild strikes but Koererlaerer uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Koererlaerer shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Damato manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Koererlaerer landing some decent shots from guard.
Koererlaerer postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Damato is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Koererlaerer is controlling him.
Koererlaerer content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koererlaerer wants to control from the top but Damato keeps moving.
Koererlaerer is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Damato is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Koererlaerer postures up and lands a big shot to Damato's brow.
Koererlaerer with a flurry of punches that miss.
Damato wants to stand up but Koererlaerer is controlling him.
Damato avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's two 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.
Damato 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.
Koererlaerer throws a big elbow that misses.
Koererlaerer loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Koererlaerer stands up over Damato, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Koererlaerer postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Koererlaerer is in close to Damato's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Koererlaerer slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Koererlaerer thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
You can see the frustration on Damato's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koererlaerer lands a nice forearm strike.
Damato tries to bench press Koererlaerer off him but Koererlaerer keeps the position.
Karsten Koererlaerer overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Koererlaerer is putting a hurting on Damato here, landing some big shots from side control.
Koererlaerer working the ground and pound.
Damato on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Damato is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Koererlaerer cracks Damato with a big elbow.
Koererlaerer trying to control the position but Damato is working away.
Karsten Koererlaerer is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Koererlaerer is putting a hurting on Damato here, landing some big shots from side control.
Koererlaerer working the head and body with strikes.
Koererlaerer cracks Damato with a big elbow.
Koererlaerer trying to control the action but Damato is working from the bottom.
Rocco Damato has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Koererlaerer is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Damato is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Damato is trying to control Koererlaerer's posture but Koererlaerer avoids it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Karsten Koererlaerer showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Koererlaerer, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Albert Achterberg scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Karsten Koererlaerer!
Karsten Koererlaerer made sure to mention his sponsor, Altitude Clothing in his post fight interview.