PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Rocco Damato (ranked 3118 p4p, 22722 weight class) and Jean Labosky (ranked 305 p4p, 485 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Damato might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Thunderstruck. Rocco Damato has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Damato
vs
Labosky

170 cm
23
150
7 - 11 - 0

182 cm
50
155
31 - 59 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Knockout power

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 7 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rocco Damato!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 31 - 59 - 1, fighting out of New York, Jean Labosky!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Paul Aken and Daniel Blasius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Damato throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Labosky.
Labosky is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Damato with a body shot.
Labosky throws a head kick that half lands.
Labosky throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
It looked like Damato was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Labosky displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Damato.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Labosky pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Damato is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Labosky's half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Damato postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Labosky to stand up.
Jean Labosky seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Damato darts in and clinches Labosky up against the cage.
Labosky misses with a punch to the body.

Labosky manages to break the clinch.
Damato keeps the fight on the outside.
Labosky misses the shot to the body.
Labosky throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Damato.

Damato shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Labosky manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Damato trying to control the position from guard on top but Labosky is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Labosky wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Damato loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Labosky looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Damato thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Damato wants to pass the guard but Labosky is keeping the position.
Damato advances to half guard.
Damato is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Damato lands a big shot there that rocks Labosky but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Damato raining down shots from the mount!

Damato get's back to his feet.
Damato tries to score with a low kick but Labosky moves his leg out of the way.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Damato dives in and grabs Labosky's left leg, looking for a takedown. Labosky pushes down on Damato's head and hops out.
Damato shoots in and drives through. Labosky sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rocco Damato. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Labosky lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Damato circles away quickly and effectively.

Damato changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Labosky looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Labosky is trying to get back to half guard.
Damato sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Labosky is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Labosky can't do much from the bottom here.

Damato tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Labosky is looking for a sweep.
Damato looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Damato goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Labosky rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Damato's guard! Nice work there by Labosky!
Labosky controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Damato escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Labosky gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Labosky slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Damato is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Damato looking for a sweep. Not yet Damato, not yet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Rocco Damato will probably get the nod.
That's time! Damato's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

A slapping body kick lands there for Labosky.
Labosky tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Damato manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Labosky's coach down at Tran MMA Gym was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Labosky's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Labosky connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Rocco Damato is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Labosky moves into the clinch successfully.

Labosky breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Damato with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Labosky to score with a decent uppercut.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Damato.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Labosky scores with a spinning back kick!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Labosky stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Labosky wants it to stay on the feet.
Damato avoids the head kick by Labosky.
Damato tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Labosky manages to circle out of the way.
Labosky connects with a solid leg kick.
Labosky lands with a kick to the temple. Damato shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Damato shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Labosky as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rocco Damato. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Labosky bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Labosky fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Labosky buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Jean Labosky seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Labosky scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Labosky jabs Damato to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Labosky lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
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!
Labosky works the jab nicely.
Labosky throws a head kick that misses.
Labosky blocks a jab.
Labosky with a nice calf kick.
Labosky scores with a hook to the body. Damato takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Damato shoots for a double leg takedown but Labosky sprawls well. He's pushed Damato's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Jean Labosky is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Labosky throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Damato's head.
Labosky is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Labosky!
Labosky fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Damato.
A head kick misses from Labosky.
Labosky swinging wildly here.
Labosky misses with a jab, cross combination.
Damato was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Labosky lands a high kick!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Labosky tries a head kick but it misses.
Labosky throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
It looked like Damato was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Labosky throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Damato.
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!
Labosky misses with a head kick.
Labosky throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Damato.
Labosky misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Damato appears to be looking for a big counter.
Labosky misses with a low kick.
Damato seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Damato steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Labosky. That one must have hurt.

Damato rushes Labosky and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Labosky is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jean Labosky showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Labosky looks to score with a jab to the body but Damato is just out of range.
Damato will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Labosky fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Damato.
Damato misses with a looping right.
Labosky throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Damato.
Labosky pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Labosky swings and misses with a hook to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Labosky misses with a head kick.
Labosky throws a leg kick that misses.
Damato fails with a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Labosky closes the distance and pushes Damato back into the cage.

Labosky escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Damato shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Labosky pinned against the cage. Labosky gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rocco Damato. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Labosky tries to clinch but Damato moves out of range.
As Labosky looks to move away, Damato throws a big counter combo but Labosky just gets out of the way.
Labosky lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Damato shoots in but Labosky avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Labosky is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Damato with a body shot.
Damato blocks a jab.
Labosky throws a nice head kick!
Labosky tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Damato manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Labosky pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Labosky connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Labosky lands with a good body shot.
Labosky lands a two punch combo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Labosky lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Labosky.

Damato closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Labosky did well to prevent Damato getting side control.

Damato is trying to work for a kimura but Labosky is defending well.
Labosky avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Damato.
Labosky is refusing to be controlled, as Damato sits in half guard.
Damato wants to free his trapped foot but Labosky is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Damato thows a huge punch but Labosky dodges it nicely.

Damato is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Damato is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Labosky has managed to free his arm - good work.
Damato is trying to control the action in half guard but Labosky is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Rocco Damato overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Damato is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Labosky is just riding it out for now. Damato eventually gives up the hold.
Labosky is looking to escape.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jean Labosky comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Labosky has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Nard Betker scores the fight 27:29
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 27:29
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jean Labosky!