PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Tommy Heceda (ranked 2496 p4p, 3919 weight class) and Rocco Damato (ranked 208 p4p, 318 weight class). Heceda's entrance music is Hawaiian Kickboxer. A fine choice. Damato has chosen Thunderstruck as his entrance music. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Heceda
vs
Damato

177 cm
22
150
4 - 6 - 0

170 cm
28
150
11 - 27 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Furnace Performance ðŸ”¥
Silverguard Outfitters ðŸ›¡

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 4 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Tommy Heceda!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 27 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rocco Damato!
The judges for this bout are Albert Achterberg, Patrick Alders and Paulsen Ambrosius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Damato doesn't manage to clinch there - Heceda circles away.
Damato scores with a three punch combo!
Damato is looking to clinch.
A combination from Damato does no damage.
Nice sprawl there from Heceda as Damato shoots in.
Damato fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Heceda swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Damato shoots in for a takedown but Heceda shows good takedown defense.
Tommy Heceda has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rocco Damato.
Damato shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.

Damato closes the distance and clinches.
Damato is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Damato tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Heceda just stands there and leans against the cage.
I was talking to Heceda's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Heceda lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Damato backwards.

Heceda manages to break the clinch.
Heceda cracks Damato with a good jab.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Damato misses with a series of wild punches.
Damato wants to slow Heceda down by chopping away at his legs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Damato misses with the combination.
Heceda swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Damato swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Damato shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Damato decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
A swing and a miss from Heceda.
Heceda showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Damato.
Damato misses with a takedown
and Heceda counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Damato closes the distance and pushes Heceda back into the cage.
Damato working hard to break the clinch.

Heceda breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Heceda gets tackled into the cage by Damato. Damato maintains the clinch.

Damato breaks the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Heceda on the wrong end of a nice jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Damato fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Damato wants to slow Heceda down by chopping away at his legs.
Damato tries to move into range but Heceda moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
A nice combination there by Damato.
Damato throws a sloppy head kick and Heceda moves out of range easily.
Damato fails to land the takedown.
Heceda swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Nice sprawl there from Heceda as Damato shoots in.
Heceda connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Damato's hands.
Damato lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Damato looks for the body kick but Heceda saw that one coming.
Damato misses with a double jab
and Heceda connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Damato gets a takedown into half guard.
Damato wants to pass to mount but Heceda is defending the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Heceda is trying to stand back up but Damato is controlling him
Heceda avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Damato.
Damato throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Damato is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Heceda keeps control of the position for the meantime.

Damato stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Heceda to get to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Nice sprawl there from Heceda as Damato shoots in.
It looked like Heceda wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Rocco Damato seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Damato dives in and grabs Heceda's left leg, looking for a takedown. Heceda pushes down on Damato's head and hops out.
Damato moves away from the strike by Heceda.
Damato feints a counter leg kick.
Damato misses with a series of wild punches.

Damato scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Damato is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Heceda defends it well.

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

Damato is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Heceda has managed to free his arm - good work.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Rocco Damato dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

No luck with that takedown attempt from Damato.
Damato shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Heceda sprawls well. Heceda wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Damato gets slowly back to his feet.
Damato throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Heceda misses with a looping right.
Heceda lands a nice looking body shot.

Damato shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Heceda's guard.

Heceda scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Heceda misses with a looping left.
Heceda throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Tommy Heceda is winning the standup battle so far.
Damato misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Tommy Heceda has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rocco Damato.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Heceda ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Heceda misses with an uppercut.
Heceda keeps the fight on the outside.
Heceda appears to be looking for a big counter.
Damato throws a nice looking combination but Heceda bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Damato misses with a takedown attempt - Heceda sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Rocco Damato is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Damato looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Heceda is fending him off so far but Damato persists. Nope, Heceda circles away and we're back to standing.
Damato throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Heceda's waist but Heceda gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Damato off to one side.
It looked like Heceda wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Good work by Heceda as he checks the leg kick.
Damato darts in looking for a takedown but Heceda gets double underhooks and turns Damato into the cage.
Tommy Heceda is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Damato connects with a good right hand that stumbles Heceda. Heceda circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Damato misses with a takedown attempt
letting Heceda counter with a right hand.
Damato is breathing heavily.
Heceda displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Damato throws out the jab.
Heceda scores with a decent looking hook.
Damato with a poor takedown
and Heceda counters with a nice uppercut.
Damato shoots in for a takedown but Heceda shows good takedown defense.
A little feinted left hand from Heceda on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Damato misses with a low kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Heceda misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Heceda lands a right hook to the body.
Damato throws a right and a left that both miss.
Damato misses with a leg kick.
Damato throws a push kick but Heceda slaps the foot to one side.

Heceda gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Damato to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Damato pushes down on Heceda's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Damato is thwarting Heceda's attempts to control the position.
Damato passes to side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Damato tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Damato trying to control the action but Heceda is working from the bottom.
Rocco Damato has got the better of the ground game so far.

Damato goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Heceda rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Damato's guard! Nice work there by Heceda!

Damato has his foot on Heceda's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Heceda works his way back into a safe position though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Heceda tries to free his leg and advance position but Damato is retaining full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Heceda stops Damato from standing up.

Heceda avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Damato looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Damato doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Damato wants to sweep but no luck.
Heceda postures up.

Heceda is sitting in close to Damato's body. Damato has gone for a guillotine from the bottom. Oh damn, that looks pretty tight! Heceda is panicking - it looks like this one could be all over! Yes, Heceda is tapping! That was a very nice submission by Damato.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Rocco Damato!
Our winner, Rocco Damato, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.