PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Keir Toal (ranked 1537 p4p, 2977 weight class) and Rocco Damato (ranked 134 p4p, 239 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Toal might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Irish Pub Song. The crowd seem to be enjoying Damato's choice of entrance music: Thunderstruck. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Toal
vs
Damato

167 cm
37
159
8 - 6 - 0

170 cm
31
150
14 - 33 - 0

Dangerous GnP
Good kicks
Very quick

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Keir Toal!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 33 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rocco Damato!
The judges for this bout are Patrick Alders, Paul Aken and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Toal moves into the clinch successfully.
Toal lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Damato.
Nice body punch from Toal.
Damato blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Toal lands a left hand.
Toal doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Toal tries to throw a body punch but Damato avoids it by throwing Toal back against the cage.
Toal is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Damato is defending well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Toal throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Damatos head.

Damato manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Damato working a defensive guard here.
Our spies down at at Tappelukerho inform us that Damato has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?
Toal trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Toal loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Damato controls Toal momentarily but Toal frees himself.
Toal postures up and lands a big shot to Damato's brow.
Toal is stalling in the full guard.
Damato keeping full guard, as Toal tries to pass.
Damato looking to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
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.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Toal misses with a body shot.
Toal lands a nice hook to Damato's body. Damato takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Toal misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Damato.

Damato tries to sprawl but Toal drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Damato has one foot on Toal's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Toal throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Damato counters with a nice uppercut.

Toal feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Damato controls Toal momentarily but Toal frees himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Damato can't keep his opponent in guard - Toal advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Well, if Toal is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Damato is trying to control but can't.
Damato is trying to get back to full guard.
Toal trying to control the pace.

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.
Damato is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Toal scores with a couple of nice shots.
Toal not doing much here.
Damato wants to control but Toal is keeping busy.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Still in half guard, Toal seems content to control.
Toal is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Keir Toal dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Damato takes one on the chin but seems OK.
The crowd cheers as Toal lands an impressive looking overhand right. Damato doesn't seem phased though.

Toal closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Toal 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.

Damato scrambles and gets back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Toal is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Damato can do to turn this around?
Damato showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Toal.
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 takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Toal misses with a body shot
and Toal takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Toal fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Damato takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Toal fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Damato drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Toal defends it well.
Keir Toal seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Toal throws a looping overhand right but Damato ducks down to avoid it.
Toal lands a nice shot that snaps Damato's head back.
Toal swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Damato looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Toal motions for Damato to come forward. Toal throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.

Toal forces Damato back against the cage and clinches.
Damato jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Toal walks away with a smile on his face. Damato gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Toal keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Toal scores with a jab to the head.

Damato gets caught flat footed, as Toal shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Damato is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Damato has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Toal after a bit of a struggle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Toal works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Toal is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Damato controlling the position.

Damato throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
We've been hearing that Toal has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Damato tries to land a sweep but no joy.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Damato uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Toal.
Toal stalks Damato and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Damato's face. Damato staggers backwards, shaken.

Toal gets a double leg takedown into Damato's guard.
Toal is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Keir Toal dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Toal is trying hard to land a takedown here. Damato sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Toal sets himself, and Damato steps forward looking for the clinch! Toal avoids it this time.
Toal tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Damato was well out of range. Poor timing from Toal.
Toal sets himself, and Damato steps forward looking for the clinch! Toal avoids it this time.
Toal lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Damato moves into range and connects with a jab.
Toal just misses with a punch to the body.
Damato is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Toal scores with a jab to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Good leg kick by Toal.
A solid body kick from Toal.
Damato keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Toal swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Damato darts in looking for a takedown but Toal gets double underhooks and turns Damato into the cage.
A head kick by Toal misses

and Damato counters by moving into the clinch.
Toal misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Toal misses with a hook from the clinch.
Toal has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Damato avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Toal lands with a light punch inside.
Damato is trying to pull guard but Toal turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Toal tries to work over Damato's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Damato blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Toal tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Damato's elbow.
A short right from Toal on the inside.
Toal lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Toal throws a head punch that misses.
Damato blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Toal lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Good body shot from Toal.
Toal lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Keir Toal is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Toal misses with a body punch.
Toal lands with a left to the head.
Damato tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Keir Toal has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rocco Damato.
Toal lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Damato tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Toal smiles and moves away.
Keir Toal is winning the standup battle so far.
Damato checks a leg kick nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Toal bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Damato's head backwards.
Donk. Toal catches Damato right on the button with a cross.
Good standup being displayed there by Toal as he connects with a hook.
Toal misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Damato appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Toal throws a body punch but Damato moves out of range.
Damato swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Toal throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Damato swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Rocco Damato has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Toal lands a nice shot to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Keir Toal showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Toal 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 Patrick Alders scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 30:27
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Keir Toal!
A very excited looking Keir Toal made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.