PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Destin Craven (ranked 1214 p4p, 1198 weight class) and Rocco Damato (ranked 105 p4p, 104 weight class). Damato has chosen Thunderstruck as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Rocco Damato told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Craven
vs
Damato

172 cm
35
141
27 - 27 - 1

170 cm
33
150
18 - 36 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Brooklyn Apothecary

Silverguard Outfitters 🛡

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 27 - 27 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Destin Craven!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 36 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rocco Damato!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Aafke Stam and Albert Achterberg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Craven moves away from the strike by Damato.
Craven goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

Damato closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Craven quickly recovers to half guard.

Damato is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Craven doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Damato.

Damato seems to be working for a kimura but Craven defends the submission attempt.
Craven is looking to improve his position.
Damato drops an elbow to the side of Craven's head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Damato is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Craven has managed to free his arm - good work.
Damato has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Damato seems to be looking for submissions.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Craven is looking to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Craven tries to kick Damato off but Damato keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Damato is looking to take a break and control but Craven is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Craven regains full guard. Nicely done.
Craven is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Craven had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Damato defends it easily.
Damato won't allow Craven to sweep him here.
Damato wants to stand but Craven is controlling his posture from full guard.

Damato decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Damato misses with a body shot.
Damato uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Craven has time to react.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Damato walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Craven looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.

Craven shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Craven showed some decent athleticism there.

Damato kicks off Craven and gets to his feet.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Damato looks to land a right hand but Craven moved out of range.
Craven swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.

Craven looking to score a takedown here. Damato is defending well but Craven drives through and ends up in Damato's guard.

Damato is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Craven presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
Craven misses with a hook to the ribs.
Damato drops down looking for an ankle pick but Craven pulls his leg out and moves away.
Craven scores with a punch to the head.
Craven leaves Damato with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Damato throws the left hand but Craven avoids the punch easily.
Damato wants to clinch up but Craven keeps it at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Craven connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Damato jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Craven slips under a jab from Damato.
Damato is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Craven.
Craven throws a nice inside leg kick.
Damato pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Craven moves out of range as Damato strikes.

Craven decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Craven lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

Craven is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Damato is just riding it out for now. Craven eventually gives up the hold.
Craven wants to control but Damato is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Craven is working for a kimura but Damato is defending it quite comfortably.

Damato is defending against the submission attempts here by Craven.
Craven keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Damato has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Craven escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Craven!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Craven thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Rocco Damato will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Damato pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Damato throws a poor cross that misses

and Craven counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Craven connects with a nice short shot to Damato's temple.
Craven working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Rocco Damato has got the better of the ground game so far.

Craven is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Damato doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Craven.
Craven working over Damato with some ground and pound. Damato looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Craven is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Damato has managed to free his arm - good work.
Damato avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Craven.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Damato gets full guard.
Craven postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Craven avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Craven tries to free his leg and advance position but Damato is retaining full guard.
Damato keeping moving, preventing Craven from controlling successfully.
Craven pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Damato is keeping the position for now.
Craven has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Damato working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Craven.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Craven tries to free his leg and advance position but Damato is retaining full guard.
Craven is working hard here to advance position.
Damato is trying to control the position but Craven postures up.
Craven throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Damato works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Craven slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Craven trying to control the action but Damato is working from the bottom.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Craven scores with punches from side control.

Craven is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Damato has escaped the position, nice work there.
Craven lands a decent elbow from side control.
Damato wants to control but Craven postures up.
Craven blocks the strikes from Damato.
Craven working the ground and pound from side control.

Craven wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Damato, who protects the arm well.
Craven lands a few punches from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Damato is trying to control Craven's posture but Craven avoids it.
Damato is working to avoid the ground and pound but Craven connects with a decent elbow.

Craven looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Damato takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Damato struggling a bit here.
Damato tries to improve position but can't.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Destin Craven dominated that second round.
That's time! Craven's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Damato dives in and grabs Craven's left leg, looking for a takedown. Craven pushes down on Damato's head and hops out.
Damato takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Craven lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Damato shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Craven but Craven pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Damato with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Craven to score with a decent uppercut.
Damato's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Craven connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Damato scrambles back to his feet.
Craven takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Damato misses with a looping right.
Craven closes the distance and lands a one-two.

Damato closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
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 wants a takedown.
Destin Craven has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rocco Damato.

Craven gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Craven tries to pass the half guard into mount. Damato knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Craven winds up and cracks Damato with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Craven works his way into side control.
Craven is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Damato can do to turn this around?
Craven wants to control but Damato is keeping him busy.
Craven scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Damato to see if he's OK.
Craven scores with a couple of short elbows.
Craven has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Damato!
Damato is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Craven wants to control the pace but Damato is squirming around nicely.
Craven seems to be looking to move to his opponent's back but Damato is holding on tight.
Craven raining down hammerfists from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Damato is desperately trying to improve his position but Craven has a good base and remains in mount.
Craven landing strikes from the mount.
Craven lands a couple of good shots and Damato has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Craven is looking to control Damato but Damato is wriggling around and keeping busy.

Craven working for the choke.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Damato showing good submission defense here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Damato trying to control the hands but Craven won't let him.

Craven is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Damato defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Damato tries to break free.

Damato defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Craven's arms.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Damato is in a bad position with Craven working for a choke. Damato manages to spin nicely into guard and the danger is over for the moment.
Craven bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Damato's guard.

Craven works over Damato with some ground and pound from guard.
Damato keeping moving, preventing Craven from controlling successfully.
Damato is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Craven looking to pass the guard.
Damato working a defensive guard here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Destin Craven showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Craven has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 29:28
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 29:28
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Destin Craven!
In his post fight interview, Destin Craven started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.