PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rocco Urso (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Carter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Urso kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Big Ten Inch. Rocco Urso has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Urso
vs
Carter

185 cm
23
200 lbs
5 - 6 - 0

174 cm
20
187 lbs
6 - 6 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Rocco Urso!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, John Carter!
The judges for this bout are Steve Montenegro, Franklyn Lucas and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Carter ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Carter avoids a punch combination nicely.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Carter.
Urso misses with a head kick.
A solid leg kick lands there for Urso.
Urso lands a head kick. Carter smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Carter throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Urso throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Carter rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Urso moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Nice defenses there by Urso.
No luck for Urso with that takedown attempt.

Carter darts in and clinches Urso up against the cage.
Carter drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Urso gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Urso manages to pull guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Urso looking for a sweep. Not yet Urso, not yet.
Carter wants to pass the guard but Urso is keeping the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Urso trying to control the position.
Urso looking for a sweep. Not yet Urso, not yet.
Carter throws a strike but Urso rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Urso works a leg free and moves into half guard.

Urso is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Carter works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's two 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.

Carter working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Urso doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Urso manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Carter looking for a sweep. Not yet Carter, not yet.

Carter throws his legs up looking for a submission but Urso uses it to pass to side control.
Carter is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Urso throws a strike aimed at the side of Carter's head but Carter avoids it well.
Carter tries to escape but Urso is in control.

Urso swings around for an armbar but Carter sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Urso's guard.
Urso is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carter is pressing down on Urso's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Carter throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Carter bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Urso's guard.
Carter throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Carter throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Urso works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Carter accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Carter drops back, looking for a kneebar! Urso looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Urso looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Urso!
Carter manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Carter won't allow Urso to pass to mount.
Carter is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Urso is figuring out what he wants to do next.

Urso is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Urso is breathing heavily.
Urso trying to pass the guard but Carter defending well.

Carter manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Urso tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Carter looks to score with a jab to the body but Urso is just out of range.
Carter thows a body shot but no joy.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Carter dodges an elbow strike from Urso.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Carter dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Carter looks to throw the jab but Urso is out of range.
Carter throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Carter is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Urso rather than just go for the knockout.
Urso tries to clinch up.
Carter looks to score with a jab to the body but Urso is just out of range.
Carter throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Urso's waist but Urso gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Carter off to one side.
Urso fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Carter.
Carter shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Urso as he jumps to the side.

Carter throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Urso was covering up waiting for the punch and Carter finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Carter trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Carter is breathing heavily.
Carter wants to control from the top but Urso keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Urso working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Carter.
Carter is looking to work some ground and pound but Urso has wrist control.
Urso is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Carter throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Carter wants to pass the guard but Urso is keeping the position.
Urso keeping moving, preventing Carter from controlling successfully.
Urso will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Urso takes a shot to the body in his stride.

That's two 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.

Carter clinches.
Urso tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Carter smiles and moves away.
Carter keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Rocco Urso is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Carter throws a hook but Urso blocks it.

Carter is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Urso's half guard.
Carter 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.
Carter throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Carter sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Urso defending well though.
Carter sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Urso defending well though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Urso wants to get back to full guard.
Carter scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Urso keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Carter tries to pass to full mount but Urso defends it.
Urso blocking the ground and pound attempt from Carter.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Urso tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Carter was well out of range. Poor timing from Urso.
Urso gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Carter shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Urso counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Rocco Urso has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Carter.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Urso fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Urso plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Carter tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Urso swivels and escapes.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Urso.
Carter lands a right hook to the body.

Urso gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Urso trying to keep a closed guard but Carter is proving a slippery customer.
Carter throwing strikes from guard but Urso blocks nicely.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Urso preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Carter showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Carter lands with an overhand left.

It looks like Rocco Urso has been cut.
Carter closes the distance looking to clinch
and Urso counters with a nice uppercut.
Carter with a lazy takedown attempt

and Urso counters with a shoot takedown. Carter fights it but they end up in guard.
Urso loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Carter throwing short punches from the bottom.
Carter keeping moving, preventing Urso from controlling successfully.
Urso preventing the sweep.
Carter striking from the bottom.

Urso got a little sloppy there for a moment and Carter has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Urso has managed to get both his arms back between Carter's legs - danger averted.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Urso trying to control but Carter is working from the bottom.
Urso is really struggling to control Carter but he's trying to hold on to the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carter throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Carter striking off his back but it's not causing Urso any problems.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Carter is defended easily by Urso.
Carter misses with a hook.
Carter shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rocco Urso has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Carter.
Urso tries for a takedown but Carter sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
John Carter seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Carter sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Urso misses with an attempted mid kick.
Carter misses with a shot to the body
and Urso counters with a good, hard body kick but Carter shrugs it off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
No luck for Carter with that takedown attempt.
Urso throws a head kick that misses.
Urso tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Carter shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Urso defends it nicely.
Urso pushes Carter away with a front kick.
Carter just misses with a punch to the body.
Carter wants to clinch up but Urso keeps it at a distance.
Urso displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Carter.
Urso buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Urso throws a nice head kick!
Carter has a takedown stuffed.
Carter takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Urso tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Urso.
The fight stays on the outside here - Carter looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Urso tries to keep at a distance but Carter has taken the fight into the clinch.
Carter tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Urso ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Urso no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
John Carter has got the better of the ground game so far.
Urso looking to control.
John Carter is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Carter trying to control but Urso is working from the bottom.
Carter not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Urso wants to improve his position but instead Carter has moved into half guard.
Rocco Urso has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Urso is trying to control but can't.
Carter is looking to take a break and control but Urso is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Carter is looking for a kimura but Urso is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Carter to get the leverage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rocco Urso showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Carter 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 Steve Montenegro scores the fight 28:29
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 28:29
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Carter!