PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Armando De Luca (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Regal Sackett (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Armando De Luca has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

De Luca
vs
Sackett

190 cm
20
188 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

178 cm
27
180 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Big right hand

Good wrestler
Solid Muay Thai
Enjoys gardening

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 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Armando De Luca!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Regal Sackett!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Kenichi Hosakawa and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
De Luca thows a body shot but no joy.
De Luca will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Sackett avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
De Luca jabs at Sackett's body.
De Luca shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Sackett defends it nicely.
De Luca misses the shot to the body.
De Luca jabs Sackett right on the nose. Sackett blinks but takes it well.
Sackett ducks right into an uppercut from De Luca.
Sackett throws a leg kick
and De Luca counters with a slapping leg kick.

Sackett shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
De Luca looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sackett in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
De Luca is trying to control the position but Sackett postures up.
Sackett looking to pass the guard.
Sackett is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sackett stays in close to De Luca's body and controls the position.
De Luca is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Sackett is controlling him.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
De Luca is trying to control the position but Sackett postures up.
De Luca preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Sackett preventing the sweep.
Sackett trying to control the position from guard on top but De Luca is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sackett is stalling in the full guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Sackett is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in De Luca's half guard.
De Luca works his way to full guard. Good work.
Sackett must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sackett loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Sackett's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Sackett seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sackett slips nicely into half guard.
Sackett trying to control the action but De Luca is working from the bottom.
Sackett prevents De Luca from improving his position.
De Luca pushes Sackett off looking to stand but Sackett dives back in and keeps control.
Sackett throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing De Luca to regain full guard.
De Luca tries to land a sweep but no joy.
De Luca wants to improve his position but instead Sackett has moved into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
De Luca wants to get back to his feet.
De Luca is not content to let Sackett control the position.
De Luca is trying to get back to full guard.
Sackett trying to pass the guard but De Luca defending well.
De Luca is trying to get back to full guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. De Luca manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
De Luca can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Sackett controls the pace.
Sackett stops De Luca from standing up.
Sackett won't allow De Luca to sweep him here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sackett's corner is telling him to maintain position.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Sackett working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
De Luca keeping moving, preventing Sackett from controlling successfully.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Regal Sackett wasn't active enough on the ground.
Sackett thows a body shot but no joy.

Sackett throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. De Luca was covering up waiting for the punch and Sackett finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Sackett is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sackett is looking to work some ground and pound but De Luca has wrist control.
De Luca working a defensive guard here.
Sackett stops De Luca from standing up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sackett works over De Luca with some ground and pound from guard.
Sackett scoring with some ground and pound.
De Luca seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Regal Sackett dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Sackett gets a double leg takedown into De Luca's guard.
De Luca pulls Sackett in to control the position.

Sackett drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but De Luca manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Sackett has De Luca in his guard.
Sackett keeping moving, preventing De Luca from controlling successfully.
Sackett controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sackett keeping moving, preventing De Luca from controlling successfully.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Armando De Luca wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Sackett is looking to clinch.
De Luca looks to score with a jab to the body but Sackett is just out of range.
De Luca keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
De Luca pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Sackett shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as De Luca sprawls well. De Luca wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Sackett gets slowly back to his feet.
De Luca scores with the left hand. Sackett knows he should have avoided that one.
Sackett throws an uppercut from half a mile away. De Luca sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Armando De Luca seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Some wild striking there from Sackett.
Sackett walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. De Luca checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Sackett slips under a jab from De Luca.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
De Luca lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
De Luca uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Sackett.
Sackett thows a left - swing and a miss!
Sackett throws a low kick but De Luca avoids it.
Sackett scores with a punch to the head.
De Luca looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Sackett throws a body punch but De Luca moves out of range.
Sackett throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Sackett throws a low kick but De Luca moves out of range easily.
De Luca's jab looks to have found its range, popping Sackett under the eye.
De Luca throws a series of punches but Sackett moves out of range.
Armando De Luca is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
De Luca takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
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!
De Luca walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Sackett checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
De Luca misses with a hook.
De Luca closes this distance looking for a takedown but Sackett circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

De Luca shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Sackett's guard.
Sackett looking for a sweep. Not yet Sackett, not yet.
De Luca trying to control but Sackett is working from the bottom.
Sackett really doesn't want to stay on the ground with De Luca. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
De Luca postures up in Sackett's guard and throws a big left but Sackett blocks it.
De Luca stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sackett swivels though and keeps the full guard.
De Luca wants to control from the top but Sackett keeps moving.
De Luca will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Armando De Luca has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Sackett dives in and scores a takedown into De Luca's guard.
Sackett won't allow De Luca to get back to his feet.
Sackett is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
De Luca wants to control the position but Sackett says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
De Luca trying to control but Sackett postures up.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nice strikes from Sackett there.
Sackett prevents De Luca from improving his position.
De Luca trying to hold on to Sackett's head to control him but Sackett postures up.
Sackett sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. De Luca defending well though.
Regal Sackett has got the better of the ground game so far.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sackett throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
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. Sackett connects with a nice short shot to De Luca's temple.
Sackett controlling the action here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Regal Sackett showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

De Luca fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Sackett checks it well.
The fighters circling - Sackett throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Sackett tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but De Luca was well out of range. Poor timing from Sackett.
De Luca cracks Sackett with a right hand to the side of the head.
Sackett moves out of range of the leg kick from De Luca.
De Luca tries to score with a low kick but Sackett moves his leg out of the way.
Sackett throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
De Luca throws a leg kick which misses Sackett's front leg but catches the back leg as Sackett tries to avoid it.
De Luca throws a half hearted mid kick.
Armando De Luca is winning the standup battle so far.
De Luca thows a left - swing and a miss!
A punch combination from Sackett misses.
Sackett takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
De Luca lands a body shot.
Sackett throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sackett connects with a high kick.

It looks like Armando De Luca has been cut.
De Luca fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Sackett fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches De Luca on the side of the head.
De Luca checks a low kick from Sackett.

Sackett clinches with his opponent.

De Luca manages to pull guard.
Sackett trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Sackett is fighting to break De Luca's control of his arms but De Luca is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Sackett postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

De Luca is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Sackett is aware though and is defending well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sackett trying to control but De Luca is working from the bottom.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sackett stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. De Luca swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Sackett working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sackett passes easily into side control. Nice work.
De Luca seems a little lost for a moment, as Sackett dominates the positioning.
Sackett is looking to take a break and control but De Luca is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Sackett scores with a big shot from side control... and another... and another! Oh De Luca is done here - save him referee! More strikes land and eventually the ref does step in and Sackett can finally stop beating on his defenseless opponent!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:39 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Regal Sackett!