PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Leopoldo Van Damme (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Diego Batista (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Van Damme comes to the cage accompanied by Eye for an Eye. Batista has chosen Triunfo as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Van Damme
vs
Batista

186 cm
28
265 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

191 cm
26
273 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Very quick

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Mango Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Leopoldo Van Damme!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Diego Batista!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Seu Braga and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Batista is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Batista tries to clinch but Van Damme is having none of it.
Batista fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Van Damme manages to avoid it.
Van Damme's jab looks to have found its range, popping Batista under the eye.
Van Damme blocks a jab.
Batista looks to score with a jab to the body but Van Damme is just out of range.
Van Damme throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Batista misses with a few strikes there.
Van Damme keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Batista tries to clinch but Van Damme moves out of range.
The fighters circling - Batista throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Batista misses with a two punch combination.
Batista is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Batista misses with a two punch combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Damme throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Batista sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Diego Batista seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Van Damme misses with a straight left.
Van Damme keeps the fight on the outside.
Van Damme throws the left hand but Batista avoids the punch easily.
Batista darts in trying to clinch
and Batista takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Batista tries to clinch up but Van Damme circles away and keeps his distance.
Batista tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Van Damme paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Batista darts in trying to clinch
and Van Damme makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Van Damme throws a poor cross that misses
enabling Batista to counter with a crisp jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Batista connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Van Damme throws a right hand that Batista ducks under and follows up with a left that Batista also avoids with ease.
Van Damme throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Van Damme keeps the fight on the outside.
Van Damme looks to land a left hand but Batista moved out of range nicely.

Batista gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Batista wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Van Damme misses with a body punch.

Van Damme breaks the clinch.
Batista throws a hook but Van Damme avoids it easily.
Van Damme uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Batista.
Batista tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Van Damme was well out of range. Poor timing from Batista.
The fight stays on the outside here - Batista looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Batista slips a jab from Van Damme.
Batista tries to bum rush Van Damme with a series of wild strikes but Van Damme uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Van Damme circles away from the clinch attempt.
Some wild striking there from Batista.
Batista has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Van Damme finds it's way round the side to connect with Batista's head.

It looks like Diego Batista has been cut.
Batista listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Batista closes the distance but Van Damme moves to the side
letting Van Damme counter with a right hand.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Van Damme lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Van Damme throws a lazy right hand but Batista sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Van Damme is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Damme takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Van Damme fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Batista looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Batista scores with a one two! Van Damme had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
A swing and a miss from Van Damme.
Batista fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Van Damme bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.

Batista has closed the distance and engaged Van Damme in a clinch.
Batista wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Batista tries to break free but Van Damme pushes him back against the cage.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Van Damme blocks a body shot from Batista.
Van Damme blocks an elbow strike.
Batista misses with a punch on the inside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Diego Batista will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Diego Batista's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Batista tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Van Damme counters with a straight right hand.
Batista works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Batista lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Batista listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
A big right from Van Damme misses.
Batista rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Van Damme moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Batista moves away from the strike by Van Damme.
Batista throws a series of punches but Van Damme moves out of range.
Batista scores with a nice strike.
Batista jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Batista bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Diego Batista seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Batista fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Van Damme on the side of the head.
Batista tries to clinch
and Van Damme counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Batista waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Van Damme.
A swing and a miss from Van Damme.
Van Damme showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Batista.
Van Damme fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Batista manages to avoid it.
Van Damme swats away the attempt to clinch by Batista.
A decent looking cross lands there for Batista.
Good exchange - Batista coming out on top.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Batista wants to clinch up but Van Damme keeps it at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Batista throws a shot to the body.
Batista throws a right hand that Van Damme ducks under and follows up with a left that Van Damme also avoids with ease.
Diego Batista is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Batista lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Van Damme at a distance.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Batista connects with a single shot there.
Batista takes a swing at Van Damme's ribcage but misses.
Van Damme with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Batista to score with a decent uppercut.
Batista fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Batista tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Van Damme was well out of range. Poor timing from Batista.

Van Damme tries to keep at a distance but Batista has taken the fight into the clinch.
Van Damme prevents a body shot from Batista.

Van Damme escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Batista tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Van Damme paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Van Damme misses with a hook.
Batista is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Batista throws a right and a left that both miss.
Batista catches Van Damme with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Batista lands a really nice looking cross but Van Damme seems unphased.
No joy there for Batista, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Batista tries to clinch but Van Damme moves out of range.
Van Damme is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Van Damme throws the left hand but Batista avoids the punch easily.
Batista scores with a hook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Good exchange - Van Damme coming out on top.
Van Damme dodges the punch combination from Batista.
Van Damme throws a hook to the side of Batista's head but Batista sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Batista misses with the combination.
Van Damme moves forwards but Batista connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Batista jabs Van Damme right on the nose. Van Damme blinks but takes it well.
Van Damme throws a right and a left that both miss.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Batista defending well as Van Damme loads up on a big left hand.
Van Damme staying out of range there.
Batista takes a body punch but keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Diego Batista showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Diego Batista's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Van Damme throws a shot from downtown. Batista moves away and avoids it.
Batista thows a body shot but no joy.
Batista defending well as Van Damme loads up on a big left hand.
Batista misses with a two punch combination.
Van Damme throws a big shot that misses.
Batista tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Van Damme paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Batista looks to clinch
and Batista takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
A lazy left from Van Damme finds it's target.
Batista with a nice cross.
Batista ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Batista getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Batista looks to clinch
and Van Damme counters with a left to the body.
Van Damme has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Batista slips under a jab from Van Damme.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Batista wants to clinch up but Van Damme keeps it at a distance.
Batista pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Van Damme back to the cage. Batista follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Van Damme showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Batista.
Batista throws out a powerful jab.

Batista closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Van Damme keeps control of Batista as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Batista can't break the clinch.
Batista wants to break free but Van Damme has control.
Van Damme throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Batistas head.

Van Damme escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Batista ducks under a wild hook from Van Damme.
Batista scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Van Damme fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Van Damme digs a good hook to Batista's body.
Batista scores with a shot to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Van Damme misses with a straight left.
Batista throws a combination. Van Damme tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
A jab from Van Damme misses.
Van Damme avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sloppy strikes from Batista. Those never looked like landing.
Van Damme throws a jab but it's blocked by Batista.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Batista slips under a jab from Van Damme.
Batista tries to close the distance and clinch up but Van Damme swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Batista throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Van Damme.
Sloppy strikes from Batista. Those never looked like landing.
Batista throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A telegraphed right hand from Van Damme misses the target.
Batista misses with an uppercut.
Van Damme misses with a hook. Batista ducked under it nicely.
Van Damme lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Van Damme lands with a shot to the body.
Batista slips a jab from Van Damme.
Batista lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Leopoldo Van Damme has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Batista closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Van Damme misses with a straight left.
The fight stays on the outside here - Batista looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Batista slips under a jab.
Van Damme steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Batista.
Van Damme just misses with a punch to the body.
Batista will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Van Damme slips a jab and a cross from Batista.
Diego Batista is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Batista avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Diego Batista comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Batista has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight 27:30
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 28:30
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Diego Batista!
A victorious Diego Batista thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.