PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Damian Rentz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gabriel Sabo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Rentz
vs
Sabo

210 cm
25
269 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

195 cm
18
226 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

iFight Fight Gear - Steel Penn - $10

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 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Damian Rentz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Gabriel Sabo!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Dmitry Maklakov and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sabo lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Rentz circles away quickly and effectively.
Sabo works over Rentz's head and body with a nice combination.
Rentz fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Sabo looks winded!
Rentz throws a looping overhand right but Sabo ducks down to avoid it.
Rentz lands with a nice combination. Sabo backs away looking to recover.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rentz looks for a takedown but Sabo sprawls well.

Rentz clinches.
Rentz pressing his opponent against the ropes.
Rentz is trying to drag Sabo to the mat but Sabo just about manages to keep his footing. He used the ropes to his advantage there.

Rentz manages to pull guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sabo wants to control from the top but Rentz keeps moving.
Rentz looking to control.
Sabo must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Rentz looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Rentz trying to control the position here.
Sabo trying to control but Rentz is working from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Rentz plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rentz throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Sabo's waist but Sabo gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Rentz off to one side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Damian Rentz. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Sabo gets tackled into the ropes by Rentz. Rentz maintains the clinch.

Rentz breaks the clinch.
Rentz shoots in for a takedown but Sabo shows good takedown defense.

Rentz clinches with his opponent.
Rentz gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Sabo.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Rentz breaks from the clinch.
Rentz tries to clinch but Sabo moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sabo defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Rentz.
No luck for Rentz with that takedown attempt.
Rentz has his takedown stuffed
and Sabo counters with a three punch combo that has Rentz backing up. Rentz nods at Sabo to acknowledge the strikes.
A nice combination there by Rentz.
Damian Rentz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rentz misses with a jab, cross combination.
Rentz shoots in but no luck this time.
Rentz misses with a takedown attempt
and Sabo counters with a one-two to the body.
Rentz looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sabo moves into the clinch.
Rentz just leaning against Sabo, taking a breather.
Sabo throws a knee to the head but misses.
Sabo keeps control of Rentz as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Sabo swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Sabo controlling the action here for a moment.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rentz is trying to pull guard but Sabo has him pressed against the ropes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Damian Rentz dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Rentz clinches.

Rentz breaks the clinch.
Sabo takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Rentz has a takedown stuffed.

Rentz looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Sabo is trying to control but can't.
Rentz is controlling the pace.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sabo is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rentz not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Rentz passes into side control, despite Sabo's attempt to control the position.
Rentz works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Rentz scores with punches from side control.
Sabo is trying to control Rentz's posture but Rentz avoids it.

Rentz is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Sabo is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Rentz trying to control the action but Sabo is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rentz lands an elbow.
Rentz controlling the position from side mount.
Rentz has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Sabo tries to improve position but can't.
Rentz tries to move to mount but Sabo blocks the move with his legs.
Sabo is working to avoid the ground and pound but Rentz connects with a decent elbow.
Rentz will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Rentz moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rentz trying to control the position but Sabo is working away.

Rentz tries for a kimura but Sabo is defending well.
Rentz is working Sabo over with some ground and pound from side control.
Rentz gets to mount! Sabo was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Rentz tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rentz with the ground and pound from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Damian Rentz dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Sabo stuffs the takedown attempt from Rentz. Rentz gets slowly back to his feet.
Rentz closes the distance and clinches up with Sabo, looking for a takedown. Rentz pushes Sabo against the ropes but Sabo circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Sabo misses with a takedown

so Rentz counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Rentz stands and steps away. Sabo gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Rentz closes the distance and clinches.
Rentz jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Sabo walks away with a smile on his face. Rentz gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Damian Rentz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sabo takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rentz is defended easily by Sabo.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sabo gets tackled into the ropes by Rentz. Rentz maintains the clinch.
Rentz drops down looking for an ankle pick but Sabo pulls his leg out and moves away.

Rentz fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Sabo, pushing him back against the ropes.
Rentz on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
A battle for position here, against the ropes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rentz lands a left hand.
Rentz is looking to control Sabo's arms but Sabo gets an underhook and turns him. Now Rentz has his back to the ropes.
Sabo tries to work over Rentz's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Sabo is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Rentz is defending well.

Rentz breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Sabo takes a kick to the side of the head.
Rentz tries to score a power double leg takedown but Sabo sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Rentz somewhat.
Rentz misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sabo misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rentz misses with a two punch combination.
Rentz tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in the close the distance. Sabo manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rentz fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Rentz misses with a body kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Sabo looks for a takedown but Rentz sprawls well.
Gabriel Sabo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rentz shoots in looking for a takedown but Sabo manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Rentz's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Sabo throws a shot to the body.
Rentz keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Rentz darts in trying to clinch
and Rentz takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

And that's the end of the fight!
Damian Rentz showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Rentz 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 Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight for Damian Rentz!
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight for Damian Rentz!
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight for Damian Rentz!

Damian Rentz wins by unanimous decision!