PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Franco Micheli (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dave Rio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Micheli
vs
Rio

180 cm
18
180 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
19
185 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Franco Micheli!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Dave Rio!
The judges for this bout are Steve Erwin, Bruno Hogan and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Micheli is defended easily by Rio.
Micheli wants to clinch but Rio slips to the side

and Rio moves into the clinch.
Micheli pushes off an throws an elbow but Rio leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Micheli is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Micheli trying to land knees to the body.
Micheli tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Rio has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Micheli clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Micheli manages to reverse the position and now he's in Rio's guard. Nice work there by Micheli.
Micheli looking to sit in guard and control but Rio gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Micheli is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Micheli has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Rio is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Micheli.

Rio looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Micheli can't do much from the bottom here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rio has control of an arm but Micheli manages to advance to Rio's back!
Rio trying to survive by controlling the hands.

Rio defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Micheli's arms.

Micheli has got his arm under Rio's chin working for the choke… has he got it? It looks pretty tight! Oh! Rio has spun round into Micheli's guard beautifully! Well done that man!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rio decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Micheli, up you get!
Micheli shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Micheli is breathing heavily.
Micheli shoots for a takedown but Rio saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Franco Micheli. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Rio is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Micheli's half guard.
Rio perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rio is working for a submission of some sort.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Micheli is looking to control Rio's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Micheli avoid being mounted?
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rio slips a nice elbow through Micheli's hands, connecting with Micheli's forehead.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rio sitting and controlling from the half guard.

Micheli looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dave Rio dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Rio tries for a takedown but Micheli sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Micheli gets tackled into the cage by Rio. Rio maintains the clinch.
Micheli can't get the takedown.
Rio avoids a wild elbow strike from Micheli.
Rio blocks an elbow strike.

Rio gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Micheli is trying to maintain the position but Rio is very close to passing his half guard.
Micheli tries to roll over but Rio keeps him under control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Micheli is working hard here to advance position.
Rio trying to control from half guard but Micheli is working away.
Micheli is looking to improve his position.

Micheli looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Rio seems to be looking for submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rio is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Rio wants to take a breather but Micheli is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Dave Rio has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Micheli tries to clinch but Rio moves away

and Rio counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Rio wants to control but Micheli is keeping him busy.

Rio is looking for a kimura here.

Rio is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Micheli trying to control from the bottom.
Micheli keeping control of the position.
Rio keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Micheli is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Rio pulls his head out easily.
Micheli works his way to full guard. Good work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dave Rio showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Micheli tries to sprawl but Rio drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Rio is taking a breather. Micheli says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

Rio is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Micheli defends it well.

Micheli looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Rio is thwarting Micheli's attempts to control the position.
Micheli tries to roll over but Rio keeps him under control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rio is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Rio perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Micheli looks like he's trying to stand up.
Micheli is looking to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Micheli is looking to control Rio's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Micheli avoid being mounted?

Micheli actively working from the bottom here.

Rio decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.

Rio rushes Micheli and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Micheli taking a breather.

Rio tightens his grip and picks Micheli up, before dumping him to the ground. Micheli manages to land in guard.

Micheli throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Rio escapes and throws Micheli's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Rio is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Micheli will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Micheli is trying to work for a sweep but Rio has mounted him!

Rio with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Rio controlling from mount.
Micheli wants to control but Rio is having none of it.
Franco Micheli has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Micheli is trying desperately to improve position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dave Rio comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Rio 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 Steve Erwin scores the fight for Dave Rio!
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight for Dave Rio!
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight for Dave Rio!

Dave Rio wins by unanimous decision!