PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Michael Rizzo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and jason jennings (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Rizzo
vs
jennings

193 cm
22
260 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

215 cm
19
270 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Decent knees
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Michael Rizzo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, jason jennings!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Alec Ball and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rizzo closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Rizzo tries to advance to mount but can't.
Rizzo misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
jennings prevents Rizzo from improving position.
Rizzo is trying to move to mount but jennings reverses beautifully and ends up in Rizzo's guard.
Rizzo keeping moving, preventing jennings from controlling successfully.
Rizzo looking for a sweep. Not yet Rizzo, not yet.
jennings working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
jennings trying to control but Rizzo is working from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
jennings ducks under a wild hook from Rizzo.
jennings tries to clinch but Rizzo is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
jennings tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Rizzo takes the fight into the clinch.
jennings tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Rizzo smiles and moves away.

jennings looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Rizzo!
Rizzo is looking to improve his position but jennings isn't that keen on the idea.
jennings looking to control but Rizzo is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Rizzo is looking to improve his position but jennings isn't that keen on the idea.
Rizzo might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Rizzo tries to hold on but jennings pushes him away.
Rizzo throwing hammer fists to the chest of jennings. What's that going to do exactly?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rizzo manages to regain half guard. Good work.
jennings trying to pass the guard but Rizzo defending well.
The fighters are battling for position here. Rizzo manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Rizzo looking to hit a scissor sweep but jennings is one step ahead there.
jennings tries to stand but Rizzo is controlling from the bottom.
jennings stopping the sweep attempt from Rizzo.
Rizzo has a closed guard, preventing jennings from standing up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
jennings tries to clinch

and Rizzo holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
jennings drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
jennings tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
jennings using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Rizzo has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
jennings with an attempt at a knee that misses.
jennings looks gassed!
jennings connects with a knee to the head.
Rizzo wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
jennings changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Rizzo fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Michael Rizzo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of jason jennings.
Rizzo bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps jennings's head backwards.
jennings uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Rizzo.
jennings with a poor takedown
and jennings takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
jennings doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Rizzo counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rizzo landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Rizzo tries to pass the half guard into mount. jennings knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
jennings is trying to control but can't.
jennings looks like he's trying to stand up.
jennings is trying to get back to full guard.
jennings wants to get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
jennings trying to control from the bottom.
jennings moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
jennings trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Rizzo dominated that round.
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.

jennings wants to clinch

and Rizzo counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Rizzo.
jennings tries to land a knee to the head but Rizzo blocks with his arms.
jennings with an attempt at a knee that misses.
jennings tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
jennings tries to land a knee to the head but Rizzo blocks with his arms.
Rizzo has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. jennings is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
jennings wants a takedown but no success here.
jennings tries a knee to the head but Rizzo blocks it.
jennings gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Rizzo.
jennings looking to throw knees to the head but Rizzo is blocking nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
jennings tries to land a knee to the head but Rizzo blocks with his arms.
Rizzo gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from jennings.
jennings looking to throw knees to the head but Rizzo is blocking nicely.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Rizzo works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rizzo passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Rizzo moves into full mount!
Rizzo is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. jennings can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Rizzo raining down shots from the mount!
jennings is trying desperately to improve position.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Rizzo cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Rizzo has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Rizzo scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Rizzo raining down shots from the mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
jennings is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Rizzo pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Rizzo with a couple of short strikes.
jennings really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Rizzo with the ground and pound from mount.
Rizzo lands with some strikes.
jennings tries to lock up and control but Rizzo gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
BOOM! Rizzo connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Rizzo working jennings over with strikes here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
jennings is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
jennings really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Rizzo. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
jennings tries to hold on but Rizzo pushes him away.
Rizzo throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
jennings really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Rizzo throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
jennings really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Rizzo avoids the attempt from jennings to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Rizzo throwing strikes here but jennings is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Rizzo lands with some strikes.
Rizzo misses with a head shot.
jennings working to try and regain half guard.
Rizzo sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
jennings working to try and regain half guard.
jennings is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Rizzo dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

jennings tries to clinch up

and Rizzo moves into the clinch.
jennings tries to land a knee to the head but Rizzo blocks with his arms.

Rizzo has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed jennings clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Rizzo is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Rizzo gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Rizzo gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Rizzo apologises and we restart here on the feet.
jennings tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rizzo circles away from the clinch attempt

and Rizzo holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
jennings throws a knee to the head but misses.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
jennings prevents a takedown attempt there.
jennings connects with a nasty looking knee right to Rizzo's face.
Rizzo prevents a takedown attempt there.
jennings tries to land a knee to the head but Rizzo blocks with his arms.

That's one minute gone in the round.
jennings is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Rizzo pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Rizzo wants the takedown. jennings is fighting it off but Rizzo persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in jennings's guard against the cage.
Rizzo preventing the sweep.
Rizzo trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rizzo postures up in jennings's guard and throws a big left but jennings blocks it.
Rizzo landing some decent shots from guard.
Rizzo connects with a couple of short punches.
Rizzo stopping the sweep attempt from jennings.
Rizzo working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of jennings's head.
Rizzo advances to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rizzo is nestled in close to jennings, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
jennings looks like he's trying to stand up.
jennings tries to get to full guard but Rizzo has control of the leg.
Rizzo wants to free his trapped foot but jennings is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Rizzo thows a huge punch but jennings dodges it nicely.
Rizzo lands with a punch from half guard.
Rizzo wants to lay and pray for a moment but jennings keeps working.
Rizzo is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
jennings controlling the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
jennings has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Rizzo is working away from the top position though.
Rizzo is looking to advance position but jennings won't allow it.
Rizzo working the head and body with strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
jennings regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Rizzo.
jennings keeping full guard, as Rizzo tries to pass.
Rizzo content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
jennings is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Rizzo is looking to work some ground and pound but jennings has wrist control.
Rizzo cracks jennings with a solid left hand.
Rizzo throws a big right hand that misses.
jennings not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Rizzo trying to control but jennings is working from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
jennings tries for a takedown but Rizzo circles away easily

and Rizzo counters by moving into the clinch.
Michael Rizzo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of jason jennings.

Rizzo has jennings pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Rizzo pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending jennings tumbling to the mat - Rizzo dives into jennings's guard.
jennings has momentary wrist control but Rizzo slips an elbow through the middle.
jason jennings 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.
Rizzo trying to control but jennings is working from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Michael Rizzo showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Rizzo 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 Ian Loll scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Michael Rizzo!