PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Polly Italiano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mikey Legs (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.

Italiano
vs
Legs

150 cm
25
130 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

150 cm
25
130 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Polly Italiano!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Mikey Legs!
The judges for this bout are Ryoma Takatsuka, Colin Fray and Jeff Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Legs misses with a kick to the body.

Italiano gets a takedown into half guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Legs is trying to stand back up but Italiano is controlling him
Italiano throwing shots but Legs is blocking nicely.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Legs controlling the position for now.
Italiano wants to stand but Legs has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Italiano throws a strike but Legs avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Italiano tries to stand but Legs is controlling from the bottom.
Legs working a defensive guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Legs wants to sweep but no luck.
Legs can't keep his opponent in guard - Italiano advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Legs is not content to let Italiano control the position.
Italiano is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Legs is trying is best to control the position here.
Legs is looking to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Polly Italiano wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Legs pushes Italiano up against the cage in a clinch.
Italiano goes for a takedown attempt but Legs pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Legs misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Italiano tries to close the distance and clinch but Legs swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A looping hook to the body misses from Legs. Italiano does a little dance to reset his feet.
Legs misses with a series of wild punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Legs shoots in for a double leg but Italiano sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Legs circles away from the clinch attempt.
The fight stays on the outside here - Legs looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Legs tries to clinch but Italiano moves out of range.
Italiano shoots in for a takedown but Legs shows good takedown defense.
A head kick from Italiano lands but Legs takes it in his stride.
Italiano slaps away a takedown attempt from Legs, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Polly Italiano has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mikey Legs.
Legs shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Italiano sprawls well. Italiano wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Legs gets slowly back to his feet.
Legs tries to clinch but Italiano moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Italiano misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Italiano tries to close the distance and clinch but Legs swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Legs tries to clinch but Italiano moves out of range.
Italiano fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Legs manages to avoid it.
Italiano throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Legs's waist but Legs gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Italiano off to one side.
Italiano shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Legs as he avoids it easily.

Legs clinches up with Italiano and pushes him back against the cage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Legs wants a takedown but no success here.
Italiano could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Legs tries for a takedown but Italiano manages to get underhooks.
Italiano changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Legs fights it off and pushes away nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Polly Italiano will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Legs avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Italiano shoots in looking for a takedown. Legs tries to sprawl out of it but Italiano keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Legs manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Legs looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Italiano is fending him off so far but Legs persists. Nope, Italiano circles away and we're back to standing.
Legs tries to score a power double leg takedown but Italiano sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Legs somewhat.
Sloppy strikes from Italiano. Those never looked like landing.
Italiano wants to clinch up but Legs keeps it at a distance.
Italiano shoots for a takedown but Legs saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Legs clinches up against the cage.

Italiano decides to pull guard.
Legs trying to control the position from guard on top but Italiano is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Legs sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Italiano's guard.
Legs takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Legs tries to pass the half guard into mount. Italiano knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Legs decides to stand up.
Legs throws a half hearted mid kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Legs goes for a double leg but Italiano avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Italiano continues to drive forward.
Polly Italiano has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mikey Legs.

Italiano escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Italiano dives in for a single leg takedown but Legs sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Legs has had enough of the clinch but Italiano keeps him there for the moment.
Italiano tries for a takedown. No joy.
Legs can't break the clinch.
Legs throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Legs is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Italiano to keep the fight standing.
Legs fails to pull guard.
Legs tries to pull guard but Italiano forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Legs is trying to break free.
Italiano manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A short uppercut from Legs.
Italiano tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Italiano tries to pull guard but Legs forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Legs tries for a takedown but Italiano manages to get underhooks.
Legs is looking to take this one to the mat.
Legs prevents the takedown attempt.
Italiano is trying to pull guard but Legs has him pressed against the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A body shot lands from Legs.
Legs wants a takedown.
Legs is looking to break free of the clinch but Italiano has double underhooks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Italiano breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Legs dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Italiano leaves Legs with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Italiano defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Legs.
Italiano throws a head kick that half lands.
Legs stuns Italiano with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Italiano misses with a series of wild punches.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Legs fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Italiano tries for a takedown but Legs sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mikey Legs showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Italiano throws a head kick but Legs moves out of range.
Italiano goes for a double leg but Legs avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Legs continues to drive forward.
Italiano gets underhooks to prevent Legs's takedown attempt.

Italiano manages to break the clinch.
Italiano darts in looking for a takedown but Legs gets double underhooks and turns Italiano into the cage.
Legs wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Italiano has him pressed against the cage.
Italiano is trying to break the clinch but Legs is controlling him.
Legs working hard to break the clinch.
Italiano swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Italiano pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Legs stuffs the takedown attempt from Italiano. Italiano gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Polly Italiano. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A head kick misses from Legs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Legs misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Italiano shoots in looking for a takedown but Legs manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Italiano's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Legs forces Italiano back against the cage and clinches.
Italiano tries to pull guard but Legs holds him up against the cage and eventually Italiano drops back down to his feet.
Italiano is working for takedown but Legs is calmly controlling the position for now.
Italiano tries to pull guard but Legs holds him up against the cage and eventually Italiano drops back down to his feet.
Italiano prevents Legs from breaking the clinch.
Legs is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Italiano to keep the fight standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Legs is looking to take this one to the mat.

Legs successfully pulls guard.
Legs wants to control the position but Italiano says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Legs trying to control here.
Legs preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.

Italiano decides to stand up.
Legs tries for a takedown but Italiano sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Legs shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Italiano as he avoids it easily.
Italiano shoots in but Legs avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Legs shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Italiano scores with a head kick.
Italiano tries to bum rush Legs with a series of wild strikes but Legs uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Italiano has a takedown stuffed.
A leg kick checked by Italiano.
Legs throws a body kick that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Italiano as Legs shoots in.
Italiano shoots in and drives through. Legs sprawls well.
Legs misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Italiano has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Legs walks into a jab.
Legs scores with a hook to the body. Italiano takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Italiano shoots in for a double leg but Legs sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Legs shoots in looking for a takedown. Italiano tries to sprawl out of it but Legs keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Italiano manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Italiano has a takedown stuffed.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Mikey Legs.
I think Legs has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 28:29
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mikey Legs!
Our winner, Mikey Legs, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.