PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mateo Darmian (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rafael Lombard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mateo Darmian has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Darmian
vs
Lombard

189 cm
25
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mateo Darmian!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Rafael Lombard!
The judges for this bout are Ron Honeybunn, Francis DeMontford and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lombard darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

Darmian moves into the clinch.

Darmian has picked Lombard up - he's going for a ride! Darmian dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Lombard is trying to maintain the position but Darmian is very close to passing his half guard.
Lombard is staying active underneath Darmian, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Lombard tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Darmian has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Darmian wants to control the pace but Lombard is squirming around nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Darmian prevents Lombard from getting the reversal.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lombard is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Darmian knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Lombard on the ground.
Lombard keeps trying to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lombard tries to control the position but Darmian now has his back.

Darmian patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Darmian is hanging on to Lombard's back as he tries to escape.
Darmian doesn't have the hooks in and Lombard manages to turn into his guard.

Darmian is working an open guard so Lombard takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Lombard misses with a looping left.
Lombard dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Lombard looks to land a right hand but Darmian moved out of range.

Lombard tries to keep at a distance but Darmian has taken the fight into the clinch.
Darmian has Lombard pushed against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Darmian slowing the pace effectively.

Lombard pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Darmian gets a clinch.

Lombard breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Darmian shoots in and bounces Lombard off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Lombard has his foot on Darmian's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Darmian works his way back into a safe position though.
Lombard trying to keep a closed guard but Darmian is proving a slippery customer.

Lombard is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Darmian defends well.

Lombard is looking for a triangle here but Darmian uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lombard is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Lombard wants to control but Darmian postures up.
Darmian fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Lombard is trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Lombard is trying to control Darmian's posture but Darmian avoids it.
Lombard is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Darmian is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Darmian tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Darmian manages to capitalize on a mistake by Lombard to take his back!
Darmian is hanging on to Lombard's back as he tries to escape.
Darmian is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Lombard tries to break free.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mateo Darmian dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Darmian shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Lombard napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Darmian working away.

Darmian tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Darmian has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Lombard is looking for a sweep.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Darmian sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Lombard is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Lombard trying his best to control but Darmian has mounted him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lombard sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Mateo Darmian overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Lombard is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Darmian pulls his head out easily.
Lombard wants to improve his position but Darmian is controlling well.
Darmian wants to advance to full mount but Lombard doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.

Lombard working for a triangle but Darmian defends it easily.

Lombard throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Darmian trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Lombard is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Darmian got a little sloppy there for a moment and Lombard has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Darmian has managed to get both his arms back between Lombard's legs - danger averted.
Lombard looking to hit a scissor sweep but Darmian is one step ahead there.
Lombard controls Darmian momentarily but Darmian frees himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lombard preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Darmian feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Darmian is looking to pass into half guard but Lombard pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Lombard is in guard.

Lombard would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Darmian working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Lombard.
Darmian will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Darmian throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Lombard scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lombard trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Lombard wanted to stand there but Darmian had control of the position.
Darmian wants to sweep but no luck.
Lombard wants to control from the top but Darmian keeps moving.

Lombard stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Lombard throws a jab when Darmian was well out of range.

Darmian changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Lombard looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Lombard tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Darmian wants to lay and pray for a moment but Lombard keeps working.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mateo Darmian dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Lombard throws a combination that misses
and Darmian counters with a three punch combo that has Lombard backing up. Lombard nods at Darmian to acknowledge the strikes.
Lombard missing with a left hand there. Darmian was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Lombard misses with a wild body shot.

Darmian pushes Lombard up against the cage in a clinch.

Darmian has clasped his hands together around Lombard's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Lombard can't do much from the bottom here.
Darmian working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Lombard is looking to regain half guard here but Darmian keeps moving and retains side control.
Lombard prevents Darmian from moving into mount.
Lombard struggling a bit here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Darmian is trying to get an arm triangle but Lombard is defending well.

Darmian decides to stand back up. Darmian steps back and let's Lombard get back to his feet.
Lombard throws out a loose jab but Darmian uses good head movement to avoid it.

Darmian moves into the clinch.
Lombard is looking to break free of the clinch but Darmian has double underhooks.
Darmian controlling the action here for a moment.

Darmian ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Darmian no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lombard stands and steps away. Darmian gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Lombard falls off balance throwing a combination

and Darmian moves into the clinch.
Lombard throws an elbow but it misses.
Darmian is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Lombard can do to turn this around?
Lombard has had enough of the clinch but Darmian keeps him there for the moment.
Lombard is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.

Lombard jumps into guard, dragging Darmian to the mat.

Lombard is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Darmian defends well.
Darmian trying to control the position from guard on top but Lombard is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Darmian throws a big elbow that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lombard looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Lombard is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Lombard has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

Lombard goes for an armbar but Darmian turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Darmian.

Lombard is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Darmian defends well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Darmian working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Lombard has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Darmian can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Lombard looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Darmian has picked Lombard up and slammed him! Lombard can't keep hold of the triangle and Darmian manages to pass to side control!
Lombard tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Lombard gets back to half guard.
Rafael Lombard has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mateo Darmian is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Darmian prevents Lombard from improving his position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mateo Darmian showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Darmian, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Ron Honeybunn scores the fight 30:27
Judge Francis DeMontford scores the fight 30:27
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mateo Darmian!