PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Gennady Golovkin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alberto Rossi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Golovkin
vs
Rossi

178 cm
25
154 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
165 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Gennady Golovkin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Alberto Rossi!
The judges for this bout are Peter Branson, Bart Greer and Dirk Anderson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rossi fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Golovkin avoids it really well and circles away.
Golovkin throwing a counter right hand but Rossi manages to avoid it.
Golovkin throws a right hand that Rossi ducks under and follows up with a left that Rossi also avoids with ease.

Rossi darts in and clinches Golovkin up against the cage.
Rossi is leaning against Golovkin and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Golovkin is trying to break the clinch but Rossi has him pressed against the cage.
Rossi can't get the takedown.
Rossi lands with a right to the head.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rossi.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rossi wants a takedown.
Gennady Golovkin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alberto Rossi.
Golovkin's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Golovkin looking to slow down the pace here.
Rossi's coach down at Aspire Acαdemy CT was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Rossi's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Golovkin manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
The referee is keeping an eye on Rossi - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Rossi receives a warning from the referee for stalling.
Rossi lands a left hand that snaps the head of Golovkin backwards.
Rossi pushes Golovkin back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Rossi lands a shoulder strike.
Rossi controlling the action here for a moment.
Rossi changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Golovkin fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Rossi connects with a crisp jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rossi shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Rossi moves into the clinch.
Golovkin misses with the head strike.
Nice body punch from Rossi - that landed with a thud.
Rossi lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Rossi softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Rossi tries for a takedown but Golovkin manages to get underhooks.
Rossi tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rossi looking for a takedown.
Rossi lands a body punch.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Rossi creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rossi gets through Golovkin's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Rossi misses with a shot to the kidneys.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
A body shot lands from Rossi.
Golovkin is breathing heavily.
Golovkin being controlled against the cage.
A short body shot lands from Rossi as the two fighters clinch.
Rossi stalling the fight.
Rossi lands a shot to the body.
Rossi lands a nice uppercut.
Nice body punch from Rossi.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rossi presses Golovkin against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
A left hand lands to the body for Rossi.
Rossi scores with a nice hook to the head.
Rossi lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Rossi lands with a right to the head.
Rossi works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Rossi.
Rossi is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Golovkin is defending well.
Good body shot from Rossi.
A body shot lands from Rossi.
Rossi is leaning against Golovkin and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Rossi is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Golovkin gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
A nice left hand lands by Rossi.
Rossi makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alberto Rossi 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.

Rossi throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Golovkin sees it coming and avoids it easily.

Rossi darts in and clinches Golovkin up against the cage.
A body shot lands from Rossi.
Rossi lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Golovkin backwards.
Rossi is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Golovkin gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Rossi lands with a left to the head.
Rossi drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Golovkin gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Rossi effectively controlling the action here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rossi lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Rossi misses with a punch to the body.
Rossi pushes Golovkin back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rossi scores with a nice hook to the head.
Rossi gets through Golovkin's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Rossi lands a shoulder strike.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Rossi lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Golovkin backwards.
Rossi wants a takedown.
Gennady Golovkin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alberto Rossi.
Rossi working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
The referee is keeping an eye on Rossi - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Rossi lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Golovkin backwards.
Rossi lands a shot to the body.
Rossi will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Golovkin up against the cage.
Rossi has Golovkin pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Golovkin manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Rossi.
Rossi leaning against his opponent.
Rossi lands an uppercut.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Rossi is working Golovkin over against the cage.
A short right from Rossi on the inside.
Rossi is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Rossi lands a body punch.
Rossi makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Rossi lands a body punch.
Rossi has Golovkin pressed against the cage.
Nice body punch from Rossi - that landed with a thud.
Rossi pushes Golovkin back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rossi is working for takedown but Golovkin is calmly controlling the position for now.
A right hand to the body from Rossi.
Rossi pressing his opponent against the cage.
Rossi wants a takedown but no success here.
Rossi tries to work over Golovkin's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Golovkin is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Rossi is keeping busy.
Rossi lands a body shot in the clinch.
Rossi tries to throw a body punch but Golovkin avoids it by throwing Rossi back against the cage.
Rossi is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Golovkin pulls him back up using the underhooks.
A short body shot lands from Rossi as the two fighters clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rossi tries for a takedown. No joy.
Rossi is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Rossi is working for takedown but Golovkin is calmly controlling the position for now.
Rossi avoiding damage.
Rossi lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Golovkin being controlled against the cage.
Rossi lands a hook that snaps the head of Golovkin backwards.
Rossi lands an uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alberto Rossi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Rossi digs a good hook to Golovkin's body.

Golovkin gets tackled into the cage by Rossi. Rossi maintains the clinch.
Rossi scores with a shoulder strike.
Golovkin blocks an uppercut.
Golovkin is trying to break the clinch but Rossi has him pressed against the cage.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Rossi.
Rossi lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Rossi is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
A right handed body shot lands from Rossi.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rossi digs a right hand underneath Golovkin's ribcage. Golovkin let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rossi leaning against his opponent.

Rossi has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Golovkin clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
I would not like to be Golovkin right now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Golovkin just trying to survive but Rossi is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Golovkin tries to roll but Rossi sticks to his back.
Rossi controls the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rossi softening up his opponent with strikes here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Rossi controls the action.
Gennady Golovkin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rossi's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alberto Rossi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Rossi 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 Peter Branson scores the fight 25:30
Judge Bart Greer scores the fight 25:30
Judge Dirk Anderson scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alberto Rossi!
An out of breath Alberto Rossi thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.