PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Richard Stone (ranked 1413 p4p, 6199 weight class) and Ciro Bottini (ranked 183 p4p, 604 weight class). Bottini is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Proteus - Stravaganza. Richard Stone has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Stone
vs
Bottini

186 cm
26
188
4 - 2 - 0

185 cm
18
195
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Solid chin

EL ZOIDO FEEBLE FIGHTWEAR

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Richard Stone!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Ciro Bottini!
The judges for this bout are David Hoff, Daniel Franklin and Dirk Anderson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Bottini fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Stone to the ground. Bottini is now in Stone's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bottini wants to control from the top but Stone keeps moving.
Bottini throwing strikes but missing.
Stone is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Bottini is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bottini keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Stone's head.
Bottini wants to pass the guard but Stone is keeping the position.
Bottini throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bottini is looking to work some ground and pound but Stone has wrist control.
Bottini slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Bottini lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Stone down.
Stone seems a little lost for a moment, as Bottini dominates the positioning.
Bottini has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Bottini tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Bottini controlling from side mount.

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.
Bottini's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Stone is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Stone dodges the ground and pound from Bottini.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bottini working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Bottini tries to score with some ground and pound. Stone controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bottini throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Bottini wants to control but Stone is keeping him busy.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Stone lands a lovely overhand right.
Bottini blocks a jab.
Bottini looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

Bottini 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.
Stone knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Bottini on the ground.
Bottini engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Stone keeping moving, preventing Bottini from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bottini stays in close to Stone's body and controls the position.
Bottini working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Stone utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Bottini is in close to Stone's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Stone wants to improve his position but instead Bottini has moved into half guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Bottini uses his free foot to push down on Stone's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Stone.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ciro Bottini dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Bottini closes the distance and clinches up with Stone, looking for a takedown. Bottini pushes Stone against the cage but Stone circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
It looked like Stone wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Bottini closes the distance looking to clinch
and Stone cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Stone looks to land a right hand but Bottini moved out of range.

Bottini shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Bottini was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Bottini landing strikes.
Bottini tries to score with some ground and pound. Stone controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stone is not content to let Bottini control the position.
Stone is trying to control Bottini's posture but Bottini avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee asks Bottini politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Bottini prefers to stall for the moment though.
Bottini working the ground and pound.
Bottini advances nicely into full mount.
Bottini lands a big shot there that rocks Stone but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Bottini controlling his opponent.
Stone is bucking up trying to escape but Bottini cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bottini putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Stone holds of for dear life.
Bottini looking to control but Stone is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Bottini looking to finish Stone with some ground and pound. This is bad for Stone!
Stone is trying desperately to improve position.
Bottini takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Bottini cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Bottini in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Ciro Bottini has got the better of the ground game so far.
Stone in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Bottini lands a big elbow.
Bottini in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Bottini scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Stone?
Bottini dominating with strikes here.
Stone on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Stone tries to get out of the position.
Stone taking shots to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bottini tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Bottini fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Bottini lands a couple of good shots and Stone has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Bottini scores with punches to the body.
Bottini keeps control of the position easily here as Stone tries to buck him off.
Bottini has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Stone tries to escape but Bottini has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ciro Bottini showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Bottini gets a double leg takedown into Stone's guard.
Bottini sitting in guard here, content to control.
Stone trying to control the position.
Bottini cracks Stone with a solid left hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bottini trying to control but Stone is working from the bottom.
Stone has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Stone can't keep his opponent in guard - Bottini advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bottini is looking to advance position but Stone won't allow it.
Bottini with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Bottini working the head and body with strikes.
Bottini controlling the action here.
Stone is in trouble now - Bottini has advanced to mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Bottini lands a big elbow.
Bottini punishing his opponent with strikes.
BOOM! Bottini connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Bottini lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Stone hang on?
Bottini lands a big elbow.
Bottini sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bottini is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Stone can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

Stone is rocked!
Bottini lands with some strikes.
Oh Stone is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Bottini controlling from the full mount.
Stone seems to have got his legs back now.
Richard Stone has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bottini with the ground and pound from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stone takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Bottini is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Bottini takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Bottini lands a big shot there that rocks Stone but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Bottini lands a big elbow.
Bottini content just to control the position here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Stone takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ciro Bottini comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Bottini winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 David Hoff scores the fight 26:30
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 26:30
Judge Dirk Anderson scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ciro Bottini!
An intense looking Ciro Bottini took to the microphone post fight and gave a little speech: 'COMPRE, COMPRE, COMPRE!'.