PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mario Leonardo (ranked 2122 p4p, 1936 weight class) and Dave Zaroni (ranked 284 p4p, 261 weight class). Mario Leonardo has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Leonardo
vs
Zaroni

185 cm
20
170
4 - 2 - 0

181 cm
19
175
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Champion Apparel

Champion Apparel
BRAZEN - Fight Gear

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mario Leonardo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dave Zaroni!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Viktor Lagutenko and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Leonardo scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Zaroni doesn't seem bothered though.
Zaroni uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Leonardo lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
The fighters circling - Zaroni throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A little feinted left hand from Leonardo on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Leonardo misses with a wild body shot.
Leonardo scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Zaroni doesn't seem bothered though.
Zaroni bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Leonardo's head.
Leonardo looks to throw the jab but Zaroni is out of range.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Zaroni! But no joy.
Leonardo looks to land a right hand but Zaroni moved out of range.
Leonardo seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Zaroni throws a hook to the side of Leonardo's head but Leonardo sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Leonardo throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Zaroni sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Zaroni looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Leonardo throws an off balance right hand
letting Zaroni counter with a right hand.
Zaroni throws out a loose jab but Leonardo uses good head movement to avoid it.
Leonardo lands a nice shot to the body.
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!
Leonardo connects with a crisp jab.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Leonardo.
Zaroni misses with a looping right.
Leonardo is looking to counter with a shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Leonardo cracks a nice hook into Zaroni's ribs.
Leonardo jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Leonardo keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Zaroni.
A shot to the liver by Leonardo. Beautiful body shot.
A punch combination from Zaroni misses.
A quick step to the side and Leonardo tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Leonardo tries to bum rush Zaroni with a series of wild strikes but Zaroni uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Leonardo takes one on the button.
Zaroni slips a straight right by Leonardo.
Leonardo throws a jab when Zaroni was well out of range.
Leonardo throws a lazy right hand but Zaroni sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Zaroni let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Zaroni checks a leg kick nicely.
Leonardo misses with a hook. Zaroni ducked under it nicely.
A jab from Zaroni finds it's way through Leonardo's defenses.
Leonardo throws a looping overhand right but Zaroni ducks down to avoid it.
We've been informed that Zaroni has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Leonardo tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Zaroni was well out of range. Poor timing from Leonardo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zaroni uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Leonardo.
Zaroni looks to land a combination. Leonardo sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Zaroni waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Leonardo.
Leonardo ducks right into an uppercut from Zaroni.
Leonardo defending well as Zaroni loads up on a big left hand.
A left lands for Zaroni.
Leonardo throws out a loose jab but Zaroni uses good head movement to avoid it.
Leonardo ducks under a wild hook from Zaroni.
Zaroni avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Leonardo lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Zaroni backs up against the cage.
Zaroni missing with a left hand there. Leonardo was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Leonardo on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
A swing and a miss from Leonardo.
Leonardo connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Leonardo throws a big shot that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leonardo tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Zaroni was well out of range. Poor timing from Leonardo.
Zaroni appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Leonardo throws a jab but it's blocked by Zaroni.
Leonardo swings for the body but Zaroni moves out of range.
Zaroni pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Leonardo uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Zaroni.
A decent looking cross lands there for Leonardo.
Leonardo cracks Zaroni with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Leonardo misses with an uppercut. Zaroni saw that one coming.
Leonardo scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Leonardo throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A big right from Zaroni misses.
Zaroni misses with an uppercut.
Zaroni is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Leonardo had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into mush.
Zaroni throws the left hand but Leonardo avoids the punch easily.
Leonardo misses with a two punch combination.
Zaroni looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Leonardo lands a slapping body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zaroni blocks a jab.
Leonardo uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Zaroni.
Zaroni cracks Leonardo with a right hand to the side of the head.
Zaroni might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Leonardo throws a right and a left that Zaroni avoids nicely.
Zaroni is looking for the big counter here.
Zaroni swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Zaroni rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Leonardo counters with a nice uppercut.
Zaroni uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Leonardo.
Zaroni misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Leonardo.
Mario Leonardo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Zaroni throws a hook to the side of Leonardo's head but Leonardo sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Leonardo misses the shot to the body.
Leonardo throws a body punch but Zaroni moves out of range.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Zaroni throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Leonardo misses with a two punch combination.
Leonardo loads up on a big right hand but Zaroni slips the punch.
Zaroni fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Leonardo manages to avoid it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Leonardo lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Zaroni moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Leonardo uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Zaroni.
Leonardo works Zaroni's body with a nice hook.
Leonardo is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Zaroni can do to turn this around?
Zaroni swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Leonardo counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Zaroni walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Nice shot lands for Leonardo.
Zaroni gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Leonardo moves out of range of the strikes.
Leonardo lands a slapping body shot.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Zaroni slips under a jab.
Nice defenses there by Leonardo.
Leonardo uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Zaroni.
Zaroni loads up on a big right hand but Leonardo slips the punch.
Zaroni misses with a double jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zaroni goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Leonardo scores with a jab. Zaroni acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Zaroni cracks Leonardo with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Zaroni misses with an uppercut. Leonardo saw that one coming.
Leonardo throws a shot to the body.
Leonardo moves out of range of the strikes.
It looked like Leonardo wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Leonardo slips a straight right by Zaroni.
Leonardo listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Leonardo uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Zaroni.
Zaroni thows a left - swing and a miss!
Zaroni lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Nice defenses there by Leonardo.
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!
Zaroni ducks under a wild hook from Leonardo.
Leonardo scores with the left hand. Zaroni knows he should have avoided that one.
Leonardo defending well as Zaroni loads up on a big left hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zaroni looks to throw the jab but Leonardo is out of range.
Leonardo stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with each other but Zaroni might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Leonardo has got the better of the exchanges.
Zaroni looks to land a left hand but Leonardo moved out of range nicely.
Leonardo keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Zaroni.
Leonardo throws a shot to the body.
Mario Leonardo is winning the standup battle so far.
Zaroni throws the left hand but Leonardo avoids the punch easily.
Zaroni throws a series of punches but Leonardo avoids them all with ease.
Leonardo wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Nice defenses there by Zaroni.
Leonardo scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Leonardo takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Zaroni scores with the left hand. Leonardo knows he should have avoided that one.
Leonardo missing with a left hand there. Zaroni was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Zaroni closes the distance and lands a one-two.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leonardo catches Zaroni with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Leonardo steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Zaroni.
Leonardo looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Zaroni takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Leonardo looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Zaroni moves out of range as Leonardo strikes.
Zaroni unleashes a big counter combination but Leonardo bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Zaroni throws an overhand right that lands on Leonardo's shoulder, as Leonardo tries to avoid the shot.
Zaroni blocks a jab.
Zaroni has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Zaroni there as he acknowledges the shot.
Leonardo cracks Zaroni with a right hand to the side of the head.
Zaroni looks to land a left hand but Leonardo moved out of range nicely.
Zaroni misses the shot to the body.
A big right from Leonardo misses.
Zaroni misses with a looping right.
Leonardo was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
A looping hook to the body misses from Zaroni. Leonardo does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Leonardo misses with a left hand
and Leonardo takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Zaroni lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Leonardo circles away quickly and effectively.
Leonardo blocks a jab.
Zaroni just misses with a punch to the body.
Zaroni ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Leonardo moves away.
Leonardo smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Zaroni looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Zaroni takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Zaroni throws a hook but Leonardo blocks it.
Zaroni thows a left - swing and a miss!
Leonardo misses the shot to the body.
Zaroni looks like he wants to counter punch here.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Leonardo lands a nice shot to the body.
Leonardo throws a jab when Zaroni was well out of range.
Leonardo lands with a shot to the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Mario Leonardo will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Leonardo staying out of range there.
Zaroni moves away from the strike by Leonardo.
A left and a right from Zaroni both land. Nice combination.
Leonardo loads up on a big right hand but Zaroni slips the punch.
Zaroni avoids the body shot from Leonardo.
Leonardo swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
A swing and a miss from Zaroni.
Leonardo digs a good hook to Zaroni's body.
Zaroni pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Leonardo throws a lazy uppercut
and Zaroni connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice shot lands for Leonardo.
Leonardo uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Zaroni.
Leonardo swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Leonardo jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Zaroni loads up on a big right hand but Leonardo slips the punch.
An attempted straight right counter from Leonardo misses the target.
A punch combination from Leonardo misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zaroni tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Leonardo was well out of range. Poor timing from Zaroni.
Leonardo throws a big counter combination but Zaroni scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
A swing and a miss from Zaroni.
Zaroni thows a left - swing and a miss!
A little feinted left hand from Leonardo on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Leonardo throws a leg kick that is checked
and Zaroni counters with a stiff right hand.
Zaroni connects with a crisp jab.
Zaroni misses with a lunging right hand
letting Leonardo counter with a right hand.
Leonardo moves out of range as Zaroni strikes.
Leonardo displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Zaroni throws out the jab.
Zaroni avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Zaroni steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Leonardo.
A jab from Leonardo misses.
Leonardo jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Zaroni takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Zaroni misses with a body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zaroni will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Leonardo scores with a hook to the body. Zaroni takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Leonardo stuns Zaroni with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Zaroni scores with a nice right hand.
Leonardo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A shot to the body from Zaroni misses
and Leonardo counters with a nice uppercut.
A slow jab from Zaroni misses its intended target.
Zaroni rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Leonardo moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Leonardo swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Leonardo misses with a wild body shot.
Zaroni throws out a counter right but Leonardo avoids it with no problem.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Zaroni, as that shot connected.
Leonardo takes one on the chin but seems OK.
A slow jab from Leonardo misses its intended target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zaroni throws a series of punches but Leonardo moves out of range.
A jab from Leonardo does it's job there.
Zaroni has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Zaroni avoids the body shot from Leonardo.
Zaroni scores with a jab. Leonardo acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Nice shot by Leonardo.
Leonardo's corner calls for a 1-2. Leonardo obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Zaroni. Leonardo does a little dance to reset his feet.
A big right from Zaroni misses.
Leonardo lands the left hand.
Zaroni jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Zaroni missing with a left hand there. Leonardo was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Zaroni misses with a looping right.
Leonardo waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Zaroni.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Zaroni! But no joy.
Leonardo has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Zaroni finds it's way round the side to connect with Leonardo's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Leonardo tests Zaroni's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Dave Zaroni has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mario Leonardo is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Zaroni misses the jab.
Leonardo ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Leonardo throws a hook but Zaroni avoids it easily.
Leonardo ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Zaroni moves away.
Zaroni blocks a jab.
Leonardo uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Zaroni.
Zaroni throws a hook but Leonardo avoids it easily.
Zaroni misses with a series of wild punches.
Leonardo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Zaroni throws a poor cross that misses
and Leonardo counters with a left to the body.
Zaroni looks to score with a jab to the body but Leonardo is just out of range.
The crowd cheers as Zaroni lands an impressive looking overhand right. Leonardo doesn't seem phased though.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Dave Zaroni.
Well Leonardo 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 Sergei Dronov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Mario Leonardo!
Mario Leonardo thanked the fans post fight for their support.