PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sam Canasta (ranked 4063 p4p, 25295 weight class) and John Rambo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that John Rambo was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Canasta
vs
Rambo

187 cm
18
197
0 - 0 - 0

179 cm
18
195
4 - 5 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sam Canasta!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, John Rambo!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Cecil Peabody and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Canasta avoids the head kick by Rambo.
Canasta tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Rambo manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Canasta tries to clinch but Rambo moves out of range.
Canasta closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Rambo ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Canasta moves away.
Rambo misses the shot to the body.
Canasta seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Canasta moves in looking to clinch but Rambo pushes him off.
Canasta jabs Rambo right on the nose. Rambo blinks but takes it well.
John Rambo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rambo throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Canasta sees it coming and avoids it easily.
As Rambo tries to get set, Canasta tries to push him back and clinch up but Rambo manages to avoid the attempt.
Canasta connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Rambo throws the left hand but Canasta avoids the punch easily.
Rambo looks to land a body kick but Canasta moved away.
Rambo ducks right into an uppercut from Canasta.
Nice shot by Canasta.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Canasta tries to clinch up.
Canasta feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Rambos jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Canasta.

Rambo moves into the clinch.
Rambo using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rambo throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Rambo blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Rambo throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Rambo looking to throw knees to the head but Canasta is blocking nicely.

Rambo escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Good work by Canasta as he checks the leg kick.

Rambo has Canasta up against the cage in a clinch.
Canasta lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Rambo.
Rambo swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Canasta can't find room to land a body shot as Rambo controls the action.
Rambo throws an elbow but it misses.
Rambo throws an elbow that misses.
Canasta avoids the elbow strike from Rambo, against the cage.
Canasta blocking some punches.
A nice right hand lands inside from Rambo.
Canasta lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Canasta struggles to land a body shot inside as Rambo controls his hands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Canasta.

Rambo manages to break the clinch.
Canasta checks a leg kick nicely.
Rambo throws a leg kick but Canasta sees it coming and moves out of range.
Canasta moves out of range as Rambo strikes.
Canasta wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Canasta lands a two punch combo.
Canasta digs a good body shot into Rambo's ribs.
Canasta is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rambo tries to bum rush Canasta with a series of wild strikes but Canasta uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Canasta avoids the head kick by Rambo.
Canasta lands a head shot.
Nice shot by Canasta.
Rambo tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Canasta moves in looking to clinch but Rambo pushes him off.
Canasta tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rambo swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rambo misses with an attempted mid kick.
Canasta looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rambo is fending him off so far but Canasta persists. Nope, Rambo circles away and we're back to standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Canasta scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Rambo gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Canasta.
Donk. Canasta catches Rambo right on the button with a cross.
Canasta avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Rambo pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

Rambo has Canasta up against the cage in a clinch.
Rambo fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Canasta misses with some punches.
Canasta scores with a nice hook to the head.
Canasta tries a body shot but Rambo blocks it.
With the fighters up against the cage, Rambo throws an elbow but misses.
Rambo tries a body shot but Canasta blocks it.
Canasta lands a shoulder strike.
Rambo lands with a right to the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Canasta misses with some punches.
Rambo fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Canasta misses with a hook from the clinch.
Canasta misses with a punch to the body.
Canasta pushes Rambo back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Rambo prevents a body shot from Canasta.
A short right from Rambo.
Canasta lands a shot to the body.
A nice left hand lands by Canasta.
Canasta tries to throw a body punch but Rambo avoids it by throwing Canasta back against the cage.
Rambo is trying to push Canasta away but Canasta has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Rambo throws a knee to the head but misses.
Rambo looks winded!
Rambo tries to land knees in the clinch but Canasta avoids the damage to the body.
Canasta throws a head punch that misses.
Rambo creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Canasta goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Still in the clinch, Canasta scores with a nice short uppercut.
Rambo tries to land knees in the clinch but Canasta avoids the damage to the body.
Rambo pressing his opponent against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Rambo.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Sam Canasta will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Canasta scores with a jab to the body.
Canasta shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Rambo pinned against the cage. Rambo gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Rambo appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Rambo throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

Canasta tries to keep at a distance but Rambo has taken the fight into the clinch.
Rambo wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Rambo throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Canasta tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Canasta misses with a punch to the body.
Rambo stops a takedown attempt from Canasta.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A short right from Rambo on the inside.
Canasta is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Canasta avoiding damage as Rambo throws knees to the body.
Rambo lands with a left to the head.
Rambo misses with an elbow strike.
Canasta lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Rambo or not.
Rambo misses with a short punch on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rambo misses with a short punch on the inside.

Rambo breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rambo misses with a wild body shot.
Rambo misses with a straight right.
Canasta catches Rambo with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Rambo throws a half hearted mid kick.
Canasta tries to close the distance and clinch but Rambo swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Canasta tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rambo wants to clinch up but Canasta keeps it at a distance.
Rambo tries a head kick but it misses.

Rambo gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Canasta misses with a punch on the inside.
Canasta blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Rambo tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Rambo misses with some punches.
Canasta tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Rambo's elbow.

Rambo breaks from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Canasta tries to close the distance and clinch but Rambo swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rambo tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Canasta manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Canasta connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Rambo's hands.
Canasta tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Rambo manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Canasta tests Rambo's chin there with a solid looking shot.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Rambo in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Canasta is looking to clinch.

Rambo has managed to clinch.
Canasta tries to work over Rambo's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Rambo with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Canasta cracks Rambo with a nice body shot.
Canasta tries a body shot but Rambo blocks it.
Rambo throws a head punch that misses.
Canasta lands with a light punch inside.
Canasta misses with some punches.
Rambo is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Canasta misses with a punch to the body.
Rambo tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Canasta avoids it.
Canasta tries to work over Rambo's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Rambo tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Canasta's elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Canasta works on Rambo's body with a couple of short punches.

Rambo breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rambo moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Canasta tries to clinch up but Rambo circles away and keeps his distance.
A jab from Rambo misses.
Rambo on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Rambo is breathing heavily.
Rambo misses with a low kick.
Canasta dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Rambo gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Rambo takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Canasta tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rambo paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Canasta tries to clinch up but Rambo circles away and keeps his distance.
Rambo tries to land a leg kick but Canasta saw it coming and moves away.
Rambo throws a body punch but Canasta moves out of range.
Rambo swats away the attempt to clinch by Canasta.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Canasta stuns Rambo with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
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!
Canasta lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Rambo throws a jab but it's blocked by Canasta.
Canasta fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rambo lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Rambo keeps the fight on the outside.
Sam Canasta is winning the standup battle so far.
Rambo throws a leg kick which misses Canasta's front leg but catches the back leg as Canasta tries to avoid it.
Rambo is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Canasta.
Canasta tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rambo paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rambo swats away the attempt to clinch by Canasta.
Canasta lands with a good body shot.
Canasta connects with a good right hand that stumbles Rambo. Rambo circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Rambo throws a head kick but Canasta moves out of range.
Canasta fails in his attempt to clinch.
Canasta tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rambo paws at him with a jab and circles away.
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 Sam Canasta will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Canasta's corner calls for a 1-2. Canasta obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Canasta fails with an attempt to clinch.
Canasta fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rambo throws out a leg kick but Canasta moves out of range and Rambo only half commits.
Rambo swats away the attempt to clinch by Canasta.
Canasta moves out of range as Rambo strikes.
Rambo circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rambo looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Canasta ducks under a wild hook from Rambo.
Rambo fails to land with a series of punches.

Rambo clinches up against the cage.
Canasta tries to throw a body punch but Rambo avoids it by throwing Canasta back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rambo fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Rambo fails to land.
Canasta fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Rambo blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A short body shot lands from Canasta as the two fighters clinch.
Canasta throws a head punch that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Canasta swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Rambo lands a right hand.
Canasta throws a head punch that misses.
Rambo tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

Rambo escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rambo misses with a straight right.
Rambo has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Canasta tries to clinch there but Rambo circles away.
Rambo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Canasta slips under a jab from Rambo.
Canasta cracks Rambo with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Rambo scores with a nice right hand.
Canasta lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Rambo throws a head kick but Canasta moves out of range.
Rambo takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Canasta tries to clinch up but Rambo circles away and keeps his distance.
Canasta keeps the fight on the outside.
The fight stays on the outside here - Canasta looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rambo walks into a straight right hand from Canasta.
Canasta scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rambo tries to close the distance and clinch but Canasta swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A head kick misses from Rambo.
Canasta wants to clinch.
Canasta connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Canasta smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Rambo jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Canasta uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Rambo has time to react.
Rambo throws a solid leg kick but Canasta takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Rambo.
Canasta goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Canasta is looking to clinch but Rambo is avoiding it.

Rambo gets a clinch.
Rambo can't find room to land a body shot as Canasta controls the action.
Canasta goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Canasta blocks an uppercut.
Canasta wants to break the clinch but can't.
Canasta digs a right hand into Rambo's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Rambo's gas tank.
Rambo misses with a knee strike.
Canasta tries to throw a body punch but Rambo avoids it by throwing Canasta back against the cage.
Sam Canasta is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rambo has a couple of punches blocked by Canasta.
Rambo misses with some punches.
Rambo looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Canasta managing to block the knees to the body from Rambo.
Canasta has Rambo pressed against the cage, preventing Rambo from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rambo throws a knee to the head but misses.
Canasta lands a shoulder strike.
John Rambo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rambo tries to throw a body punch but Canasta avoids it by throwing Rambo back against the cage.
Canasta blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Canasta blocks an uppercut.
Rambo misses with the head strike.
Canasta looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Rambo misses with the head strike.
Rambo pushes off an throws an elbow but Canasta leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Rambo tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Canasta avoids it.
Canasta stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Rambo connects with a knee to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to John Rambo.
I think Canasta has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 29:28
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:27
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sam Canasta!
Sam Canasta bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.