PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Matt Pazzini (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dan Henderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Pazzini kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Survivor - Eye Of The Tiger. Henderson comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Thunderhorse kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Dan Henderson looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Pazzini
vs
Henderson

177 cm
21
188 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

191 cm
20
185 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
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 New York, Matt Pazzini!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dan Henderson!
The judges for this bout are Steve Montenegro, Bruno Lombardi and David Schapiro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Henderson fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Pazzini gets the takedown into side control.
Henderson is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Pazzini moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Pazzini seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Henderson for as long as he can get away with.

Pazzini decides to stand up, so the ref orders Henderson to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Henderson gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Pazzini to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Pazzini's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Pazzini advances position into side control!
Henderson looks gassed!
Henderson tries to buck Pazzini off but Pazzini is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pazzini decides to stand back up.
Pazzini pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Henderson swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Pazzini throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Henderson's waist but Henderson gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Pazzini off to one side.
Pazzini displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Henderson throws out the jab.

Henderson tries to keep at a distance but Pazzini has taken the fight into the clinch.

Pazzini has clasped his hands together around Henderson's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.

Pazzini stands up and beckons Henderson to his feet.
Pazzini punishes Henderson's body with a nice straight punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pazzini scores with a shot to the body.

Pazzini gets a takedown into half guard.

Pazzini decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Pazzini wants to clinch up but Henderson keeps it at a distance.

Pazzini takes the fight into the clinch.

Pazzini's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Pazzini looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Pazzini is nestled in close to Henderson, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Pazzini slows the pace down in half guard.
Pazzini is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Pazzini tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Pazzini dominated that round.
That's time! Pazzini's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Pazzini scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Henderson trying to control here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pazzini takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Pazzini has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Pazzini is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henderson is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Pazzini scores with a couple of nice shots.
Henderson is breathing heavily.
Well, if Pazzini is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Pazzini has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Pazzini controlling his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pazzini's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Matt Pazzini just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Pazzini scores with a takedown into Henderson's guard.
Pazzini slips nicely into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pazzini passes to side control.
Matt Pazzini overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Pazzini stands up and we're back to a striking position.

Pazzini closes the distance and clinches.

Pazzini breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Matt Pazzini is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Pazzini closes the distance and clinches.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pazzini tries to clinch but Henderson is having none of it.
Nice takedown defense from Henderson. No joy for Pazzini on that attempt.

Pazzini scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Pazzini content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Henderson pushes Pazzini off but Pazzini dives into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Pazzini dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Pazzini scores with a takedown into Henderson's guard.
Pazzini is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Pazzini trying to control the position from guard on top but Henderson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pazzini showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Pazzini loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Henderson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pazzini makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Henderson can't keep his opponent in guard - Pazzini advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Pazzini seems to be trying to get a kimura but instead Henderson has recovered full guard.
Pazzini sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Henderson's guard.
Pazzini slips a nice elbow through Henderson's hands, connecting with Henderson's forehead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pazzini has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Pazzini looking to control and managing it successfully.
Dan Henderson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Pazzini lands a heavy elbow.
Pazzini controlling the pace for now.
Henderson is looking to improve his position but Pazzini isn't that keen on the idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pazzini takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

Pazzini is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Matt Pazzini seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

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.
Nice body kick there by Pazzini.

Pazzini scores a takedown into full mount!
Pazzini takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Henderson taking shots to the head.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Pazzini jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Henderson manages to avoid the submission attempt.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pazzini lands a decent elbow from side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt Pazzini showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Pazzini 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 Steve Montenegro scores the fight 30:25
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 30:25
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 30:25

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matt Pazzini!