PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Deon Du Plessis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Enrique Rizzo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Du Plessis's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Fort Minor - Remember the name. Rizzo has chosen Pink Floyd - The Trial as his entrance music. 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?

Du Plessis
vs
Rizzo

175 cm
24
168 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

176 cm
20
164 lbs
9 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
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 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Deon Du Plessis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Enrique Rizzo!
The judges for this bout are Summer Carpenter, Winston Howard and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Du Plessis needs to keep his hands up - Rizzo had a free shot at his head there.

Du Plessis moves into the clinch.
Du Plessis gets through Rizzo's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
A head punch on the inside from Du Plessis fails to land.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Rizzo just misses with a elbow thrown towards Du Plessis's brow.
Du Plessis is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Rizzo is defending well for now.
Du Plessis blocks the elbow strike.
Rizzo throws an elbow but it misses.
Du Plessis avoiding damage as Rizzo throws knees to the body.
Du Plessis tries to land a knee to the head but Rizzo blocks with his arms.
Rizzo missing with knees to the body.
Du Plessis softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Du Plessis creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Rizzo's defenses.
Rizzo misses with an elbow over the top.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Still in the clinch, Du Plessis scores with a nice short uppercut.
Du Plessis has Rizzo pushed against the cage.
Rizzo lands an elbow just above Du Plessis 's eye.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Rizzo creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Still in the clinch, Du Plessis scores with a nice short uppercut.
Rizzo lands a shoulder strike.
Du Plessis lands a good knee to the midsection. Rizzo won't want to take too many of those.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rizzo throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Du Plessis tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Rizzo avoids it.
Still in the clinch, Du Plessis scores with a nice short uppercut.
Rizzo is trying to maintain a safe position but Du Plessis gets an underhook and turns Rizzo into the cage.
Rizzo is trying to slow the pace down but that's a couple of times in a row that he's tried to get underhooks and Du Plessis has denied him.
Rizzo misses with a hook to the ribs.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Du Plessis takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Rizzo throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Du Plessis blocks the elbow strike.
Du Plessis taking a breather.
Rizzo tries to land knees in the clinch but Du Plessis avoids the damage to the body.
Du Plessis blocks the elbow strike.
Du Plessis looking to throw knees to the head but Rizzo is blocking nicely.
Rizzo connects with a knee to the head.
Rizzo is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Rizzo's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Rizzo breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Du Plessis with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Rizzo looks gassed!
Left hook, right uppercut from Du Plessis.
Du Plessis connects with a nice looking jab.
Du Plessis doesn't manage to clinch there - Rizzo circles away.

Du Plessis lands a high kick to the side of Rizzo's head that stuns him and send him tumbling down to the canvas! Du Plessis dives into guard, looking to finish.

Rizzo is rocked!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Du Plessis stands up over Rizzo, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Rizzo is still in real trouble! Can Du Plessis finish him?

Du Plessis drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Rizzo manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Du Plessis has Rizzo in his guard.
Rizzo seems to have recovered his senses.
Du Plessis is trying to control the position but Rizzo postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Du Plessis is really struggling to control Rizzo but he's trying to hold on to the position.

Du Plessis is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Du Plessis lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Du Plessis throws a knee to the head but misses.
Du Plessis lands a nice shot to the body.
Du Plessis can't get the takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Rizzo.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Du Plessis.
Du Plessis pushes Rizzo back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Rizzo lands a nice elbow.
Du Plessis lands a shoulder strike.
Rizzo tries to land a knee to the head but Du Plessis blocks with his arms.
Rizzo lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Rizzo gets underhooks to prevent Du Plessis's takedown attempt.
Rizzo swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Rizzo taking a breather.
Du Plessis trying to land knees to the body.
Du Plessis blocks the elbow strike.
Du Plessis managing to block the knees to the body from Rizzo.
Nice body punch from Du Plessis.
Du Plessis blocking some punches.
Du Plessis lands a nice elbow.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Du Plessis as Rizzo tries to tie him up.
Rizzo swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Du Plessis lands on the inside with an uppercut.
With the fighters up against the cage, Rizzo throws an elbow but misses.
Rizzo misses with a knee to the head.
Du Plessis is stalling here.
Rizzo is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Du Plessis is defending well for now.
Rizzo wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Du Plessis has him pressed against the cage.
Du Plessis dodges an elbow strike from Rizzo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Du Plessis on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Rizzo is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Du Plessis is defending well for now.
Du Plessis lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Du Plessis throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Du Plessis throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
A short right from Du Plessis on the inside.
Rizzo tries to land a knee to the head but Du Plessis blocks with his arms.
Du Plessis is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Rizzo trying to land knees to the body.
Du Plessis gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Du Plessis is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Rizzo is defending well for now.
Du Plessis tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Rizzo avoids it.
Du Plessis pushes Rizzo back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Du Plessis with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Rizzo blocks an elbow strike.
Du Plessis is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Rizzo is defending well for now.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Du Plessis.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rizzo throws an elbow but it misses.
Du Plessis tries to land knees in the clinch but Rizzo avoids the damage to the body.
Du Plessis managing to block the knees to the body from Rizzo.
Rizzo lands an elbow that stopped Du Plessis in his tracks for a moment.
Du Plessis tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Rizzo lands an elbow inside that Du Plessis shrugs off.
Rizzo lands an elbow inside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Deon Du Plessis dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Rizzo misses with a jab, cross combination.
Rizzo changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Du Plessis tries to avoid it but Rizzo manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Du Plessis to the ground. Du Plessis escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Du Plessis misses with a wild body shot.
Du Plessis connects with a jab.
Rizzo throws a series of punches but Du Plessis moves out of range.
Du Plessis blocks a head kick by Rizzo.
Du Plessis throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Du Plessis scores with a jab.
Rizzo throws a half hearted mid kick.

Du Plessis drives through and clinches with Rizzo against the cage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Du Plessis for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Du Plessis.
Rizzo is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Du Plessis is defending well for now.
A right handed body shot lands from Du Plessis.
Du Plessis lands a left hand that snaps the head of Rizzo backwards.
Rizzo is looking to control Du Plessis's arms but Du Plessis gets an underhook and turns him. Now Rizzo has his back to the cage.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Du Plessis.
Du Plessis gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Nice elbow from Rizzo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rizzo throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Du Plessis works on Rizzo's body with a couple of short punches.
Du Plessis lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Du Plessis lands with a light punch inside.
Du Plessis leaning against his opponent.
Du Plessis lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Rizzo backwards.
Rizzo takes an elbow to the forehead.
Du Plessis lands an elbow inside that Rizzo shrugs off.
Still in the clinch, Du Plessis scores with a nice short uppercut.
Du Plessis lands a hook that snaps the head of Rizzo backwards.
Rizzo misses with a hook from the clinch.
Du Plessis takes a knee right on the jaw!
Du Plessis lands an elbow inside that Rizzo shrugs off.
Du Plessis softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Rizzo takes an elbow to the temple.
A nice left hand lands by Du Plessis.
Rizzo wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Du Plessis has him pressed against the cage.
Du Plessis lands a hook that snaps the head of Rizzo backwards.
Rizzo tries to circle away but Du Plessis has him pinned against the cage.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Du Plessis scores with a shoulder strike.
Du Plessis lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Rizzo backwards.
Du Plessis lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Du Plessis lands a body punch.
Rizzo pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Du Plessis creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rizzo's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Du Plessis avoiding damage as Rizzo throws knees to the body.
Du Plessis comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Rizzo takes a shot to the head.
Rizzo tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Rizzo takes an elbow to the forehead.
Nice body punch from Du Plessis - that landed with a thud.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Du Plessis lands a nice elbow.
Du Plessis lands a knee to the body.
Du Plessis lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Du Plessis manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Rizzo with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Du Plessis lands with a left to the head.
A short right from Du Plessis.
Du Plessis misses with a knee to the head.
Du Plessis scores with a nice hook to the head.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Du Plessis just misses with a elbow thrown towards Rizzo's brow.
Du Plessis looks to throw an elbow but misses.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Rizzo just misses with a elbow thrown towards Du Plessis's brow.
Rizzo tries a knee to the head but Du Plessis blocks it.
Rizzo throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Du Plessis blocks it with crossed arms.
Du Plessis blocks an elbow strike.
Du Plessis digs a right hand into Rizzo's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Rizzo's gas tank.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knees in the clinch landing for Du Plessis.
Nice body punch from Du Plessis.
Du Plessis scores with a shot to the side of Rizzo's head.
Rizzo pushes off an throws an elbow but Du Plessis leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Du Plessis softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Du Plessis lands a right hand.
Rizzo looking to throw knees to the head but Du Plessis is blocking nicely.
Du Plessis lands a nice shot to the body.
Du Plessis keeps control of Rizzo as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Rizzo pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Du Plessis gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Rizzo tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Du Plessis avoids it.
Du Plessis works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Du Plessis managing to block the knees to the body from Rizzo.
Du Plessis lands a good knee to the midsection. Rizzo won't want to take too many of those.
Rizzo creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
A body shot lands from Du Plessis.
Rizzo tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Du Plessis avoids it.
Du Plessis lands a right hand that snaps the head of Rizzo backwards.
Rizzo tries to break the clinch but Du Plessis is controlling the position.
Du Plessis dodges an elbow strike from Rizzo.
Du Plessis working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Deon Du Plessis has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Rizzo wants to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Du Plessis utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Du Plessis lands an elbow that stopped Rizzo in his tracks for a moment.
Rizzo tries to break the clinch but Du Plessis is controlling the position.
Du Plessis is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Du Plessis lands with a short punch from the clinch.
A short right from Du Plessis.
Du Plessis avoiding damage.
Rizzo throws a knee to the head but misses.
Rizzo misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Du Plessis.
Du Plessis creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Du Plessis tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Rizzo avoids it.
Rizzo throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Du Plessis presses Rizzo against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Du Plessis lands with a light punch inside.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Du Plessis throws an elbow but it misses.
Du Plessis fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Du Plessis blocks an elbow strike from Rizzo.
Du Plessis tries to land knees in the clinch but Rizzo avoids the damage to the body.
Du Plessis blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Rizzo trying to land knees to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Deon Du Plessis dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Rizzo misses with a kick to the body.
Du Plessis is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Rizzo can do to turn this around?
Rizzo motions for Du Plessis to come forward. Rizzo throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Du Plessis takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Rizzo takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Rizzo is looking to land body kicks.
Du Plessis checks a leg kick.
Rizzo moves out of range of the strikes.
Du Plessis lunges at Rizzo with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Rizzo's hand.
Rizzo swats away the attempt to clinch by Du Plessis.
Rizzo swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Du Plessis lands with a kick to the temple. Rizzo shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

Du Plessis closes the distance and pushes Rizzo back into the cage.
Rizzo's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Du Plessis takes an elbow to the forehead.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Du Plessis.
Du Plessis blocks a body shot from Rizzo.
A short left from Du Plessis.
Rizzo with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rizzo tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Du Plessis with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Nice elbow from Rizzo.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Rizzo.
Du Plessis connects with a nasty looking knee right to Rizzo's face.
Du Plessis connects with a knee to the head.
Rizzo lands a hook that snaps the head of Du Plessis backwards.
Rizzo blocking some punches.
Du Plessis lands an elbow that stopped Rizzo in his tracks for a moment.
Rizzo misses with an elbow over the top.

Rizzo breaks from the clinch.
Rizzo feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Du Plessis's calf.
Rizzo throws a leg kick that is checked

and Du Plessis counters by moving into the clinch.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Rizzo just misses with a elbow thrown towards Du Plessis's brow.
Du Plessis lands a nice elbow.
Rizzo tries to land knees in the clinch but Du Plessis avoids the damage to the body.
Rizzo makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Nice elbow from Rizzo.
Du Plessis using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Rizzo wants to break the clinch but can't.
Du Plessis lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Rizzo tries to land knees in the clinch but Du Plessis avoids the damage to the body.
Du Plessis lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Du Plessis lands a body shot in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rizzo misses with an elbow over the top.
Du Plessis scores with a nice hook to the head.
Rizzo takes a knee right on the jaw!
Du Plessis managing to block the knees to the body from Rizzo.
Du Plessis scores a nice knee to the body.
Du Plessis blocks the elbow strike.
Rizzo creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Du Plessis's defenses.
Du Plessis lands an elbow inside that Rizzo shrugs off.
Du Plessis is looking to control Rizzo's arms but Rizzo gets an underhook and turns him. Now Du Plessis has his back to the cage.
Rizzo lands a good knee to the midsection. Du Plessis won't want to take too many of those.
Rizzo blocks a body shot from Du Plessis.
Rizzo misses with an elbow over the top.
Du Plessis tries a body shot but Rizzo blocks it.

Du Plessis turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Du Plessis in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.

Du Plessis is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Rizzo knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Du Plessis throws a strike aimed at the side of Rizzo's head but Rizzo avoids it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rizzo defending against the ground and pound.
Du Plessis sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Rizzo is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Rizzo seems a little lost for a moment, as Du Plessis dominates the positioning.
Sloppy strikes there by Du Plessis.
Du Plessis working the ground and pound but Rizzo is defending the strikes.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Du Plessis looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Rizzo moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Rizzo looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rizzo pushes Du Plessis away with a front kick.
Rizzo throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Rizzo lands a jab-cross combination.
Du Plessis avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A solid body kick from Rizzo.
Nice takedown defense from Du Plessis. No joy for Rizzo on that attempt.
Deon Du Plessis is winning the standup battle so far.
Rizzo throws the kick towards the body but Du Plessis avoids it.
Du Plessis lands a glancing blow to the side of Rizzo's head.
Du Plessis plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Rizzo loads up on a big right hand but Du Plessis slips the punch.
Rizzo throws a hook but Du Plessis blocks it.
Nice jab there from Du Plessis.
Deon Du Plessis is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Du Plessis lands with a right hand.
Du Plessis doesn't manage to clinch there - Rizzo circles away.
Du Plessis bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Enrique Rizzo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Du Plessis dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Deon Du Plessis showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Du Plessis 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 Summer Carpenter scores the fight 30:27
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 30:26
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Deon Du Plessis!