PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nick Winchester (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Rossi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Winchester
vs
Rossi

182 cm
24
211 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

190 cm
21
218 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Balco Boys - Hilo

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Nick Winchester!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Michael Rossi!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Winchester blocks a jab.
Rossi pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Winchester circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rossi looks to land a body kick but Winchester moved away.
Rossi tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Winchester paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Winchester has taken the fight to the clinch.
Rossi tries to land knees in the clinch but Winchester avoids the damage to the body.
Rossi with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Rossi with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Rossi misses with a knee to the head.
Rossi scores with a knee to the head.
Winchester blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rossi tries a knee to the head but Winchester blocks it.

Winchester has picked Rossi up - he's going for a ride! Winchester dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Rossi trying to hold on to Winchester's head to control him but Winchester postures up.
Winchester wants to pass to mount but Rossi is defending the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rossi avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Winchester.
Winchester thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rossi's head.
Winchester seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Rossi does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Winchester wants to free his trapped foot but Rossi is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Rossi is trying to maintain the position but Winchester is very close to passing his half guard.
Winchester seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Rossi looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Rossi is looking to clinch.
Winchester looks to score with a jab to the body but Rossi is just out of range.
Rossi pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Winchester stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Winchester wants it to stay on the feet.
Rossi shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Winchester as he avoids it easily.
Winchester circles away from the clinch attempt
and Rossi takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rossi misses with a wild combination.
Rossi tries to clinch but Winchester moves out of range.
A head kick misses from Rossi.
Rossi throws the left hand but Winchester avoids the punch easily.
Rossi tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Winchester avoids the head kick by Rossi.
Winchester slips a straight right by Rossi.
Rossi misses with a wild body shot.
Rossi falls off balance throwing a combination
and Winchester counters with a nice body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Rossi takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Some wild striking there from Winchester.
Winchester throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rossi throws a hook but Winchester blocks it.
Rossi lands a lovely overhand right.
Rossi misses with a head kick.
Rossi misses with a head kick.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Winchester avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Winchester scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Winchester blocks a head kick by Rossi.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Winchester dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Winchester swats away the attempt to clinch by Rossi.
Rossi misses with a kick to the body.
Winchester lands with a cross.
Winchester connects with a single shot there.
Rossi throws a predictable looking body shot
and Winchester counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Winchester tries to clinch but Rossi is having none of it.
Winchester dodges the punch combination from Rossi.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Winchester.
A swing and a miss from Rossi.
Rossi throws a combination that misses
enabling Winchester to counter with a crisp jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Winchester blocks a jab.
Winchester is looking to wear down Rossi with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Winchester misses with a wild combination.
Rossi changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Winchester tries to avoid it but Rossi manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Winchester to the ground. Winchester escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Rossi.
Rossi misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rossi doesn't manage to clinch there - Winchester circles away.
Rossi thows a body shot but no joy.
Winchester lands with a right hand.
Winchester throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Rossi is looking to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Rossi keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Winchester.
A big left from Rossi misses.
Rossi throws a head kick but Winchester moves out of range.
Rossi misses the body punch
and Winchester counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Winchester blocks a head kick by Rossi.
Rossi misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rossi tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rossi misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Winchester bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Rossi's head backwards.
Michael Rossi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rossi loads up on a big right hand but Winchester slips the punch.
Rossi doesn't manage to clinch there - Winchester circles away.
Winchester dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rossi misses with an attempted mid kick.
Winchester misses with a two punch combination.
Winchester throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Rossi misses with a telegraphed body shot
letting Winchester counter with a right hand.
Rossi looks to land a right hand but Winchester moved out of range.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rossi is defended easily by Winchester.
Nice body punch from Winchester.

Rossi moves into the clinch.
Winchester wants to break free but Rossi has control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Rossi tries a knee to the head but Winchester blocks it.
Rossi stops a takedown attempt from Winchester.
Rossi utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Rossi throws a knee to the head but misses.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Winchester looking for a takedown.
Rossi tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Rossi is trying to drag Winchester to the mat but Winchester just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Nick Winchester has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Michael Rossi.
Rossi is breathing heavily.
Rossi content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Rossi with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Rossi swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Winchester tries for a takedown but Rossi manages to get underhooks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Winchester dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Rossi takes one to the chin there.
Rossi on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Rossi wants to clinch up but Winchester keeps it at a distance.
Winchester lands with a right hand.
Rossi tries to clinch up but Winchester circles away and keeps his distance.
Winchester throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rossi avoids the body shot from Winchester.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rossi tries to close the distance and clinch up but Winchester swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rossi misses the shot to the body.
Winchester connects with a right hand. Rossi shakes it off.
Rossi misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rossi pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rossi misses with a takedown attempt - Winchester sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Winchester tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rossi was well out of range. Poor timing from Winchester.
Rossi tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rossi looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Winchester is fending him off so far but Rossi persists. Nope, Winchester circles away and we're back to standing.
Rossi fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rossi swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Winchester counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Rossi tries to clinch but Winchester moves out of range.
Rossi is looking to clinch but Winchester is avoiding it.
Rossi wants to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Rossi throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Rossi defending well as Winchester loads up on a big left hand.
Rossi misses with a head kick.
Rossi scores with a nice head shot.

Winchester closes the distance and clinches.
Rossi landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Rossi lands an elbow inside that Winchester shrugs off.
Winchester blocks an elbow strike.
Rossi lands a right hand.
Rossi connects with a nasty looking knee right to Winchester's face.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Rossi obliges.
Rossi makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Rossi is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Nick Winchester has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Michael Rossi.
Rossi takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Winchester fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Rossi tries to land a knee to the head but Winchester blocks with his arms.
Winchester takes a knee right on the jaw!
Rossi lands with a right to the head.
Rossi with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Winchester tries to pull guard but Rossi won't allow it.
Rossi looking to throw knees to the head but Winchester is blocking nicely.
Rossi swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Winchester is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Rossi is keeping busy.
Rossi is trying to drag Winchester to the mat but Winchester just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Rossi trying to land knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rossi is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Winchester is defending well for now.
Winchester tries to break the clinch but Rossi is controlling the position.
Winchester drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Rossi gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Winchester fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Rossi managing to block the knees to the body from Winchester.
Rossi is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Winchester is defending well for now.
Rossi misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Winchester.
Winchester has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Rossi is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Michael Rossi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rossi tries to land a knee to the head but Winchester blocks with his arms.
Rossi throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Winchester blocks it with crossed arms.
Rossi misses with a knee to the head.
Winchester drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Rossi gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Nick Winchester is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Winchester fails to pull guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Michael Rossi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Winchester 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 Suge Night scores the fight 29:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nick Winchester!