PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Matt Pazzini (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Davor Sakic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Pazzini might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Survivor - Eye Of The Tiger. The crowd seem to be enjoying Sakic's choice of entrance music: Hail mary Tupac Shakur. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Pazzini
vs
Sakic

177 cm
21
188 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

188 cm
25
196 lbs
6 - 8 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Determined

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 1 - 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 6 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Davor Sakic!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, Bruno Lombardi and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Pazzini moves into the clinch successfully.
Pazzini prevents Sakic from breaking the clinch.
Pazzini controlling the action here for a moment.

Pazzini escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Pazzini lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Sakic circles away quickly and effectively.
Sakic lands a high kick!
Sakic throws a right hand that Pazzini ducks under and follows up with a left that Pazzini also avoids with ease.
Pazzini looks to land a body kick but Sakic moved away.
Sakic fails with an attempt to clinch.
Pazzini tries to clinch but Sakic is having none of it.
Pazzini walks into a jab.

Pazzini has closed the distance and engaged Sakic in a clinch.
Pazzini pressing his opponent against the cage.

Sakic pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Pazzini closes the distance but Sakic moves to the side
and Sakic counters with a series of strikes. Pazzini will be more careful next time no doubt.
Matt Pazzini seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pazzini connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Sakic's hands.

Pazzini moves into the clinch.
Sakic is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Pazzini will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Sakic up against the cage.
Pazzini scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Sakic wants to get back to striking at distance but Pazzini won't allow it.
Pazzini taking a breather.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

Sakic is fighting off a takedown attempt but Pazzini is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Sakic to the mat. Sakic regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Sakic keeping full guard, as Pazzini tries to pass.

Sakic working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Pazzini doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Pazzini manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Sakic is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Pazzini is aware though and is defending well.

Sakic is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Pazzini controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Sakic is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Sakic can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Pazzini controls the pace.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sakic working for a triangle but Pazzini defends it easily.
Sakic looks gassed!
Sakic looking to hit a scissor sweep but Pazzini is one step ahead there.
Pazzini advances to half guard.
Pazzini controlling the pace.
Pazzini works his way into side control.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakic is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Pazzini sitting and controlling from the half guard.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Matt Pazzini just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Sakic tries to close the distance and clinch but Pazzini swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Pazzini shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Sakic as he jumps to the side.
Pazzini lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

Pazzini moves into the clinch successfully.
Pazzini controlling the action here for a moment.
A hook to the body from Pazzini.

Pazzini has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Sakic is trying to keep an underhook but Pazzini manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Pazzini is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Sakic!
Pazzini controlling the position easily from mount.
Pazzini seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Sakic for as long as he can get away with.

Pazzini quickly switches position and commits to an armbar! It's a big risk for Pazzini but it's paid off an Sakic is forced to tap! Nice work by Pazzini.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:18 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Matt Pazzini!