PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Paulo Filho (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Amalric Fitzgerald (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fitzgerald has chosen Sinergy - Spit on your grave as his entrance music. Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Filho
vs
Fitzgerald

170 cm
25
130 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

163 cm
22
148 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Paulo Filho!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Amalric Fitzgerald!
The judges for this bout are Albert Achterberg, Radbod Blank and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Filho fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Filho uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Fitzgerald.
Filho missing with a left hand there. Fitzgerald was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Filho throws a series of punches but Fitzgerald avoids them all with ease.
Filho swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Filho throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Filho scores with the left hand. Fitzgerald knows he should have avoided that one.
Filho misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Fitzgerald connects with the punch.
Fitzgerald throws a looping overhand right but Filho ducks down to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fitzgerald tries to close the distance and clinch but Filho swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Filho lands a right hook to the body.
Filho takes a swing at Fitzgerald's ribcage but misses.
Filho loads up on a big right hand but Fitzgerald slips the punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Filho connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Filho lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
The fighters circle momentarily. Fitzgerald darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

Filho gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Fitzgerald to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Filho tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Fitzgerald looking to pass the guard.
Fitzgerald trying to control the position from guard on top but Filho is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fitzgerald slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Filho is looking to reverse the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Filho stops Fitzgerald from passing to mount.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Filho throws a right and a left that both miss.
Filho avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Filho takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Fitzgerald takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Filho. Fitzgerald does a little dance to reset his feet.
Filho throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fitzgerald showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Filho.
Filho shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Filho misses with a wild combination.
Paulo Filho is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Filho misses with a body shot.
Filho staying out of range there.
Filho connects with a right hand. Fitzgerald shakes it off.
Filho scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Fitzgerald connects with a right hand. Filho shakes it off.
Filho fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fitzgerald throws a shot from downtown. Filho moves away and avoids it.
Filho pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Fitzgerald moves away from the strike by Filho.
Filho misses with a hook.
Filho slips a straight right by Fitzgerald.
Paulo Filho seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fitzgerald looks to land a body kick but Filho moved away.

Fitzgerald closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Fitzgerald prevents Filho from improving his position.
Filho is trying to maintain the position but Fitzgerald is very close to passing his half guard.

Fitzgerald is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Filho defends it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Paulo Filho will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Filho misses with a few strikes there.
Filho looks to land a right hand but Fitzgerald moved out of range.
Filho throws a hook to the side of Fitzgerald's head but Fitzgerald sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Filho fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Fitzgerald manages to avoid it.
Paulo Filho is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Filho uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Fitzgerald.
Filho uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Fitzgerald.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Filho swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Filho circles away from the clinch attempt.
Filho will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Filho fails to land with a series of punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fitzgerald moves away from the strike by Filho.
Filho throws out a loose jab but Fitzgerald uses good head movement to avoid it.
Filho ducks under a wild hook from Fitzgerald.
Filho rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Fitzgerald moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Some wild striking there from Filho.
Fitzgerald lands a nice looking body shot.
Filho uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Fitzgerald.
A swing and a miss from Fitzgerald.
Filho fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Fitzgerald manages to avoid it.

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.
Filho takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Fitzgerald defending well as Filho loads up on a big left hand.
Filho slips under a jab from Fitzgerald.
Filho takes a swing at Fitzgerald's ribcage but misses.
Filho waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Fitzgerald.
A leg kick checked by Filho.
Filho digs a good hook to Fitzgerald's body.
Fitzgerald connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Filho misses with a jab, cross combination.
A cross from Filho lands.
Filho fails to land with a series of punches.
Fitzgerald might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice uppercut there from Fitzgerald.
Filho slips a jab from Fitzgerald.
A jab from Fitzgerald misses.
Fitzgerald ducks under a wild hook from Filho.
Fitzgerald is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Fitzgerald avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Filho will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Fitzgerald uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Filho.
A punch combination from Filho misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Fitzgerald waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Filho.
Filho misses with a series of wild punches.
Filho scores with a hook.
Filho misses with a series of wild punches.
Filho ducks under a wild hook from Fitzgerald.
Fitzgerald throws a shot from downtown. Filho moves away and avoids it.
Filho misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Filho throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Fitzgerald sees it coming and avoids it easily.
A big right from Filho misses.
A big left from Fitzgerald misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paulo Filho dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Fitzgerald takes one to the side of the head.
Filho throws a right hand that Fitzgerald ducks under and follows up with a left that Fitzgerald also avoids with ease.
Filho misses with a jab, cross combination.
Filho misses the body punch
and Fitzgerald connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Filho swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Fitzgerald counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Filho uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Fitzgerald.
Fitzgerald steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Filho.
Fitzgerald avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Filho misses with a straight left.
Filho ducks right into an uppercut from Fitzgerald.
Filho pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Filho throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Filho bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Filho loads up on a big right hand but Fitzgerald slips the punch.
Filho loads up on a big right hand but Fitzgerald slips the punch.
Filho staying out of range there.
Filho misses with a body shot.
Fitzgerald throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Fitzgerald fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Filho checks it well.
Filho misses with a jab to the body
and Fitzgerald counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Filho thinking.
Filho throws an overhand right that lands on Fitzgerald's shoulder, as Fitzgerald tries to avoid the shot.
Filho throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Filho misses with a wild combination.
Amalric Fitzgerald has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Filho throws a combination that misses
and Fitzgerald counters with a two punch combo.
Filho uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Fitzgerald has time to react.
Filho thows a body shot but no joy.
Filho swings away with a body shot that misses
and Fitzgerald counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Filho thinking.
Filho falls off balance throwing a combination
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Fitzgerald keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Filho.
Fitzgerald just misses with a punch to the body.
A telegraphed right hand from Fitzgerald misses the target.
A slow jab from Filho misses its intended target.
Fitzgerald thows a left - swing and a miss!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Filho throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Filho takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Fitzgerald showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Filho.
Fitzgerald throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Filho sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Fitzgerald walks into a left hand.
Filho staying out of range there.
Filho moves out of range of the strikes.
Fitzgerald ducks under a wild hook from Filho.
Filho throws a predictable looking body shot

and Fitzgerald decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Filho's guard.
Fitzgerald's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Fitzgerald trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Filho keeping moving, preventing Fitzgerald from controlling successfully.

Fitzgerald is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Filho is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Filho has escaped and now he's on top!
Filho trying to control the position from guard on top but Fitzgerald is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Paulo Filho is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Fitzgerald is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Filho is aware though and is defending well.
Filho trying to control but Fitzgerald is working from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Amalric Fitzgerald comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Filho 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 Albert Achterberg scores the fight 29:28
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 29:28
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paulo Filho!