PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Salvatore Assante (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joey Bags (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bags comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Princes of the Universe kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Assante
vs
Bags

185 cm
18
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
19
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Jerusalem Fight Gear

Attliction

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Salvatore Assante!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Joey Bags!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, Franklyn Lucas and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Bags closes the distance and clinches.

Bags breaks the clinch.
Assante feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Bags's calf.
Assante lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

Bags moves into the clinch successfully.
Bags is trying to break the clinch but Assante has him pressed against the cage.
Bags prevents Assante from breaking the clinch.

Assante breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Bags fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
A solid leg kick lands there for Assante.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Assante.
Bags takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Assante scoring well with a low kick there.
Jab by Bags.
Assante lands with a thumping leg kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bags chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Assante can pounce on him.
Bags throws a shot from downtown. Assante moves away and avoids it.
Assante buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Bags looks gassed!
Assante throws a head kick that Bags semi-blocks.
Assante lands with a thumping leg kick.
Assante lands a high kick!
Assante feints and then cracks Bags's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Bags down.
Bags closes the distance and clinches up with Assante, looking for a takedown. Bags pushes Assante against the cage but Assante circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Assante lands a nice leg kick that just misses Bags's sensitive parts.
Salvatore Assante is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Assante throws a nice head kick!
Assante connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Assante lands a nice leg kick that just misses Bags's sensitive parts.
Bags closes the distance and clinches up with Assante, looking for a takedown. Bags pushes Assante against the cage but Assante circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Salvatore Assante has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joey Bags.

Bags gets a takedown into half guard.
Assante knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Bags on the ground.
Assante is trying to stand up here but Bags is controlling him well.
Assante is looking to get back to is feet but Bags passes into side control.
Bags wants to lay and pray for a moment but Assante keeps working.
Assante is trying to get back to his feet.
Bags in side control, throwing shots but Assante defends.
Assante is not content to let Bags control the position.
Assante is looking for a sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bags wants to take a breather but Assante manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Bags.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Bags closes this distance looking for a takedown but Assante circles away.
Assante tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A head kick misses from Assante.
Assante throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Assante throws a head kick that misses.
No luck for Bags with that takedown attempt.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Bags looks to land a right hand but Assante moved out of range.
Good leg kick by Assante there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Assante throws a head kick that Bags semi-blocks.
An inside leg kick lands from Assante.
Assante lands a high kick!
A thudding body kick lands there by Assante!
Bags tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Assante swivels and escapes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Assante thuds his shin into the meat of Bags's side.
Assante goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

Bags bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Assante tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Assante managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Bags.
Bags lands a few punches from side control.
Bags works to advance to full mount. Assante defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Bags content just to control the position here.

Bags looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bags controlling the position easily from mount.
Bags dominating with strikes here.
Bags connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bags controlling his opponent.
Assante takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Bags scoring with strikes but Assante is staying in there.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Bags tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Bags can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Assante is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Salvatore Assante dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Bags tries to bum rush Assante with a series of wild strikes but Assante uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Salvatore Assante is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bags looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Assante is fending him off so far but Bags persists. Nope, Assante circles away and we're back to standing.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Assante.
Assante lands a head kick. Bags smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Bags misses with a wild body shot.
Assante dodges the punch combination from Bags.
Bags throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Assante.
Assante pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Bags tries to clinch but Assante is having none of it.
Salvatore Assante is winning the standup battle so far.
Assante throws a head kick that misses.
Salvatore Assante seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A solid leg kick lands there for Assante.
Assante lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Bags takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Assante scores with a head kick.
Assante feints and then cracks Bags's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Bags down.
Assante connects with a high kick.
Bags is breathing heavily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Assante looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Assante connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Assante throws a head kick but Bags moves out of range.
Assante lands a nice leg kick that just misses Bags's sensitive parts.

Bags drives through with a takedown into guard.
Bags has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Bags lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Assante preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Assante keeping full guard, as Bags tries to pass.
Bags trying to control the position from guard on top but Assante is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bags postures up and lands a big shot to Assante's brow.
Bags wants to control from the top but Assante keeps moving.
Assante throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Assante being controlled here, momentarily.
Assante is trying to control the position but Bags postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Bags stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Assante.
Bags fails to land the takedown.
Bags sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Assante stuffs the takedown attempt from Bags. Bags gets slowly back to his feet.
Salvatore Assante has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joey Bags.
Crunch! Assante slams his shin into Bags's torso.

Bags drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Bags looking to pass the guard.

Bags thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Bags stands and throws Assante's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Bags wants to lay and pray for a moment but Assante keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bags is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Assante is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Bags is thwarting Assante's attempts to control the position.
Assante wants to improve his position but Bags is controlling well.
Bags moves nicely into side control.
Bags advances to full mount.
Bags with a couple of short strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Assante is looking to improve his position but Bags isn't that keen on the idea.
Assante is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Bags looking to control but Assante is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Assante regains half guard.
Bags trying to control the action but Assante is working from the bottom.
Bags stalling away here and it's allowed Assante to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Assante is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Bags trying to control here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Salvatore Assante dominated that second round.
That's time! Assante's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Bags blocks a head kick by Assante.

Bags takes the fight into the clinch.
Assante tries to break the clinch but Bags is controlling the position.
Bags wants a takedown.
A shot in the inside from Bags.
Assante looking to slow down the pace here.
Assante is trying to break free.
Assante is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Bags is keeping busy.
Bags's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Bags just leaning against Assante, taking a breather.
Bags wants a takedown but no success here.

Bags has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Assante uses from the top position.
Bags trying to control the position here.
Bags striking off his back.
Bags looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Bags had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Assante is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Bags Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Assante's back instead.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Assante is trying to break free.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Assante is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Assante breaks Bags's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Bags is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Bags thows a huge punch but Assante dodges it nicely.
Bags thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Assante's head.
Assante blocking the ground and pound attempt from Bags.
Assante looks like he's trying to stand up.
Bags is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Assante!

Bags is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Assante has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Assante!
Bags lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Assante!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bags can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Assante is looking to escape.
Bags raining down shots from the mount!
Bags looking to control but Assante is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Bags controlling his opponent.

Bags is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Assante has managed to escape the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bags lands with some strikes.
Assante tries to lock up and control but Bags gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Bags can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Assante is looking to escape.
Assante swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Bags working the ground and pound effectively.
Assante is trying desperately to improve position.
Joey Bags has got the better of the ground game so far.
Bags lands a big shot there that rocks Assante but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Assante tries to reverse the position but Bags maintains control.
Assante is squirming around, avoiding Bags's attempts to control the action.
Joey Bags has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bags lands with some strikes.
Assante is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Bags landing strikes from the mount.
Assante is desperately trying to improve his position but Bags has a good base and remains in mount.
Bags looking to control but Assante is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Bags connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Bags lands with some strikes.
Bags unloading with bombs!
Assante wants to control but Bags is having none of it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joey Bags comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Assante 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 David Schapiro scores the fight 29:28
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 29:28
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Salvatore Assante!