PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Enrique Rizzo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Junior Zappa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rizzo kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is The Trial. Junior Zappa has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Rizzo
vs
Zappa

176 cm
23
164 lbs
18 - 5 - 1

171 cm
25
156 lbs
9 - 4 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

•‡• LION Clothing •‡• [CBK]
[CBK] Smashwear Clothing

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 18 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Enrique Rizzo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Junior Zappa!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, Hugh Johnson and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zappa chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Rizzo can pounce on him.
Zappa misses with a shot to the body
and Rizzo counters with a three punch combo that has Zappa backing up. Zappa nods at Rizzo to acknowledge the strikes.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Zappa.
Rizzo fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Zappa manages to avoid it.
Rizzo turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Rizzo fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Zappa.

Zappa shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Rizzo's guard.
Rizzo wants to stand up but Zappa is controlling him.
Rizzo pulls Zappa in close to his closed guard and prevents Zappa from doing any damage or advancing position.
Zappa trying to control but Rizzo is working from the bottom.
Rizzo utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zappa trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Rizzo looking to control.
Zappa with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rizzo is pulling down on Zappa's head to control his posture.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Enrique Rizzo just wasn't active enough.
Rizzo misses with a leg kick
and Zappa counters with a three punch combo that has Rizzo backing up. Rizzo nods at Zappa to acknowledge the strikes.
Zappa throws a sloppy head kick and Rizzo moves out of range easily.
Rizzo moves out of range of the strikes.
Rizzo throws a front kick aimed at Zappa's knee but Zappa avoids it well.
Zappa throws a head kick that Rizzo semi-blocks.
Zappa misses with a body kick.
Zappa throws a head kick but Rizzo moves out of range.
Rizzo scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Zappa doesn't seem bothered though.
Rizzo scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Rizzo will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Rizzo fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Zappa has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rizzo. Zappa does a little dance to reset his feet.
Zappa misses with an uppercut
and Rizzo counters with a straight right hand.
Rizzo looks to score with a jab to the body but Zappa is just out of range.
Rizzo throws a lazy right hand but Zappa sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Zappa takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Junior Zappa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rizzo connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Zappa's hands.
Zappa takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Zappa throws a hook but Rizzo avoids it easily.
Zappa tries to work over Rizzo's front leg with a kick but Rizzo checks it.
Zappa shoots for a double leg takedown but Rizzo sprawls well. He's pushed Zappa's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Rizzo throws out a loose jab but Zappa uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rizzo throws the kick towards the body but Zappa avoids it.
A decent looking cross lands there for Rizzo.
Rizzo throws a leg kick which misses Zappa's front leg but catches the back leg as Zappa tries to avoid it.
Zappa ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Rizzo lands with a shot to the body.
Rizzo misses the body punch
and Zappa makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Zappa lands with an overhand left.
Zappa fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Rizzo checks it well.
Rizzo throws a hook to the side of Zappa's head but Zappa sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rizzo misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Zappa.
A big right from Zappa misses.
Zappa throws a lazy head kick
enabling Rizzo to counter with a crisp jab.
Rizzo throws out a loose jab but Zappa uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rizzo needs to keep his hands up - Zappa had a free shot at his head there.
Zappa misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Zappa throws a lazy uppercut
and Rizzo counters with a stiff right hand.
Rizzo throws a head kick but Zappa moves out of range.
Zappa takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Zappa takes a swing at Rizzo's ribcage but misses.
Rizzo throws an overhand right that lands on Zappa's shoulder, as Zappa tries to avoid the shot.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Rizzo, right into the meat.
Zappa defending well as Rizzo loads up on a big left hand.
Rizzo throws a low kick but Zappa moves out of range easily.
Zappa throws a head kick but Rizzo moves out of range.
Zappa looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Rizzo uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Zappa.
Zappa looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Zappa looks to land a combination but Rizzo avoids it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rizzo fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Zappa.
Some wild striking there from Zappa.
Zappa misses with an uppercut
and Rizzo counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Rizzo.
Rizzo scores with a nice strike.
Zappa ducks under a wild hook from Rizzo.
Zappa slips under a jab.
Zappa lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Rizzo fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Enrique Rizzo is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rizzo bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A good leg kick by Rizzo.
Zappa punishes Rizzo's body with a nice straight punch.
Rizzo misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Zappa tries a low kick but Rizzo avoids it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Zappa on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Rizzo. Rizzo obviously looking to wear him down.
Rizzo wants to land a leg kick but Zappa is out of range.
Jab by Zappa.
Good exchange - Rizzo coming out on top.
Rizzo feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Zappa's calf.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Enrique Rizzo 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.

Rizzo pivots, looking for a leg kick but Zappa is out of range and Rizzo settles back down.
Zappa has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Rizzo.
Rizzo fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Zappa checks it well.
Zappa lands with a hook. Rizzo tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Rizzo fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Zappa is out of range.
Rizzo throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Zappa throws a body punch but Rizzo moves out of range.
Zappa swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Rizzo.
Rizzo thuds his right hand into Zappa's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Zappa lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Rizzo at a distance.
Rizzo buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Zappa misses with a head kick.
Zappa avoids the body shot from Rizzo.
Rizzo throws a leg kick but Zappa sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Zappa's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Rizzo misses with a lunging right hand
and Zappa counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Zappa punishes Rizzo's body with a nice straight punch.
Zappa pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rizzo takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Rizzo throws a half hearted mid kick.
Rizzo lands with a kick to the temple. Zappa shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

That's one minute gone in the round.

Zappa has taken the fight to the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Rizzo fails to land.
Rizzo tries a knee to the head but Zappa blocks it.
Zappa lands with a short head shot on the inside.

Zappa's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Zappa ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rizzo moves away.
Zappa is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Zappa on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Zappa is looking to land body kicks.
Rizzo tries a low kick but Zappa avoids it.
Zappa looks to throw the jab but Rizzo is out of range.
Zappa uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Rizzo.
Zappa takes a kick to the side of the head.
Rizzo misses with a double jab
and Zappa counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Zappa checks a leg kick nicely.
Rizzo looks for the body kick but Zappa saw that one coming.
Rizzo blocks a head kick by Zappa.
Rizzo with a nice cross.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zappa looks to land a right hand but Rizzo moved out of range.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Rizzo.
A head kick misses from Rizzo.
Zappa blocks the body kick.
Rizzo fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Zappa tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Zappa feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Rizzo's calf.
Zappa tries to clinch but Rizzo moves out of range.
Zappa throws a hook but Rizzo avoids it easily.
Zappa swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A clash of legs there as Zappa blocks the low kick.
Rizzo moves out of range as Zappa throws a body kick.
Zappa thows a left - swing and a miss!
Zappa misses with a hook.
Zappa takes a swing at Rizzo's ribcage but misses.
Zappa thows a left - swing and a miss!
Zappa will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Zappa missing with a left hand there. Rizzo was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zappa tries a head kick but it misses.
Rizzo uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Zappa.
Zappa connects with a body shot that sends Rizzo's belly button to the back.
Rizzo tests Zappa's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Rizzo looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Rizzo feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Zappa's calf.
Rizzo wants to land a leg kick but Zappa is out of range.
Zappa tries a head kick but it misses.
Rizzo connects with a leg kick. Zappa looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Zappa works the jab nicely.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Rizzo. Zappa shrugs it off though.
Zappa jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Rizzo missing with a left hand there. Zappa was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Zappa misses with an uppercut.
Rizzo swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Rizzo throws a predictable looking body shot
and Zappa counters with a body kick.
Rizzo throws a head kick that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zappa thows a body shot but no joy.
Zappa throws a sloppy head kick
and Rizzo counters with a body kick that stops Zappa in his tracks momentarily.
Zappa misses with a right hand
and Rizzo counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Rizzo swings away with a body shot that misses
and Zappa counters with a nice uppercut.
Zappa throws out a loose jab but Rizzo uses good head movement to avoid it.
Zappa misses with a hook
and Rizzo counters with a low kick, right behind Zappa 's knee.
Zappa uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Rizzo.
Zappa pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Zappa pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Zappa misses the shot to the body.
Rizzo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rizzo throws a body punch but Zappa moves out of range.
Rizzo uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Rizzo swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Zappa misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Zappa throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Zappa misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Rizzo throws out a powerful jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Enrique Rizzo dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

A lazy left from Rizzo finds it's target.

Zappa has taken the fight to the clinch.
Rizzo misses with the head strike.
Zappa takes a shot to the head.

Zappa breaks the clinch.
Zappa throws a looping overhand right but Rizzo ducks down to avoid it.
Zappa avoids the body shot from Rizzo.
Zappa on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Zappa slips under a jab from Rizzo.
Zappa misses with the combination.
Rizzo blocks a leg kick.
Zappa takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Rizzo misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rizzo scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Rizzo misses with a straight right.
Rizzo misses with a low kick.
Zappa lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Zappa connects with a looping right hand.
Zappa keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Rizzo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zappa tries to clinch up but Rizzo circles away and keeps his distance.
Rizzo steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Zappa.
A head kick misses from Rizzo.
Rizzo slips under a jab.
Zappa throws a head kick but Rizzo moves out of range.
Zappa throws a looping overhand right but Rizzo ducks down to avoid it.
Rizzo connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Zappa stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Rizzo.
Zappa avoids the body shot from Rizzo.
Rizzo throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Rizzo throws a leg kick but Zappa sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Rizzo is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Zappa.
A decent looking cross lands there for Zappa.
Zappa stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Rizzo.
Zappa throws a head kick that misses.
Zappa throws a lazy head kick
and Rizzo counters with a left to the body.
Zappa avoids the body shot from Rizzo.
Zappa tries to close the distance and clinch but Rizzo swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rizzo misses with a body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rizzo misses with a low kick.
Zappa keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Rizzo.
Zappa slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Enrique Rizzo is winning the standup battle so far.
Rizzo takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Rizzo connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Zappa's hands.
Rizzo throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Nice jab there from Zappa.

Zappa drives through with a takedown into guard.
Zappa trying to control the position from guard on top but Rizzo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Zappa accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Rizzo keeping moving, preventing Zappa from controlling successfully.
Rizzo looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Zappa avoids the body shot from Rizzo.
The crowd cheers as Zappa lands an impressive looking overhand right. Rizzo doesn't seem phased though.
Rizzo pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Rizzo misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Zappa.
Zappa throws a big shot that misses.
Rizzo swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Rizzo takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Zappa scores with a sloppy right hand. Rizzo should have avoided that one.
Rizzo blocks a head kick by Zappa.
Rizzo works Zappa's body with a nice hook.
Rizzo is looking to slow Zappa down with leg kicks.
Junior Zappa has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Zappa throws a head kick that misses.
Rizzo slips a jab from Zappa.
Rizzo moves out of range of the strikes.
Zappa throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Rizzo sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Rizzo blocks a low kick nicely.
Rizzo misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Zappa.
Rizzo avoids the head kick by Zappa.
Zappa avoids a punch combination nicely.
Rizzo jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Rizzo uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Zappa.
Rizzo goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Rizzo throws a low kick but Zappa avoids it.
Rizzo displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Zappa throws out the jab.
Rizzo throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Zappa defending well as Rizzo loads up on a big left hand.
Zappa throws a big shot that misses.
Zappa scores with a jab.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Enrique Rizzo.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Rizzo, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Winston Howard scores the fight 29:28
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Enrique Rizzo!