PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mauricio Rizzo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Amir Verdune (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rizzo comes to the cage accompanied by .. Verdune has chosen Remember the name as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rizzo
vs
Verdune

190 cm
29
209 lbs
7 - 7 - 0

187 cm
28
215 lbs
8 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Dangerous knees
Powerful

Charlie Wang's Nutrition and 95 % Laundry

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Mauricio Rizzo!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Amir Verdune!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Gregory Folan and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Verdune looks to clinch
and Rizzo counters with a nice uppercut.

It looks like Amir Verdune has been cut.

Verdune instigates a clinch.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Rizzo creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Rizzo controlling the action here for a moment.
Rizzo seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
Rizzo digs a right hand underneath Verdune's ribcage. Verdune let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Verdune tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Rizzo gets through Verdune's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Rizzo blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Rizzo tries for a takedown. No joy.
Knees to the body from Verdune.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Nice elbow from Rizzo.
Rizzo lands a hook that snaps the head of Verdune backwards.
Verdune prevents a takedown attempt there.
Verdune taking a breather.
Rizzo lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Verdune.
A nice left hand lands by Rizzo.
Rizzo lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Verdune backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Verdune connects with a knee to the head.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Rizzo creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Verdune misses with an elbow strike.
Rizzo blocks an elbow strike from Verdune.
Rizzo is trying to stall.
Verdune tries a body shot but Rizzo blocks it.
Rizzo can't break the clinch.
Rizzo pushes Verdune back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Rizzo misses with the head strike.
Verdune lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Rizzo backwards.
Verdune misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Rizzo.
Rizzo throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Rizzo wants to get back to striking at distance but Verdune won't allow it.
Verdune stalling in the clinch.
Verdune putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Rizzo in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Verdune tries a knee to the head but Rizzo blocks it.
Verdune prevents a body shot from Rizzo.
Rizzo tries to throw a body punch but Verdune avoids it by throwing Rizzo back against the cage.
Verdune lands a good knee to the midsection. Rizzo won't want to take too many of those.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rizzo managing to block the knees to the body from Verdune.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rizzo drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Verdune gets the underhooks and prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mauricio Rizzo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rizzo lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Rizzo tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Rizzo misses with a hook from the clinch.
Verdune prevents a body shot from Rizzo.
Rizzo blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Verdune pushes off an throws an elbow but Rizzo leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Verdune scores a nice knee to the body.
Verdune throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Rizzo blocks it with crossed arms.
Verdune is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Rizzo is defending well for now.
Verdune tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Verdune blocks a body shot from Rizzo.
Rizzo avoiding damage as Verdune throws knees to the body.
Rizzo blocking some punches.
A body shot lands from Rizzo.
Verdune looks gassed!
Rizzo scores with a nice hook to the head.
A right hook to the body lands for Rizzo.
Rizzo lands a nice uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Verdune misses with a hook to the ribs.
A shot in the inside from Rizzo.
Rizzo throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Verdunes head.
Rizzo blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Rizzo breaks from the clinch.
Verdune on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Rizzo shoots in but no luck this time.
Verdune uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Rizzo.
Verdune moves to clinch but Rizzo breaks away
and Rizzo counters with a stiff right hand.
Jab, jab by Rizzo - just one landing.
Good shot there by Rizzo.
Rizzo cracks Verdune with a right hand to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rizzo tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Verdune is able to avoid easily.
Verdune rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Rizzo moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Rizzo wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Verdune tries to clinch but Rizzo moves out of range.
Rizzo lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Rizzo motions for Verdune to come forward. Rizzo throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Verdune stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Rizzo.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rizzo pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Verdune tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Rizzo manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mauricio Rizzo dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Amir Verdune's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Rizzo missing with a left hand there. Verdune was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

Rizzo gets a clinch.
Still in the clinch, Rizzo scores with a nice short uppercut.
Rizzo tries to score a body lock takedown but Verdune shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Rizzo managing to block the knees to the body from Verdune.
Verdune throws a knee to the head but misses.
Good body shot from Rizzo.
Verdune swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Verdune tries to land a knee to the head but Rizzo blocks with his arms.
Rizzo lands a left hand that snaps the head of Verdune backwards.
Rizzo gets through Verdune's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Rizzo tries to score a body lock takedown but Verdune shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Rizzo breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Verdune misses with a jab to the body
and Rizzo counters with a stiff right hand.
Verdune ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rizzo moves away.
A cross from Rizzo lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Verdune has managed to clinch.
A nice right hand lands inside from Rizzo.
A nice right hand lands inside from Rizzo.
Verdune misses with a hook to the ribs.
Still in the clinch, Rizzo scores with a nice short uppercut.
Verdune with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Rizzo lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Verdune backwards.
Rizzo managing to block the knees to the body from Verdune.
Rizzo stalling.
Rizzo lands an uppercut.
Verdune tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Verdune gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Rizzo.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mauricio Rizzo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rizzo has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Verdune avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Rizzo escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Verdune closes the distance but Rizzo moves to the side
and Rizzo connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Verdune gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Rizzo throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Verdune's waist but Verdune gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Rizzo off to one side.
Verdune is looking to clinch but Rizzo is avoiding it.
Rizzo turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Rizzo lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Verdune moves out of range as Rizzo throws a body kick.
Verdune blocks a low kick nicely.
Verdune moves in looking to clinch but Rizzo pushes him off.

Rizzo forces Verdune back against the cage and clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Rizzo.
Mauricio Rizzo has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Verdune misses with a short punch on the inside.
A short left from Verdune.
Rizzo working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Verdune with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Nice body punch from Verdune.
Rizzo blocks an uppercut.
Rizzo lands a body punch in the clinch.
Rizzo working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Verdune scores a nice knee to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Verdune lands a knee to the body.
Verdune lands a knee to the body.
Verdune using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Verdune misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Rizzo.
Verdune holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Verdune prevents a body shot from Rizzo.
Rizzo has a couple of punches blocked by Verdune.
Verdune scores a nice knee to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Verdune crunches a lovely knee into Rizzo's ribcage.
Rizzo misses with the head strike.
Verdune lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Verdune misses with a body punch.
Verdune throws a knee to the head but misses.
Good body shot from Verdune.
Verdune crunches a lovely knee into Rizzo's ribcage.
Rizzo misses with a punch on the inside.
Verdune lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Verdune throws a knee to the head but misses.
Verdune landing knees to the head.
Rizzo changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Verdune fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Verdune wants to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Mauricio Rizzo will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Amir Verdune's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Rizzo throws a body kick that misses.
Verdune fails with an attempt to clinch.
Mauricio Rizzo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rizzo throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

Verdune gets a clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Verdune.
Verdune tries to land a knee to the head but Rizzo blocks with his arms.
Rizzo blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Rizzo avoiding damage as Verdune throws knees to the body.
Rizzo is looking to control Verdune's arms but Verdune gets an underhook and turns him. Now Rizzo has his back to the cage.
Verdune tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Verdune lands with a left to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rizzo has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Verdune clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Rizzo is hanging on to Verdune's back as he tries to escape.
Rizzo avoiding Verdune 's attempts to control his hands.
Rizzo struggling to land strikes to the head as Verdune covers up.
Rizzo trying to control momentarily.
Rizzo somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Verdune can't escape the position.
Verdune avoids the strikes from Rizzo.
Rizzo struggling to land strikes to the head as Verdune covers up.
Verdune trying to control the hands but Rizzo won't let him.
Rizzo missing with punches from the back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Even with his hooks in, Rizzo manages to miss with strikes from the back.
Verdune has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Rizzo.
Verdune is trying to remain composed but Rizzo is hammering down strikes to the side of his head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Verdune covering up well under a series of strikes from Rizzo.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Verdune avoids the strikes from Rizzo.
Verdune is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Verdune covering up well under a series of strikes from Rizzo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rizzo lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Verdune.

Rizzo tightening his grip on Verdune, looking for the choke.
Rizzo has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Rizzo is working the back position looking for the choke. Oh, he's slid into an armbar! Beautiful transition and Verdune taps out! Fantastic Jiu Jitsu from Rizzo.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:39 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Mauricio Rizzo!
Mauricio Rizzo retains his light heavyweight title!