PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Lionel Messi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Troy Lotito (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Messi
vs
Lotito

160 cm
21
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
19
145 lbs
0 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Lionel Messi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Troy Lotito!
The judges for this bout are Radbod Blank, Albert Achterberg and Daniel Blasius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lotito throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Messi's waist but Messi gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Lotito off to one side.
Lotito looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Messi lands with a slapping head kick.
Lotito fails with the takedown.
Messi lands a nice shot to the body.

Messi has closed the distance and engaged Lotito in a clinch.

Messi pulls Lotito into guard.
Messi pulls Lotito in close to his closed guard and prevents Lotito from doing any damage or advancing position.
Messi could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Messi wants to sweep but no luck.
Lotito must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Messi keeping moving, preventing Lotito from controlling successfully.
Messi is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Messi pushes Lotito away with a front kick.
Messi tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Lotito swivels and escapes.
Lotito is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Messi shoots in but no luck this time.
Messi shoots in but Lotito avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lionel Messi. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Messi gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Messi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Messi rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Lotito moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Messi changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Lotito tries to avoid it but Messi manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Lotito to the ground. Lotito escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Lotito tries to score a power double leg takedown but Messi sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Lotito somewhat.
Messi shoots in looking for a takedown. Lotito tries to sprawl out of it but Messi keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Lotito manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Messi tries to score a power double leg takedown but Lotito sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Messi somewhat.
The fight stays on the outside here - Messi looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Lotito gets a double leg takedown into Messi's guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Messi has Lotito pulled in close to control his posture.
Messi wants to sweep here but Lotito controlling him for the moment.

Lotito drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Messi dives on top into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Messi looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Messi working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Lotito trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

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.
Messi slips nicely into half guard.

Lotito looking for submissions off his back.

Messi decides to stand up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Messi takes the fight into the clinch.
Messi is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lionel Messi dominated that round.
That's time! Messi's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Messi misses with a head kick.
Lionel Messi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Lotito will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Messi will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Lotito stuffs the takedown.

Messi clinches.

Messi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Lotito wants to clinch up but Messi keeps it at a distance.
Lotito misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Troy Lotito seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lotito stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lionel Messi. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Messi rushes Lotito and presses him up against the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Messi is looking for a takedown.

Messi gets control of Lotito's arms and successfully pulls guard. Messi will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Messi is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Lotito drops back looking for a leg! Messi is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Messi manages to kick Lotito off! Lotito jumps back into Messi's guard.
Lotito wants to control from the top but Messi keeps moving.
Messi pulls Lotito in close to prevent any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Messi utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Messi is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

Lionel Messi has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Messi tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Lotito swivels and escapes.
Lotito fails to land the takedown.
Sloppy strikes from Lotito. Those never looked like landing.
Messi scores with a shot to the body.
Messi misses with the combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lotito shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Messi sprawls well. Messi wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Lotito gets slowly back to his feet.
Lotito stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Lotito wants it to stay on the feet.
Messi is looking to clinch.
Lotito shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Messi as he jumps to the side.

Messi closes the distance and clinches.
Messi unloads a knee to the mid-section.

Messi pulls guard successfully.

Messi escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Lotito gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Lotito with a nice head shot there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Messi pulls Lotito in close to prevent any damage.
Lotito is pushing down on Messi's leg trying to pass to half guard. Messi is fighting to maintain full guard but Lotito has managed to sneak the leg through.
Lotito is looking to take a break and control but Messi is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Messi has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Lotito is working away from the top position though.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lotito seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Messi does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lionel Messi dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Lotito slaps away a takedown attempt from Messi, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Messi has closed the distance and engaged Lotito in a clinch.
Messi stops a takedown attempt from Lotito.
Lotito tries for a takedown. No joy.
Messi has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Lotito avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Messi has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Lotito avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lionel Messi. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Messi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Messi misses with a takedown attempt - Lotito sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Messi shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Lotito as he jumps to the side.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Messi tries to clinch up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Horrible takedown by Lotito or perhaps it was just good defense by Messi which made him look bad.
Messi tries a head kick but it misses.
Messi defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Lotito.
Messi misses with a head kick.
Messi has his takedown stuffed

and Lotito counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Messi looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Lotito has picked Messi up and slammed him! Messi can't keep hold of the triangle and Lotito manages to pass to side control!
Messi is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Lotito off and has taken his back!
Messi is riding his opponent, not letting Lotito buck him off.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Messi is hanging on to Lotito's back as he tries to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Messi is not going to allow Lotito to sit and survive in this position.
Lionel Messi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Messi misses with a punch to the head.

Messi working for a choke but Lotito is defending well.
Lotito trying to control the position but Messi manages to sink in the hooks.
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.
Lotito rolls, trying to escape but Messi keeps control of the position.

Lotito showing good submission defense here.
Lotito trying to control the action but Messi just sinks the hooks in.
Messi is trying to stick to Lotito's back but Lotito is turning into Messi. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Messi's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Lotito.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lotito looking to sit in guard and control but Messi gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Messi slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Troy Lotito has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lionel Messi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Lotito looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Messi has picked Lotito up and slammed him! Lotito can't keep hold of the triangle and Messi manages to pass to side control!

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 Lionel Messi.
Well Messi has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Radbod Blank scores the fight 30:27
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lionel Messi!