PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mark Read (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Benny Faroni (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Read kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Don't Fence Me In. Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Read
vs
Faroni

177 cm
26
190 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

180 cm
28
181 lbs
9 - 7 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Prefers standup

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mark Read!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Benny Faroni!
The judges for this bout are Hugh Johnson, Eliza Hachem and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Faroni lands a jab.
Read throws a head kick that misses.

Faroni looking to score a takedown here. Read is defending well but Faroni drives through and ends up in Read's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Read looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Faroni wants to pass the guard but Read is keeping the position.

Faroni is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Read is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Read has escaped and now he's on top!

Faroni escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Read gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Faroni working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Read doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Read manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Read trying to control but Faroni is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Faroni looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Read trying to control but Faroni is working from the bottom.

Read avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Faroni is looking for a triangle here but Read uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Faroni tries to improve position but can't.

Read tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Faroni sneaks back into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Faroni looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Faroni is not content to let Read control the position.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Faroni is pressing down on Read's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Read is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Faroni is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Faroni is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Read defends well.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Faroni keeping full guard, as Read tries to pass.

Faroni has his foot on Read's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Read works his way back into a safe position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Faroni has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Read can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Faroni looks gassed!
Read trying to control but Faroni is working from the bottom.
Read passes Faroni's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Faroni is refusing to be controlled, as Read sits in half guard.
Faroni is looking to improve his position.
Read seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Faroni does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Read seems to be working for a kimura but Faroni defends the submission attempt.

Faroni is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Read pulls his head out easily.

Faroni looking for submissions off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Faroni is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Read pulls his head out easily.
Read keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Faroni is defending against the submission attempts here by Read.

Faroni looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Read wants to lay and pray for a moment but Faroni keeps working.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Read wants to pass to mount but Faroni is defending the position.

Faroni looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Benny Faroni dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Faroni falls off balance throwing a combination
and Read counters with a nice body kick.
Read tries to clinch there but Faroni circles away.
Read fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Faroni manages to avoid it.
A head kick misses from Read.

Read closes the distance and clinches.
Read slows down the pace here.
Faroni wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Read is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Faroni to keep the fight standing.
Read lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Read has Faroni pressed against the cage, preventing Faroni from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Faroni looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Faroni is trying to force a seperation but Read has the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Read lands a nice knee to the body.

Read breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Read swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

Read has closed the distance and engaged Faroni in a clinch.
Faroni has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Read prevents Faroni from breaking the clinch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Read breaks the clinch.
Read lands a slapping body shot.
Faroni misses with a combination
and Read counters with a good low kick that Faroni was not able to check.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Read!
Read scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Faroni avoids the body shot from Read.
Read tries a head kick but it misses.
Read tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Faroni blocks a head kick by Read.
Read punishes Faroni's body with a nice straight punch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Faroni feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Reads jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Read fails with an attempt to clinch.
A solid leg kick lands there for Read.
Read tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Faroni was well out of range. Poor timing from Read.
Read keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Faroni is breathing heavily.
A head kick misses from Read.
Faroni moves forwards but Read connects with a nice, crisp jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
An inside leg kick lands from Read.
Faroni tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Faroni avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Decent striking displayed by Read there.
Read scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Read throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Benny Faroni is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Read throws a quick inside leg kick.
Read keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Mark Read seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Faroni chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Read can pounce on him.
Faroni tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Read swivels and escapes.
Faroni will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Mark Read is winning the standup battle so far.
Read chopping away at his opponent's legs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Read looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A chopping leg kick lands by Read.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Good leg kick by Read there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Faroni takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Read fails with an attempt to clinch.
A chopping leg kick lands by Read.
Faroni throws a sloppy head kick
and Read counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Read punishes Faroni's body with a nice straight punch.
Read digs a good body shot into Faroni's ribs.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Read scores with a jab to the body.
Read bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Faroni's head.
Read connects with a high kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Read dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Read lands a really nice looking cross but Faroni seems unphased.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Read.
Faroni shoots in for a takedown but Read shows good takedown defense.
Faroni has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Read.
Read catches Faroni with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Faroni avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Read lands a leg kick that knocks Faroni off balance momentarily.
Faroni misses with a combination
and Read counters with a good, hard body kick but Faroni shrugs it off.
Faroni has a takedown stuffed.

Read takes the fight into the clinch.

Read pulls guard.
Faroni takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Read pulls Faroni in close to prevent any damage.

Faroni is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Read is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Read has escaped and now he's on top!
Read stays in close to Faroni's body and controls the position.
Read trying to control but Faroni is working from the bottom.

Faroni looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Read wants to control from the top but Faroni keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Faroni looking for subs off his back but Read has passed one foot through into half guard.
Read content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Read is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Faroni!
Read can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Faroni is looking to escape.
Faroni working to try and regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Read with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Faroni tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Read controlling from mount.
Faroni is squirming around, avoiding Read's attempts to control the action.
Faroni is looking to improve his position but Read isn't that keen on the idea.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Faroni is squirming around, avoiding Read's attempts to control the action.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Faroni is wriggling around trying to escape.

Read looking for a guillotine from mount but Faroni is having none of it.
Faroni tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Faroni is trying to reverse the position but instead Read has taken his back - oops!
Faroni manages to reverse the position and now he's in Read's guard. Nice work there by Faroni.
Faroni pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Read is keeping the position for now.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mark Read showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Read 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 Hugh Johnson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 29:28
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mark Read!
Mark Read decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.