PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Domenic Amato (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fedor Belfort (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Amato comes to the cage accompanied by Gonna Fly Now. Belfort has chosen Burn It To The Ground as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Amato
vs
Belfort

180 cm
29
169 lbs
25 - 12 - 2

185 cm
29
180 lbs
22 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

TFP Graphics - Pit Inc
MMA's Best Nutrition - Pit Inc

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 25 - 12 - 2, fighting out of Helsinki, Domenic Amato!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Fedor Belfort!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Arvi Lind and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Belfort slips a straight right by Amato.
Belfort bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Domenic Amato seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Belfort uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Amato.
Amato gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Amato avoids the body shot from Belfort.
Belfort keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Belfort misses with a hook.
A big right from Belfort misses.
Amato throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Belfort on the side of the head.
Belfort takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Amato misses with a left hand
and Belfort cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Belfort is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
A low kick from Belfort is predictable there
and Belfort takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Belfort has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Amato jabs at Belfort's body.
Belfort buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Belfort misses with a looping right.
Belfort misses with a lunging right hand
and Amato counters with a leg kick.
Amato takes a swing at Belfort's ribcage but misses.
Amato tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Amato uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Belfort.
Belfort pushes Amato away with a front kick.
Belfort throws a leg kick
and Amato counters with a nice body shot.
Amato throws a low kick but Belfort avoids it.
Amato misses with a lunging right hand
and Belfort counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Belfort fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Amato misses with a hook. Belfort ducked under it nicely.
Belfort feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Amatos jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Amato 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Amato moves out of range as Belfort strikes.
Amato takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Belfort swinging wildly here.
Nice shot by Amato.
Amato misses with a leg kick
enabling Belfort to counter with a crisp jab.
Amato steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Belfort.
Belfort swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Belfort scores with a nice head shot.
Belfort takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Amato cracks Belfort with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Belfort uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Amato.
Amato misses the shot to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Belfort lands with a nice body punch.
The fighters circling - Belfort throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Belfort is looking to land body kicks.
Belfort throws an overhand right that lands on Amato's shoulder, as Amato tries to avoid the shot.
Belfort missing with a left hand there. Amato was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Belfort checks a leg kick.
Belfort checks a leg kick.

Amato drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Amato avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

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

Belfort isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Amato stacks Belfort on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Amato!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Amato throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Belfort tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Amato wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Amato is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Belfort will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Belfort tries to buck Amato off but Amato is having none of it.
Amato wants to lay and pray for a moment but Belfort keeps working.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Belfort wants to control but Amato postures up.
Belfort looks to move to half guard but instead Amato has passed into mount! Damn!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Fedor Belfort will probably get the nod.
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.

Belfort moves away from the strike by Amato.
Belfort ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Amato moves away.
Belfort throws a leg kick which misses Amato's front leg but catches the back leg as Amato tries to avoid it.
Amato thows a body shot but no joy.
Amato tries a head kick but it misses.
Belfort uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Amato.
Belfort defending well as Amato loads up on a big left hand.
Sloppy strikes from Amato. Those never looked like landing.
A nice inside leg kick there by Belfort. That's going to slow Amato down.
Fedor Belfort seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Belfort misses with a looping left.
Belfort walks into a stiff left hand from Amato.
Amato buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
A swing and a miss from Belfort.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Amato moves out of range of the strikes.
A clash of legs there as Amato blocks the low kick.
A jab lands there for Amato.
Amato throws a body punch but Belfort moves out of range.
Amato bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Belfort's head.
Belfort moves out of range of the body kick from Amato.
Amato connects with a jab.
Belfort's corner calls for a 1-2. Belfort obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Amato throws an overhand right that lands on Belfort's shoulder, as Belfort tries to avoid the shot.
Amato connects with the punch.
Amato throws a shot from downtown. Belfort moves away and avoids it.
Amato shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Belfort missing with a left hand there. Amato was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Belfort on the wrong end of a nice hook.
A jab lands there for Amato.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Amato ducks under a wild hook from Belfort.
Amato throws a jab when Belfort was well out of range.
Amato throws a leg kick but Belfort sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Belfort displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Amato throws out the jab.
Belfort blocks a low kick nicely.
Belfort is trying hard to land a takedown here. Amato sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Amato ducks under a wild hook from Belfort.
Belfort fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Amato manages to avoid it.
Amato moves away from the strike by Belfort.
Amato turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Amato throws a nice outside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Amato throws a jab when Belfort was well out of range.
Some wild striking there from Belfort.
Amato with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Belfort looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Belfort misses with a hook. Amato ducked under it nicely.
Belfort swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Amato misses with a body kick.
Amato ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Belfort throws out a loose jab but Amato uses good head movement to avoid it.
Amato displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Belfort.
Belfort lands a nice looking kick to the body. Amato takes a step back to recover.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Belfort takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Amato with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Belfort checks a leg kick.
Amato throws an overhand right that lands on Belfort's shoulder, as Belfort tries to avoid the shot.
Amato cracks Belfort with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Amato checks a leg kick.
Belfort swinging wildly here.
Belfort displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Amato.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Belfort.
Amato moves out of range of the body kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Domenic Amato dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. 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.

Belfort misses with a hook.

Amato closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Belfort isn't going anywhere.
Belfort tries to control but end up mounted... ooooh, that's bad.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Amato cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Amato avoids the attempt from Belfort to control.
Amato lands with some strikes.
Amato lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Belfort is trying desperately to improve position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Amato throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Amato trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Belfort is wriggling around trying to escape.
Amato cracks Belfort with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Belfort working to try and regain half guard.
Belfort wants to control but Amato is having none of it.
Belfort really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Domenic Amato overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Belfort tries to hold on but Amato postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Belfort taking shots to the head.
Amato can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Belfort is looking to escape.
Belfort really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Belfort is squirming around, avoiding Amato's attempts to control the action.

Amato swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Belfort is now in Amato's guard. A big mistake from Amato there, giving up the dominant position!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Belfort trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Amato is trying to control the position but Belfort postures up.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Amato keeping full guard, as Belfort tries to pass.
Belfort trying to control but Amato is working from the bottom.
Amato utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Belfort trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Belfort wants to control from the top but Amato keeps moving.
Belfort passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Belfort is chipping away with strikes.
An elbow from Belfort crashes against the mat.

Belfort stands up.
Amato moves out of range of the body kick.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Amato wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Amato slips a jab from Belfort.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Fedor Belfort.
I think Belfort has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:28
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:29
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Fedor Belfort!
After winning the bout, Fedor Belfort thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.