PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Kurtis Di Angelo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anthony Pellegrini (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Pellegrini has chosen Danzig - Mother as his entrance music. Anthony Pellegrini will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Di Angelo
vs
Pellegrini

180 cm
19
185 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

183 cm
25
186 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kurtis Di Angelo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Anthony Pellegrini!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Jack Bonds and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Di Angelo circles away from the clinch attempt.
Di Angelo circles away from the clinch attempt.
Pellegrini moves to clinch but Di Angelo breaks away

and Di Angelo counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Di Angelo trying to control but Pellegrini is working from the bottom.
Di Angelo postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Pellegrini is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Di Angelo slips nicely into half guard.
Pellegrini is trying to control but can't.
Di Angelo performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
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!
Di Angelo is trying to control the action in half guard but Pellegrini is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Di Angelo is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Pellegrini is staying active underneath Di Angelo, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pellegrini is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Di Angelo pulls his head out easily.
Pellegrini regains full guard. Nicely done.
Di Angelo not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Pellegrini wants to stand and escape but Di Angelo is having none of it.

Pellegrini is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Di Angelo is aware though and is defending well.
Di Angelo with a flurry of punches that miss.
Di Angelo missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Pellegrini is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Di Angelo defends well.
Di Angelo stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Pellegrini swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Di Angelo trying to control but Pellegrini is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Di Angelo sitting in guard here, content to control.

Pellegrini throws his legs up looking for a submission but Di Angelo uses it to pass to side control.
Di Angelo throwing shots but missing, from side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Di Angelo decides to stand back up. Di Angelo steps back and let's Pellegrini get back to his feet.
Pellegrini tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Di Angelo manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Pellegrini lands with a nice combination. Di Angelo backs away looking to recover.

It looks like Kurtis Di Angelo has been cut.

Di Angelo manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Pellegrini on his heels. He'll look to pass Pellegrini's guard now, I'm sure.
Di Angelo trying to control but Pellegrini is working from the bottom.
Di Angelo sitting in guard here, content to control.
Di Angelo advances to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Di Angelo wants to control but Pellegrini is keeping him busy.

Pellegrini actively working from the bottom here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Di Angelo stops Pellegrini from getting back to his feet.

Di Angelo is trying to work for a kimura but Pellegrini is defending well.
Pellegrini is trying to control but can't.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Di Angelo is keen to just control but Pellegrini is a slippery customer.
Di Angelo looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Pellegrini with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Pellegrini is looking to escape.

Pellegrini actively working from the bottom here.
Pellegrini looks gassed!
Di Angelo not doing much here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pellegrini is staying active underneath Di Angelo, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Di Angelo seems to be looking for submissions.
Pellegrini trying to hold on to Di Angelo's head to control him but Di Angelo postures up.
Di Angelo missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Pellegrini is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Di Angelo scores with a couple of nice shots.

Pellegrini is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Di Angelo pulls his head out easily.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Pellegrini wants to get back to his feet.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Pellegrini trying to control from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kurtis Di Angelo dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Kurtis Di Angelo's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Di Angelo shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Pellegrini is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Di Angelo pulls his head out easily.
Di Angelo perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Pellegrini makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

Pellegrini gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Di Angelo to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Di Angelo seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Di Angelo throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Di Angelo avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Di Angelo throws a big elbow that misses.

Pellegrini had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Di Angelo defends it easily.
Di Angelo is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Di Angelo wants to control from the top but Pellegrini keeps moving.
Di Angelo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Di Angelo trying to control but Pellegrini is working from the bottom.
Di Angelo has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Di Angelo throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Pellegrini works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Pellegrini keeping moving, preventing Di Angelo from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Kurtis Di Angelo.

Di Angelo shoots in and bounces Pellegrini off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Di Angelo throwing strikes from guard but Pellegrini blocks nicely.

Pellegrini looking for a guillotine here but Di Angelo defends easily.

Di Angelo drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Pellegrini manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Di Angelo has Pellegrini in his guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Di Angelo is trying to keep Pellegrini in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pellegrini drops back looking for a leg! Di Angelo is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Di Angelo manages to kick Pellegrini off! Pellegrini jumps back into Di Angelo's guard.
Pellegrini has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Di Angelo is proving hard to escape from.

Di Angelo is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Di Angelo not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Pellegrini wants to get up but he can't break Di Angelo's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Di Angelo keeping moving, preventing Pellegrini from controlling successfully.
Pellegrini trying to stand up but can't free himself from Di Angelo's guard.
Pellegrini trying to control but Di Angelo is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

Di Angelo is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Di Angelo had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Pellegrini defends it easily.
Pellegrini stands and throws Di Angelo's legs to the side, diving into side control.
You can see the frustration on Di Angelo's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Pellegrini thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Di Angelo tries to improve position but can't.
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 Kurtis Di Angelo will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Kurtis Di Angelo's cut.
That's time! Di Angelo's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Pellegrini tries to clinch up but Di Angelo circles away and keeps his distance.
Pellegrini fails with an attempt to clinch.
Pellegrini rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Di Angelo moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Di Angelo.
Pellegrini wants to control but Di Angelo postures up.
Di Angelo trying to control the position but Pellegrini is working away.
Pellegrini is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Di Angelo has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Pellegrini sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

Di Angelo is trying to work for a kimura but Pellegrini is defending well.

Di Angelo is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Pellegrini looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pellegrini is trying to stand.
Di Angelo controlling the action here.
Kurtis Di Angelo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Pellegrini makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Pellegrini.
Di Angelo postures up in Pellegrini's guard and throws a big left but Pellegrini blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Di Angelo not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Pellegrini is looking for a triangle but Di Angelo pushes his legs off easily.

Pellegrini looking for a guillotine here but Di Angelo defends easily.
Pellegrini keeping moving, preventing Di Angelo from controlling successfully.
Di Angelo tries to free his leg and advance position but Pellegrini is retaining full guard.
Di Angelo slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Pellegrini is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Di Angelo trying to control but Pellegrini is working from the bottom.
Di Angelo is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Kurtis Di Angelo has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Di Angelo shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Pellegrini's guard.
Di Angelo trying to control the position from guard on top but Pellegrini is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Pellegrini is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Di Angelo is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Pellegrini has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Di Angelo can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Di Angelo trying to control but Pellegrini is working from the bottom.
Di Angelo chips away with some ground and pound.
Kurtis Di Angelo is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Di Angelo sitting in guard here, content to control.

Pellegrini has an active guard here but Di Angelo has managed to pass into half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Di Angelo content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

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 Kurtis Di Angelo.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Di Angelo, 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kurtis Di Angelo!
A relieved looking Kurtis Di Angelo thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.