PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rocco Lampone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Major Damage (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Major Damage has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Lampone
vs
Damage

181 cm
18
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

195 cm
20
200 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Inexperienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Rocco Lampone!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Major Damage!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, John Kavanagh and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Damage ducks under a wild hook from Lampone.

Lampone scores with a takedown into Damage's guard.
Damage tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Lampone throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Damage works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Damage looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Lampone missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Lampone trying to control the position from guard on top but Damage is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lampone slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Damage is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Lampone is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Lampone feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Damage trying to keep a closed guard but Lampone is proving a slippery customer.
Lampone wants to pass the guard but Damage is keeping the position.
Lampone 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.
Lampone preventing the sweep.
Lampone controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Damage is on top in guard.
Damage showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
I looks like Damage might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Damage must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Damage accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Lampone tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Damage really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Lampone. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Lampone trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Lampone looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
No luck for Damage with that takedown attempt.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Damage stops a takedown attempt from Lampone.
Damage gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Lampone.
Lampone wants to break the clinch but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Damage breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Damage swats away the attempt to clinch by Lampone.
Lampone fails with the takedown

and Damage decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Lampone's guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rocco Lampone. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lampone looking to hit a scissor sweep but Damage is one step ahead there.
Lampone is breathing heavily.
Damage wants to control from the top but Lampone keeps moving.
Damage loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Lampone seems keen to control Damage's posture.

Lampone looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Damage passes into side control.
Lampone is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Damage off and has taken his back!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lampone is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Damage knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Damage for a finish.
Damage just trying to survive but Lampone is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Damage manages to escape to a better position under a series of strikes. Lampone is now in side control.

Lampone is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Damage has escaped the position, nice work there.
Lampone wants to take a breather but Damage manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Lampone.
Damage is trying to keep Lampone in close.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Rocco Lampone will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Damage shoots and misses

and Lampone counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Lampone is looking to take a break and control but Damage is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Lampone moves nicely into side control.
Damage taking punishment in the form of punches.
Damage tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Lampone wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Lampone is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Damage knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Lampone lands a nice forearm strike.
Damage can't do much from the bottom here.
Damage takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Damage is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lampone wants to control but Damage is keeping him busy.

Lampone wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Damage, who protects the arm well.
Rocco Lampone overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Lampone creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Damage is trying to control Lampone's posture but Lampone avoids it.
A lull in the action here.
Lampone is chipping away with strikes.
Damage tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Lampone easily slips into full mount!
Lampone lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lampone trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Lampone scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Damage can't escape the position.
Damage is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Lampone lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Damage is looking to get to half guard.
Damage wants to control but Lampone is having none of it.
Damage tries to reverse the position but Lampone maintains control.
Damage tries to hold on but Lampone postures up.
Damage keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Damage is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Lampone raining down shots from the mount!
Lampone avoids the attempt from Damage to control.
Lampone landing strikes, looking to finish!
Lampone connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Lampone lands a nice shot to the head.
Damage swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Damage is trying to escape the mount.
Damage is squirming around, avoiding Lampone's attempts to control the action.
Damage really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Damage is squirming around, avoiding Lampone's attempts to control the action.
A nice elbow there by Lampone.

Lampone swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Damage is now in Lampone's guard. A big mistake from Lampone there, giving up the dominant position!
Damage trying to control but Lampone is working from the bottom.

Lampone is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Damage trying to control but Lampone is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rocco Lampone dominated that second round.
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. This is the final round!

Damage with a poor takedown

and Lampone counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Lampone.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Damage.

Damage breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Lampone wants to clinch but Damage slips to the side
and Damage counters with a three punch combo that has Lampone backing up. Lampone nods at Damage to acknowledge the strikes.

Lampone decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Damage taking some punishment here, with Lampone in his half guard.
Lampone is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

Lampone in half guard on the top. He's looking for a kimura... He's got it locked and he's managed to free his trapped foot. Damage tries to escape but it's on too tight and he has to tap! Great BJJ skills there from Lampone!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:41 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Rocco Lampone!