PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Matt Bera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Enrique Rizzo Jr (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bera's entrance music is Parasite :D . A fine choice. Rizzo Jr has chosen Lazy Eye as his entrance music. 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.

Bera
vs
Rizzo Jr

180 cm
26
212 lbs
13 - 3 - 1

193 cm
21
245 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

BJJ Purple Belt
Lethal high kicks
Heavy handed

- - - - - All Nutrients 160 - - - - -

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Matt Bera!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Enrique Rizzo Jr!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, Bruno Hogan and Winston Howard.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bera shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Rizzo Jr but Rizzo Jr pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Bera shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Rizzo Jr defends it nicely.
Rizzo Jr defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Bera.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Bera. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bera shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Rizzo Jr defends it nicely.
Rizzo Jr misses with an uppercut.
Bera looks to land a right hand but Rizzo Jr moved out of range.
Rizzo Jr feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Beras jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Rizzo Jr lands a head shot.
Rizzo Jr avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rizzo Jr lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Bera closes the distance and clinches up with Rizzo Jr, looking for a takedown. Bera pushes Rizzo Jr against the ropes but Rizzo Jr circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Bera shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Bera was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Bera is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Rizzo Jr to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Rizzo Jr shrugs it off.
Bera prevents Rizzo Jr from getting the reversal.
Rizzo Jr is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Bera lands a big elbow.
Bera sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Bera wants to control but instead Rizzo Jr manages to regain half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Bera throws a strike but Rizzo Jr avoids it easily and moves to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rizzo Jr is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Bera trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Bera is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Bera tries to free his leg and advance position but Rizzo Jr is retaining full guard.
Bera trying to control but Rizzo Jr is working from the bottom.
Bera throws a big right hand that misses.
Bera might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Bera throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Bera scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Bera stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rizzo Jr swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bera with a flurry of punches that miss.
Bera won't allow Rizzo Jr to get back to his feet.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

Rizzo Jr is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Bera defends well.
Rizzo Jr wants to stand up but Bera is controlling him.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Bera wants to control from the top but Rizzo Jr keeps moving.
Bera lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Rizzo Jr looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Bera throwing strikes but missing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rizzo Jr is pulling down on Bera's head. It's preventing any offense from Bera, at least for the moment.
Bera looking to sit in guard and control but Rizzo Jr gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Rizzo Jr got a little sloppy there for a moment and Bera has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Rizzo Jr has managed to get both his arms back between Bera's legs - danger averted.
Rizzo Jr stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Bera swivels though and keeps the full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Rizzo Jr avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Bera looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Rizzo Jr passes into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Rizzo Jr throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Bera counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Rizzo Jr displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Bera throws out the jab.
Bera throws a body punch but Rizzo Jr moves out of range.
Bera looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Rizzo Jr slaps away a takedown attempt from Bera, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Bera tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in the close the distance. Rizzo Jr manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Bera throws a body punch but Rizzo Jr moves out of range.
Rizzo Jr cracks the inside of Bera's front leg.
Rizzo Jr dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Bera moves out of range of the strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Rizzo Jr, right into the meat.
Rizzo Jr throws a body kick that misses.
A solid leg kick lands there for Rizzo Jr.
Decent striking displayed by Rizzo Jr there.

Rizzo Jr takes the fight into the clinch.
Bera jumps guard but Rizzo Jr turns him against the ropes and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Bera. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bera changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Rizzo Jr fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Bera is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Rizzo Jr's half guard.
Bera wants to free his trapped foot but Rizzo Jr is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Matt Bera overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bera is looking to stall here but Rizzo Jr recovers full guard.
Bera postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rizzo Jr tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Rizzo Jr not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Rizzo Jr has his foot on Bera's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Bera works his way back into a safe position though.
Rizzo Jr utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Bera with a flurry of punches that miss.
Bera lands a couple of decent looking shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rizzo Jr pushes Bera off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Bera shoots in but no luck this time.
Rizzo Jr slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Bera shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Bera throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Rizzo Jr wants to clinch up but Bera keeps it at a distance.
Bera scores with a sloppy right hand. Rizzo Jr should have avoided that one.
Bera shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Rizzo Jr sprawls well. Rizzo Jr wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Bera gets slowly back to his feet.
Bera shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Rizzo Jr sprawls well. Rizzo Jr wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Bera gets slowly back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rizzo Jr missing with a left hand there. Bera was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Bera is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
The fighters circling - Rizzo Jr throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Bera tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rizzo Jr fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Bera is out of range.
Good standup being displayed there by Rizzo Jr as he connects with a hook.
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 Matt Bera will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Rizzo Jr thumps Bera with a low kick.
Rizzo Jr scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Bera.
Rizzo Jr fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Bera has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
A nice leg kick lands there from Rizzo Jr.
Bera ducks under a wild hook from Rizzo Jr.
Rizzo Jr lands with a kick to the ribs.
Bera dives in and grabs Rizzo Jr's left leg, looking for a takedown. Rizzo Jr pushes down on Bera's head and hops out.
Bera thuds his shin into the meat of Rizzo Jr's side.
Rizzo Jr throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A slapping leg kick lands for Rizzo Jr.
Bera fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rizzo Jr looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Rizzo Jr scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Rizzo Jr connects with a crisp jab.
Rizzo Jr lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Bera has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Bera. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bera fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Nice body punch from Rizzo Jr.
Enrique Rizzo Jr has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Matt Bera is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rizzo Jr misses with a straight left.
Rizzo Jr slaps away a takedown attempt from Bera, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Bera is pinned up against the ropes taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Bera shoots in looking for a takedown but Rizzo Jr manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Bera's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Rizzo Jr looks to throw the jab but Bera is out of range.
Enrique Rizzo Jr is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rizzo Jr buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Rizzo Jr uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Bera.
Bera tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rizzo Jr swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Bera shoots in for a double leg but Rizzo Jr sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big right from Rizzo Jr misses.
Bera tries to clinch but Rizzo Jr is having none of it.
Rizzo Jr throws a nice outside leg kick.
Bera closes the distance and clinches up with Rizzo Jr, looking for a takedown. Bera pushes Rizzo Jr against the ropes but Rizzo Jr circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Rizzo Jr looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Rizzo Jr goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Rizzo Jr scores with a jab. Bera acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
No joy there for Rizzo Jr, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Rizzo Jr fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Bera.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bera displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Rizzo Jr throws out the jab.
Bera ducks under a wild hook from Rizzo Jr.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bera fails with a takedown attempt.
Rizzo Jr ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Rizzo Jr with a hook.
Rizzo Jr cracks Bera with a right hand to the side of the head.
Bera slips a jab from Rizzo Jr.
Rizzo Jr is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Bera on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Bera feints and as Rizzo Jr raises his hands in defense, Bera changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Rizzo Jr doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
Enrique Rizzo Jr comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Bera has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Damien Edna scores the fight 29:28
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 28:29
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Enrique Rizzo Jr!
Enrique Rizzo Jr seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.