PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Julia Aranda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Robert Szumilas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Szumilas is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Amorphis "Skyforger". Robert Szumilas is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Aranda
vs
Szumilas

195 cm
18
135 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

162 cm
21
130 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Julia Aranda!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Robert Szumilas!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Jack Bonds and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aranda moves out of range of the body kick from Szumilas.
Aranda tries for a takedown but Szumilas circles away easily

and Szumilas counters with a nice double leg into side control. Aranda won't be happy with that.
Aranda wants to control but Szumilas postures up.
Szumilas is working Aranda over with some ground and pound from side control.
Aranda is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Szumilas thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Szumilas advances nicely into full mount.

Szumilas is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Aranda has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Aranda!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aranda keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Szumilas's head.
Szumilas not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Szumilas controlling the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Aranda trying to control but Szumilas is working from the bottom.
Szumilas really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Aranda. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Aranda stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Szumilas swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Szumilas lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Aranda!
Aranda really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Aranda is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Szumilas lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Szumilas looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Aranda slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Szumilas drops an elbow to the side of Aranda's head.
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!
Szumilas passes the guard and advances to mount!
Aranda is trying desperately to improve position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Szumilas with good strikes from the mount here!
Aranda tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Szumilas working Aranda over with strikes here.
Aranda can't escape the position.
Szumilas working the ground and pound effectively.
Szumilas scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Aranda?
Aranda is desperately trying to improve his position but Szumilas has a good base and remains in mount.
Szumilas punishing his opponent with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aranda is in a horrible position here. Szumilas smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Szumilas cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Szumilas with a couple of short strikes.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Szumilas is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Aranda can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.

Szumilas working for a submission but Aranda is keeping him at bay.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Aranda tries to lock up and control but Szumilas gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Robert Szumilas dominated that 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.

Aranda fails with the takedown

and Szumilas counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Aranda's guard now.

Szumilas has gone for a leg lock! Aranda slips out almost immediately though and dives into Szumilas's guard.
Aranda connects with a couple of short punches.
Szumilas trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Aranda trying to control the position from guard on top but Szumilas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Szumilas will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Szumilas not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Szumilas throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Szumilas has a closed guard, preventing Aranda from standing up.
Szumilas wants to stand but Aranda is controlling the position.
Aranda will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Szumilas tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Aranda wants to stand and escape but instead Szumilas has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Aranda trying to control the position.
Szumilas trying to control the position from guard on top but Aranda is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Szumilas is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Szumilas's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Aranda lands a decent shot there.
Aranda controls Szumilas momentarily but Szumilas frees himself.

Aranda is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Szumilas defends well.
Szumilas postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Szumilas preventing the sweep.
Szumilas scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Aranda really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Aranda trying to control the position.
Szumilas lands a couple of elbows.
Szumilas won't allow Aranda to get back to his feet.
Szumilas with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Szumilas prevents Aranda from getting back to his feet.
Szumilas lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Szumilas working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Aranda's head.
Aranda wants to sweep here but Szumilas controlling him for the moment.
Aranda is working hard here to advance position.
Szumilas postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Szumilas avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Szumilas postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Robert Szumilas showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Aranda fails with the takedown

and Szumilas counters with a takedown into side control.
Aranda is looking for a sweep.
Szumilas working the ground and pound from side control.
Aranda tries to buck Szumilas off but Szumilas is having none of it.
Szumilas tries to advance to mount but can't.
Szumilas working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Aranda striking from the bottom but nothing landed.
Robert Szumilas has got the better of the ground game so far.
Szumilas lands a decent elbow from side control.
Szumilas landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Szumilas tries for a kimura but Aranda is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aranda taking a bit of punishment here - Szumilas scoring with strikes.
Szumilas cracks Aranda with a big elbow.

Szumilas swings around for an armbar but Aranda sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Szumilas's guard.
Aranda tries to stand but Szumilas is controlling from the bottom.
Aranda wants to control from the top but Szumilas keeps moving.
Szumilas seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Szumilas throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Szumilas will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Aranda is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Aranda throwing strikes but missing.
Aranda throwing strikes from guard but Szumilas blocks nicely.
Aranda postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aranda wants to control from the top but Szumilas keeps moving.

Julia Aranda has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Szumilas bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Aranda misses with a strike from the bottom.

Szumilas tries for a kimura but Aranda is defending well.
Aranda gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Aranda is looking to control Szumilas's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Aranda avoid being mounted?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aranda tries to get to full guard but Szumilas has control of the leg.
Aranda trying to control but Szumilas postures up.
Szumilas is trying to control. Aranda wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Aranda makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Szumilas closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Julia Aranda has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Robert Szumilas is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Aranda throws a knee to the head but misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Robert Szumilas comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Szumilas has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 27:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 27:30

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