PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Anthony Lombardo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mica Makaaja (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lombardo comes to the cage accompanied by From Despair To Where. The crowd seem to be enjoying Makaaja's choice of entrance music: BassLovers United - I Can't Dance. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Lombardo
vs
Makaaja

185 cm
32
220 lbs
18 - 14 - 0

180 cm
30
215 lbs
10 - 4 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Very quick

ADCC Champion
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 18 - 14 - 0, fighting out of London, Anthony Lombardo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mica Makaaja!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lombardo tries to clinch but Makaaja is having none of it.
Makaaja avoids a punch combination nicely.

Makaaja tries to keep at a distance but Lombardo has taken the fight into the clinch.
Lombardo lands a shoulder strike.
Lombardo misses with a punch to the body.

Lombardo is trying to trip Makaaja. He has hold of a leg but Makaaja is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Lombardo persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Lombardo chips away with some ground and pound.

Makaaja throws his legs up looking for a submission but Lombardo uses it to pass to side control.
Makaaja manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

Makaaja is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Makaaja is working for a kimura but Lombardo is defending it quite comfortably.

Makaaja is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Lombardo is just riding it out for now. Makaaja eventually gives up the hold.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Makaaja is looking for a kimura but Lombardo is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Makaaja to get the leverage.
Makaaja stops Lombardo from getting back to his feet.

Makaaja is looking for a kimura but Lombardo is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Makaaja to get the leverage.

Makaaja is working for a submission of some sort.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Makaaja is trying to control. Lombardo wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Lombardo wants to get back to his feet.

Makaaja seems to be working for a kimura but Lombardo defends the submission attempt.
Makaaja is keen to just control but Lombardo is a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lombardo looks like he's trying to stand up.

Lombardo is defending against the submission attempts here by Makaaja.
Lombardo wants to get back to his feet.

Makaaja is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Lombardo defends it well.
Lombardo wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Makaaja seems to be working for a kimura but Lombardo defends the submission attempt.

Lombardo pushes Makaaja off and gets back to his feet.
Lombardo takes a swing at Makaaja's ribcage but misses.
Lombardo lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Makaaja at a distance.
Lombardo tries to clinch but Makaaja is having none of it.
Lombardo tries to clinch up.
Lombardo stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Lombardo wants it to stay on the feet.
Lombardo tries to clinch but Makaaja is having none of it.
Lombardo wants to clinch.
Anthony Lombardo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Makaaja fails with a takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lombardo shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Makaaja manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Lombardo has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Lombardo is in close to Makaaja's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Makaaja is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Makaaja working for a triangle but Lombardo defends it easily.

Makaaja is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Makaaja working for a triangle but Lombardo defends it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anthony Lombardo dominated that 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.

Lombardo tries to clinch there but Makaaja circles away.

A jab-cross combination lands for Lombardo and sends Makaaja crashing to the mat! Lombardo follows him down to the mat - Makaaja regains half guard but he's not out of trouble yet!

It looks like Mica Makaaja has been cut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Makaaja wants to control but Lombardo is keeping busy.
Lombardo looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Makaaja looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Makaaja is trying to maintain the position but Lombardo is very close to passing his half guard.
Lombardo works his way into side control.
Makaaja tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Lombardo wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lombardo scores with punches from side control.

Lombardo working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Lombardo working the body and head with strikes.
Makaaja can't do much from the bottom here.
Lombardo in side control lands a decent elbow.
Lombardo scoring with punches and elbows.

Lombardo is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Makaaja has escaped the position, nice work there.
Makaaja stops Lombardo from passing to mount.
Makaaja sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Lombardo wants to pass the guard but Makaaja is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lombardo prevents Makaaja from improving his position.

Makaaja is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Lombardo pulls his head out easily.

Makaaja looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Makaaja is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Makaaja trying to hold on to Lombardo's head to control him but Lombardo postures up.
Lombardo trying to mount his opponent but Makaaja defends it.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Lombardo lands a nice short elbow.

Makaaja is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Lombardo pulls his head out easily.
Lombardo works his way into full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lombardo scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Lombardo looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Makaaja in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Lombardo postures up and lands a whopping elbow - oh that's hurt Makaaja bigstyle! Two more strikes land for Lombardo and the fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:41 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Anthony Lombardo!
Anthony Lombardo managed to slip a mention for his sponsors, GTI - 1337 sponsors VERSUS, into his post fight interview.