PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Albert Anastasia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Craig Anderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Anastasia comes to the cage accompanied by hellrazor. The crowd seem to be enjoying Anderson's choice of entrance music: The High Road. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Anastasia
vs
Anderson

183 cm
27
148 lbs
10 - 0 - 0

174 cm
28
148 lbs
8 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

TWGC Champion
Good low kicks
Granite chin

Vandal Fight Boutique & Laundry

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Albert Anastasia!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Craig Anderson!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Steve Smith and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Anastasia throws a hook to the side of Anderson's head but Anderson sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Anastasia throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Anderson counters with a nice double leg into guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Anderson content to stall in guard here.
Anastasia really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Anderson tries to free his leg and advance position but Anastasia is retaining full guard.
Anastasia knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Anderson on the ground.
Anderson trying to move into half guard but instead Anastasia has managed to sweep!
Anastasia wants to control from the top but Anderson keeps moving.
Anastasia looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Anderson escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Anastasia gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Anderson is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Anastasia preventing the sweep.
Anderson is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Anastasia wants to control from the top but Anderson keeps moving.
Anastasia looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Anastasia postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Anastasia trying to control but Anderson is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Albert Anastasia.
Anderson displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Anastasia throws out the jab.
Anderson throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Anastasia on the side of the head.
Anderson takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Anastasia avoids the head kick by Anderson.
Anastasia avoids the head kick by Anderson.
Anastasia misses with a looping right.
Anderson has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Anastasia finds it's way round the side to connect with Anderson's head.
Anderson scores with a head kick. Anastasia tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Anderson throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Anastasia closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Anderson did well to prevent Anastasia getting side control.
Anderson slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anastasia trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Anastasia wants to control from the top but Anderson keeps moving.
Anastasia postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Anastasia has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Anastasia wants to control from the top but Anderson keeps moving.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Albert Anastasia.

Anastasia gets a takedown into half guard.

Anderson looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Anastasia perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Anderson trying to hold on to Anastasia's head to control him but Anastasia postures up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Anastasia sitting and controlling from the half guard.
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 Albert Anastasia will probably get the nod.
That's time! Anastasia's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Anderson lands a head kick. Anastasia smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Anderson takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Anderson throws a low kick but Anastasia moves out of range easily.

Anderson tries to sprawl but Anastasia drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Anderson is staying active underneath Anastasia, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Anastasia is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Anastasia seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Anderson for as long as he can get away with.
Anastasia looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Anastasia is thwarting Anderson's attempts to control the position.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Albert Anastasia just wasn't active enough.

Anastasia throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Anderson was covering up waiting for the punch and Anastasia finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Anastasia content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Anastasia slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Anastasia looking to pass the guard.

Anderson is looking for a triangle but Anastasia pushes his legs off easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Anderson is trying to keep Anastasia in close.
Anastasia stopping the sweep attempt from Anderson.
Albert Anastasia overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Anderson wants to control the position but Anastasia says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Anastasia wants to control but Anderson is keeping him busy.
Anastasia is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Anderson moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Anderson looking for a guillotine here but Anastasia defends easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anastasia trying to control the position from guard on top but Anderson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Anastasia slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Anastasia wants to control from the top but Anderson keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Albert Anastasia just wasn't active enough.

Anastasia gets a takedown into half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Anastasia in particular looking to stall.
Anderson wants to control but Anastasia is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Anastasia trying to control from half guard but Anderson is working away.
Anderson is looking for a sweep. Anastasia is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Anastasia takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Albert Anastasia has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Anastasia with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Anderson to score with a decent uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Albert Anastasia 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!

Anastasia misses with a right hand

and Anderson counters with a shoot takedown. Anastasia fights it but they end up in guard.
Anderson wants to pass the guard but Anastasia is keeping the position.
Anderson slips nicely into half guard.
Anderson is just content to waste time from the top position. Anastasia takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Anderson stops Anastasia from standing up.
Anderson slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Anastasia is looking to stand up but Anderson isn't so interested in that idea.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Anderson trying to control but Anastasia is working from the bottom.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Craig Anderson.
Anastasia misses the jab.
Anderson throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Anastasia takes a swing at Anderson's ribcage but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Anastasia fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Anderson to the ground. Anastasia is now in Anderson's guard.
Anastasia missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Anastasia got a little sloppy there for a moment and Anderson has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Anastasia has managed to get both his arms back between Anderson's legs - danger averted.
Anastasia showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Anastasia postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Anastasia trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Anastasia stopping the sweep attempt from Anderson.
Anastasia wants to control from the top but Anderson keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anastasia forces his way into half guard.
Anderson keeping control of the position.
Anastasia is looking to stall here but Anderson recovers full guard.
Albert Anastasia is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Anastasia stands and throws Anderson's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Anderson is not content to let Anastasia control the position.
Craig Anderson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Anastasia tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Anastasia in side control, throwing shots but Anderson defends.
Anastasia wants to lay and pray for a moment but Anderson keeps working.
Anderson regains half guard.
Anderson tries to get to full guard but Anastasia has control of the leg.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Anderson is staying active underneath Anastasia, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Anderson wants to get back to full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Craig Anderson.
I think Anastasia 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 Yves DeLean scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Albert Anastasia!
An out of breath Albert Anastasia thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.