PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mario Betoli (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Solomon Rosenzweig (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Betoli comes to the ring accompanied by Mario theme. Rosenzweig comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Stamina kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Betoli
vs
Rosenzweig

195 cm
39
282 lbs
41 - 22 - 0

185 cm
26
205 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

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 41 - 22 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Mario Betoli!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Solomon Rosenzweig!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Phil Schofield and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Betoli is defended easily by Rosenzweig.
Rosenzweig has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.

Rosenzweig scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Betoli is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
A lull in the action here.
Rosenzweig is looking to take a break and control but Betoli is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Rosenzweig is trying to get an arm triangle but Betoli is defending well.
Betoli struggling a bit here.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Betoli is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Rosenzweig off and has taken his back!

Rosenzweig defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Betoli trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Rosenzweig doesn't escape.

Betoli working for a choke but Rosenzweig is defending well.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Betoli controlling the positon.
Betoli wants to control but Rosenzweig is keeping busy.

Betoli is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Rosenzweig defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Betoli trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
I would not like to be Rosenzweig right now.
Betoli has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Betoli tries to keep control of the position but Rosenzweig is staying busy.

Betoli has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Rosenzweig has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!

Rosenzweig is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Betoli trying to control.
Rosenzweig tries to escape but Betoli has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Rosenzweig is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Betoli seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Rosenzweig for as long as he can get away with.
Betoli trying to control.
Betoli has the hooks in. Rosenzweig is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Betoli slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Mario Betoli wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Rosenzweig drives through with a takedown into guard.
Betoli is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Betoli bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rosenzweig's guard.
Betoli trying to control but Rosenzweig is working from the bottom.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Betoli stands and throws Rosenzweig's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Betoli slows the pace down.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Rosenzweig tries to improve position but can't.
Rosenzweig regains half guard there - taking advantage of Betoli's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Betoli wants to control but Rosenzweig is keeping him busy.
Betoli wants to pass the guard but Rosenzweig is defending well.
Rosenzweig is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
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.
Betoli controlling the action here.
Betoli passes the guard and advances to mount!

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Betoli wants to control the pace but Rosenzweig is squirming around nicely.

Betoli goes for an armbar but Rosenzweig turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Rosenzweig.
Rosenzweig pushing down on Betoli's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Betoli won't allow Rosenzweig to pass to mount.
Betoli keeping hold of Rosenzweig's head, controlling as best he can.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.

Betoli actively working from the bottom here.
Rosenzweig is thwarting Betoli's attempts to control the position.
Rosenzweig works his way into full mount!
Rosenzweig looking to control but Betoli is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Rosenzweig is dominating on the ground here - he's now on his opponent's back, looking to sink in the hooks. Betoli is in real trouble.
Betoli wants to escape the position.
Betoli looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Rosenzweig has the hooks in. Betoli is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.

Rosenzweig looking for the choke but no joy.
Betoli trying to control the hands but Rosenzweig breaks the grip.
Betoli is keeping busy.
Rosenzweig avoiding Betoli 's attempts to control his hands.
You can see the frustration on Betoli's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Betoli prevents Rosenzweig from getting a body triangle.
Rosenzweig doesn't have the hooks in and Betoli manages to turn into his guard.
Betoli tries to free his leg and advance position but Rosenzweig is retaining full guard.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Rosenzweig is trying to control the position from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Solomon Rosenzweig.

Rosenzweig looking to score a takedown here. Betoli is defending well but Rosenzweig drives through and ends up in Betoli's guard.
Betoli looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Rosenzweig slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Rosenzweig pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Betoli is keeping the position for now.
Betoli manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Rosenzweig tries to hold on but Betoli pushes him away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Betoli trying to control but Rosenzweig is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mario Betoli dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Betoli gets caught napping as Rosenzweig dives in and scores a takedown. Betoli manages to retain guard.
Rosenzweig postures up.
Rosenzweig slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Rosenzweig is looking to take a break and control but Betoli is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Betoli tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Rosenzweig wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Betoli prevents Rosenzweig from moving into mount.
Betoli manages to get back to half guard.

Rosenzweig is looking for a kimura here.
Betoli wants to control but Rosenzweig is keeping busy.
Betoli is doing well to control the position and prevent Rosenzweig from advancing to side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Betoli tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Rosenzweig has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Betoli bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Rosenzweig trying to keep a closed guard but Betoli is proving a slippery customer.
Rosenzweig is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Rosenzweig seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Betoli content to stall in guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Betoli looking to pass the guard.
Betoli trying to control but Rosenzweig is working from the bottom.

Mario Betoli has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Rosenzweig shoots in and bounces Betoli off the ropes to secure the takedown into guard.
Betoli is controlling Rosenzweig's posture.
Rosenzweig pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Betoli is keeping the position for now.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rosenzweig wants to control from the top but Betoli keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rosenzweig is fighting to break Betoli's control of his arms but Betoli is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Betoli is defended easily by Rosenzweig.

Betoli shoots in and gets a takedown into Rosenzweig's guard.
Rosenzweig wants to sweep here but Betoli controlling him for the moment.
Betoli trying to control the position from guard on top but Rosenzweig is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Betoli slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Betoli looking to sit in guard and control but Rosenzweig gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Betoli tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Rosenzweig stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Betoli swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Betoli is pulling down on Rosenzweig's head. It's preventing any offense from Rosenzweig, at least for the moment.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Betoli has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Rosenzweig can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Rosenzweig trying to control but Betoli is working from the bottom.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Betoli looking to control.
Betoli manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

Betoli goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Rosenzweig is on top in guard.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Rosenzweig wants to control from the top but Betoli keeps moving.
Betoli trying to keep a closed guard but Rosenzweig is proving a slippery customer.
Betoli keeping full guard, as Rosenzweig tries to pass.
Betoli is adopting a defensive guard.
Betoli looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Rosenzweig stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Betoli swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Betoli shoots in looking for a takedown. Rosenzweig tries to sprawl out of it but Betoli keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the ropes. Rosenzweig manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Betoli misses with a takedown

and Rosenzweig counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Betoli!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mario Betoli. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Rosenzweig tries for a kimura but Betoli is defending well.

Rosenzweig working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Betoli is looking for a sweep.
Betoli is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Rosenzweig off and has taken his back!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Betoli controlling from the back.
Betoli's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Betoli looking to hold on to the position here but Rosenzweig rolls and ends up regaining guard.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Betoli trying to control but Rosenzweig is working from the bottom.
Betoli stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rosenzweig swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Betoli looking to sit in guard and control but Rosenzweig gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Betoli keeping moving, preventing Rosenzweig from controlling successfully.
Rosenzweig slips nicely into half guard.
Betoli is pressing down on Rosenzweig's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Rosenzweig works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Betoli regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Betoli wants to sweep here but Rosenzweig controlling him for the moment.
Rosenzweig trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Rosenzweig is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Betoli pulls Rosenzweig in close to prevent any damage.

Betoli throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Betoli escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rosenzweig gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Mario Betoli overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rosenzweig looking to pass the guard.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Rosenzweig keeps trying to improve his position.

Betoli looking to try and escape his hips here, looking for a submission. It looks like he's going for a triangle but Rosenzweig is defending well. Betoli quickly switches to an armbar and extends the arm! Rosenzweig has no choice but to tap, to a very quick submission! Wow, that was lightning fast! Betoli celebrates on the ropes, with the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 9:29 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Mario Betoli!