PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Antonio Belfort (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Roman Szczeniak (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Roman Szczeniak has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Belfort
vs
Szczeniak

185 cm
24
195 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

181 cm
28
192 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Antonio Belfort!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Roman Szczeniak!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Mauricio Rocha and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A head kick misses from Belfort.
Belfort tries to clinch up.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Szczeniak shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Szczeniak tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Belfort defends well and Szczeniak ends up having to push Belfort into the ropes where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Belfort tries to circle away but Szczeniak has him pinned against the ropes.

Szczeniak has Belfort pressed up against the ropes. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Szczeniak pulls back from the ropes and twists to the side, sending Belfort tumbling to the mat - Szczeniak dives into Belfort's guard.
Belfort keeping moving, preventing Szczeniak from controlling successfully.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Belfort is on top in guard.
Szczeniak looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Szczeniak is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Szczeniak looking for a sweep. Not yet Szczeniak, not yet.
Belfort wants to control from the top but Szczeniak keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Antonio Belfort wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Szczeniak shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Belfort pushes Szczeniak off looking to stand but Szczeniak dives back in and keeps control.
Szczeniak looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Szczeniak passes to side control.
Szczeniak lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Szczeniak working the ground and pound.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Belfort manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Still in half guard, Szczeniak seems content to control.
Belfort moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Szczeniak controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Szczeniak with a nice head shot there.
Szczeniak makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Szczeniak is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Szczeniak content to stall in guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Szczeniak lands a couple of digs.
Belfort is breathing heavily.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Szczeniak's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Szczeniak is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Szczeniak engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

Szczeniak drops back looking for a leg! Belfort is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Belfort manages to kick Szczeniak off! Szczeniak jumps back into Belfort's guard.
Szczeniak passes Belfort's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Belfort is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Belfort trying to control from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Belfort taking some punishment here, with Szczeniak in his half guard.
Szczeniak slips a nice elbow through Belfort's hands, connecting with Belfort's forehead.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Belfort on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Szczeniak in particular looking to stall.
Belfort on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Szczeniak winds up and cracks Belfort with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Szczeniak seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

Belfort is rocked!
Belfort is trying to stand up here but Szczeniak is controlling him well.

Szczeniak is looking for a kimura here.
Belfort is in trouble now - Szczeniak has advanced to mount!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Szczeniak is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Belfort has managed to escape the submission attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roman Szczeniak dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

A head kick misses from Belfort.
Belfort tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Szczeniak.
Szczeniak tries to land a front kick but Belfort steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Belfort pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Szczeniak blocks a head kick by Belfort.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Szczeniak shoots in looking for a takedown but Belfort manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Szczeniak's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Szczeniak shoots for a takedown but Belfort saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Antonio Belfort has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Roman Szczeniak.
Belfort lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

Szczeniak shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Belfort manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Szczeniak not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Szczeniak connects with a couple of short punches.
Szczeniak won't allow Belfort to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Belfort has momentary wrist control but Szczeniak slips an elbow through the middle.
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.
Szczeniak content to stall in guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Szczeniak's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Szczeniak controlling from the top position.
Szczeniak has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Szczeniak stands up over Belfort, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Szczeniak controls from within his opponent's guard.
Szczeniak is working Belfort over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Szczeniak connects with a couple of short punches.
Szczeniak chips away with some ground and pound.
Szczeniak is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Oh Belfort is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Szczeniak is in close to Belfort's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Szczeniak arches his back and unloads with a massive left and a right! Belfort's eyes roll back into his head, he's out cold! The ref dives in to stop the fight - wow, they were hard shots!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Roman Szczeniak!