PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Luca Diamanti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leandro Dankner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Diamanti
vs
Dankner

185 cm
20
148 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

182 cm
21
189 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Luca Diamanti!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Leandro Dankner!
The judges for this bout are David Hoff, Bart Greer and Sandra Marshall.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Diamanti throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Diamanti fails to land the takedown.
Dankner shoots for a double leg takedown but Diamanti sprawls well. He's pushed Dankner's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Diamanti shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Dankner is looking for a sweep. Diamanti is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Diamanti prevents Dankner from standing back up.
Diamanti wants to pass the guard but Dankner is defending well.
Diamanti tries to stand and escape but Dankner is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dankner makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Dankner.
Dankner wants to stand but Diamanti is controlling the position.

Diamanti stands and steps away. Dankner gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Dankner moves into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diamanti has a couple of punches blocked by Dankner.

Dankner pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Dankner circles away from the clinch attempt.
Dankner lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Horrible takedown by Diamanti or perhaps it was just good defense by Dankner which made him look bad.
Dankner scoring well with a low kick there.
Dankner throws a leg kick which misses Diamanti's front leg but catches the back leg as Diamanti tries to avoid it.
Sloppy strikes from Dankner. Those never looked like landing.

Dankner clinches up with Diamanti and pushes him back against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Diamanti tries to land knees in the clinch but Dankner avoids the damage to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Dankner breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Diamanti listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Dankner bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Diamanti's head backwards.

Dankner gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Dankner pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Dankner closes the distance and clinches.
Diamanti jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Dankner walks away with a smile on his face. Diamanti gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Luca Diamanti. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Diamanti showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Dankner.
Diamanti throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Dankner's waist but Dankner gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Diamanti off to one side.

Dankner closes the distance and clinches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diamanti is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Dankner keeps control of Diamanti as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Dankner manages to break the clinch.

Dankner gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Dankner stops a takedown attempt from Diamanti.
Dankner is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Diamanti.

Dankner successfully pulls guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Diamanti won't allow Dankner to get back to his feet.
Diamanti trying to control but Dankner is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leandro Dankner dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Dankner closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Diamanti tries to pull guard but Dankner won't allow it.
Diamanti tries to land knees in the clinch but Dankner avoids the damage to the body.
Dankner managing to block the knees to the body from Diamanti.
Diamanti jumps guard but Dankner stands there with Diamanti around his waist. Diamanti gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Dankner breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Dankner throws a nice looking combination but Diamanti bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Diamanti leaves Dankner with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Diamanti wants to clinch.
Luca Diamanti is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dankner finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Dankner shoots in looking for a takedown but Diamanti manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Dankner's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Diamanti misses with a head kick.
Diamanti shoots in and drives through. Dankner sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Luca Diamanti. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Dankner lets loose with a powerful body kick. Diamanti will feel that in the morning.
Dankner plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Dankner cracks Diamanti with a good jab.
Dankner throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Diamanti's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dankner misses with a wild combination.
Dankner is breathing heavily.
A head kick misses from Dankner.
Diamanti wants to clinch.
Diamanti shoots for a double leg takedown but Dankner sprawls well. He's pushed Diamanti's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Dankner has closed the distance and engaged Diamanti in a clinch.
Diamanti trying to land knees to the body.
Dankner lands a good knee to the midsection. Diamanti won't want to take too many of those.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Dankner escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Diamanti tries a head kick but it misses.
Diamanti goes for a double leg but Dankner avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Dankner continues to drive forward.

Dankner pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Dankner misses with a takedown attempt - Diamanti sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Dankner fails with a takedown attempt.

Dankner clinches up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diamanti missing with knees to the body.
Dankner blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Diamanti tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Dankner avoids it.
Diamanti really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Diamanti breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Dankner moves into the clinch.
Dankner throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Diamanti blocks it with crossed arms.
Diamanti tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Dankner avoids it.

Dankner pulls guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Dankner wriggles free and stands up.
Diamanti wants to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leandro Dankner 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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Dankner shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Diamanti sprawls well. Diamanti wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Dankner gets slowly back to his feet.

Dankner closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Diamanti is trying to break free.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diamanti working aggressively here.
Diamanti is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Dankner is defending well for now.
Diamanti throws a punch but it's blocked by Dankner.

Dankner pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diamanti shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Dankner but Dankner pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Diamanti misses with a takedown attempt - Dankner sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Leandro Dankner seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Dankner drives through and clinches with Diamanti against the cage.
Diamanti wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Dankner is trying to push Diamanti away but Diamanti has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Dankner's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Dankner moves into the clinch.
Diamanti putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Dankner in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Diamanti is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Dankner is defending well for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diamanti has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Dankner is trying to break free.
Diamanti throws an elbow that misses.

Dankner breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Dankner clinches with his opponent.
Dankner lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Diamanti fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Luca Diamanti. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Diamanti swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Diamanti swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Diamanti trying to land knees to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Diamanti misses with a punch on the inside.
Diamanti misses with some punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Diamanti.
A nice left hand lands by Dankner.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Diamanti.
Diamanti is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Dankner to keep the fight standing.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Dankner avoiding damage as Diamanti throws knees to the body.
Diamanti tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Dankner avoids it.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Dankner.
Leandro Dankner seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Diamanti throws a head punch that misses.
Diamanti tries to pull guard but Dankner holds him up against the cage and eventually Diamanti drops back down to his feet.
Dankner avoiding damage as Diamanti throws knees to the body.

Diamanti pulls guard effortlessly.
Dankner works over Diamanti with some ground and pound from guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dankner content to stall in guard here.

Diamanti looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Dankner showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Let's hope that Dankner has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Leandro Dankner has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Diamanti misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A slapping leg kick lands for Dankner.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Leandro Dankner.
Well Dankner 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 David Hoff scores the fight for Leandro Dankner!
Judge Bart Greer scores the fight for Leandro Dankner!
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight for Leandro Dankner!

Leandro Dankner wins by unanimous decision!
Leandro Dankner thanked the fans post fight for their support.