PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Praying Mantis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Max Casacci (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Casacci has chosen Serpente by SUBSONICA as his entrance music. The key to victory for Praying Mantis has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Mantis
vs
Casacci

189 cm
21
195 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

183 cm
21
202 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Great elbows
Good gas tank

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 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Praying Mantis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Max Casacci!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Kenichi Hosakawa and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mantis tries to clinch up.
Casacci thows a left - swing and a miss!
Mantis looks to score with a jab to the body but Casacci is just out of range.
Mantis rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Casacci moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Casacci uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Mantis.
Casacci connects with a solid leg kick.
Casacci misses with a looping right.
Mantis tries to clinch but Casacci moves out of range.
Mantis throws a big shot that misses.
Some wild striking there from Mantis.
Casacci scores with a leg kick.
Nice body kick from Casacci.
Praying Mantis seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A nice inside leg kick there by Casacci. That's going to slow Mantis down.
Casacci scores with a crisp jab that stopped Mantis in his tracks.
Casacci has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Mantis is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Casacci fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Mantis has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Casacci explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Casacci thuds a left hand into Mantis's body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Casacci throws a front kick that sends Mantis stumbling back into the cage.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Casacci.
Casacci digs a good hook to Mantis's body.
Casacci lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Casacci pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Casacci just misses with a punch to the body.
Casacci just misses with a punch to the body.
Mantis looks to land a combination but Casacci avoids it well.
Casacci lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Casacci uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Mantis.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Mantis crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Casacci - the referee stops the clock and Mantis gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Casacci. Mantis manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Casacci scores with a spinning back kick!
Mantis ducks right into an uppercut from Casacci.
Mantis takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Mantis uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Casacci.
Mantis uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Casacci has time to react.
Mantis has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Casacci throws a front kick that sends Mantis stumbling back into the cage.
Mantis's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Casacci connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Mantis scrambles back to his feet.
Mantis keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Casacci looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Casacci connects with an inside leg kick.
Casacci throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Mantis.
Mantis fails with an attempt to clinch.
Mantis tries to clinch there but Casacci circles away.
Mantis moves out of range of the body kick.
Mantis walks forward, straight into a front kick from Casacci.
Casacci fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Mantis fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Casacci looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Casacci fakes the leg kick and cracks Mantis in the body.
Mantis ducks right into an uppercut from Casacci.
Casacci avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mantis with a jab.
Casacci scores with a leg kick.
Mantis misses with a straight left.
Casacci throws a quick inside leg kick.
Casacci misses the shot to the body.
Mantis looks to throw the jab but Casacci is out of range.
Mantis looks to throw the jab but Casacci is out of range.
Casacci missing with a left hand there. Mantis was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Mantis throws a shot from downtown. Casacci moves away and avoids it.
Jab by Casacci.
Mantis will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Mantis misses with an uppercut. Casacci saw that one coming.
Casacci scores with a push kick.
Mantis swings for the body but Casacci moves out of range.
A chopping leg kick lands by Casacci.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Casacci instigates a clinch.
Casacci blocking some punches.
Casacci lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Casacci scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Casacci lands an elbow that stopped Mantis in his tracks for a moment.
Mantis wants to break the clinch but can't.
Mantis takes an elbow to the forehead.
Mantis is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Casacci using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Mantis has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Mantis is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Casacci with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Mantis dodges an elbow strike from Casacci.
Casacci tries to land a knee to the head but Mantis blocks with his arms.
Casacci misses with a knee to the head.
Casacci looking to throw knees to the head but Mantis is blocking nicely.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Mantis is trying to break the clinch but Casacci is controlling him.
Mantis has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Casacci comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Mantis is trying to break the clinch but Casacci has him pressed against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Max Casacci dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Casacci has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Mantis rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Casacci moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Mantis misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Casacci.
Mantis fails to land with a series of punches.
Casacci throws a quick inside leg kick.
Casacci scores with a head kick.
Mantis tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Casacci wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mantis loads up on a big right hand but Casacci slips the punch.
Casacci lands a nice looking body shot.
Mantis throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Casacci counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Casacci.
Mantis is looking to control Casacci's arms but Casacci gets an underhook and turns him. Now Mantis has his back to the cage.
Casacci tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Mantis throws a punch but it's blocked by Casacci.
Mantis working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Mantis taking a breather.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mantis wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Casacci looking to throw knees to the head but Mantis is blocking nicely.
Casacci lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Casacci struggles to land a body shot inside as Mantis controls his hands.
Casacci with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Casacci lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Casacci obliges.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Casacci lands an elbow just above Mantis 's eye.
Casacci lands a damaging elbow.

It looks like Praying Mantis has been cut.
Mantis takes an elbow to the forehead.
Casacci connects with a knee to the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Casacci misses with a body punch.
Casacci lands with a right to the head.
Casacci keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Mantis's efforts to push away.
Casacci is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Casacci landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Casacci lands a nice shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Casacci keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Mantis's efforts to push away.
Casacci lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Mantis stalling in the clinch but Casacci improves position.
Casacci creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Mantis's defenses.
Casacci lands a shoulder strike.
Max Casacci seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Casacci connects with a nasty looking knee right to Mantis's face.
Mantis has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Nice elbow from Casacci.
Casacci has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Casacci lands a nice shot to the body.
Casacci lands a right hand.
Casacci lands a nice knee to the body.
Casacci with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Mantis takes an elbow to the forehead.
A shot in the inside from Casacci.
Casacci lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Casacci comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Casacci.
Casacci landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Casacci lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Casacci landing knees to the head.
Casacci lands a knee to the head.
Mantis takes an elbow to the temple.
Casacci tries a knee to the head but Mantis blocks it.
Casacci tries to land a knee to the head but Mantis blocks with his arms.
Nice elbow from Casacci.
Mantis softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Mantis misses with a punch to the body.
Casacci lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Casacci throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Mantiss head.
Casacci throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Casacci lands an elbow that stopped Mantis in his tracks for a moment.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Casacci lands with a left to the head.
Praying Mantis has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mantis throws a punch but it's blocked by Casacci.
Nice elbow from Casacci.
Casacci lands a nice elbow.
A short uppercut from Casacci.
A nice left hand lands by Casacci.
Mantis blocks the elbow strike.
Mantis misses with a punch on the inside.
Casacci gets through Mantis's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Casacci tries a knee to the head but Mantis blocks it.
Casacci lands a hook that snaps the head of Mantis backwards.
Casacci is leaning against Mantis and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Casacci lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Casacci lands with a short head shot on the inside.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Mantis breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Mantis takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Mantis with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Casacci works Mantis's body with a nice hook.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Max Casacci showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Praying Mantis's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Casacci throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Casacci throws a body punch but Mantis moves out of range.
Mantis bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Casacci looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Mantis misses the jab.
Casacci lands a nice leg kick that just misses Mantis's sensitive parts.
Mantis connects with a body shot that sends Casacci's belly button to the back.
Casacci swats away the attempt to clinch by Mantis.
Mantis takes a kick to the side of the head.
Mantis fails with an attempt to clinch.
Casacci uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Mantis.
Mantis throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Casacci fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Mantis.
Mantis fails in his attempt to clinch.
Max Casacci seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mantis throws a right and a left that Casacci avoids nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Casacci staying out of range there.
Mantis tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Casacci was well out of range. Poor timing from Mantis.
Mantis throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Mantis moves to clinch but Casacci breaks away
and Casacci counters with a slapping leg kick.
Casacci jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Mantis swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Mantis swings away with a body shot that misses
and Casacci counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Mantis is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Casacci throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Mantis throws a hook but Casacci blocks it.
A solid leg kick lands there for Casacci.
Mantis throws a series of punches but Casacci avoids them all with ease.
Casacci paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Max Casacci is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Casacci comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Casacci instigates a clinch.
Mantis has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Casacci lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Casacci creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Casacci misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Casacci.
A short left from Casacci.
Casacci tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Casacci lands with a light punch inside.
A head punch on the inside from Mantis fails to land.
Mantis tries to work over Casacci's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Casacci blocking some punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mantis blocks the elbow strike.
Casacci scores with a shot to the side of Mantis's head.
Mantis misses with a punch on the inside.
A nice right hand lands inside from Mantis.
Casacci works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Mantis looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Mantis slows down the pace here.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Casacci.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Knees to the body from Casacci.
Casacci lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Mantis or not.
Casacci creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Mantis's defenses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Casacci lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Casacci lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Casacci lands an elbow that stopped Mantis in his tracks for a moment.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Casacci.
Casacci lands with a left to the head.
Casacci lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

Mantis is rocked!
Casacci lands an elbow just above Mantis 's eye.
Oh Mantis is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Casacci looking to throw knees to the head but Mantis is blocking nicely.
Mantis fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Mantis misses with the head strike.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Mantis.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Mantis seems to have got his legs back now.
Casacci lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Mantis is looking to control Casacci's arms but Casacci gets an underhook and turns him. Now Mantis has his back to the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Max Casacci comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Casacci 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 27:30
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Max Casacci!
A victorious Max Casacci thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.