PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Flavio Lazzarini (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tom Jones (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lazzarini comes to the cage accompanied by Goffredo Mameli - 'Il Canto degli Italiani'. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Lazzarini
vs
Jones

185 cm
29
201 lbs
10 - 4 - 0

193 cm
35
194 lbs
23 - 15 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Milwaukee's Best 160 (85% laundry)

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 10 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Flavio Lazzarini!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 15 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Tom Jones!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Roosa Järviläinen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Some bone on bone action there as Lazzarini checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Lazzarini dodges the punch combination from Jones.

Lazzarini closes the distance and clinches.
Lazzarini fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Jones wants to get back to striking at distance but Lazzarini won't allow it.
Jones tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Jones goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Lazzarini lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Lazzarini landing knees to the body.
Lazzarini's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Jones has a couple of punches blocked by Lazzarini.
Lazzarini landing some nice looking knees to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lazzarini tries to throw a body punch but Jones avoids it by throwing Lazzarini back against the cage.
I was talking to Lazzarini's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Lazzarini lands a right hand that snaps the head of Jones backwards.

It looks like Tom Jones has been cut.
Lazzarini fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Jones misses with a short punch on the inside.
Lazzarini looking to throw knees to the head but Jones is blocking nicely.
Jones is looking to take this one to the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lazzarini is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Jones misses with the head strike.
Lazzarini tries a knee to the head but Jones blocks it.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Lazzarini avoiding damage.
Lazzarini blocking some punches.
Jones goes for a takedown attempt but Lazzarini pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Jones checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Lazzarini goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

Jones drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Lazzarini is looking to regain half guard here but Jones keeps moving and retains side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jones working away.
Jones wants to control but Lazzarini is keeping him busy.
Lazzarini is looking for a sweep.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jones lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Lazzarini is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Jones off and has taken his back!
Lazzarini has the hooks in. Jones is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Jones is still trying to improve position.
Lazzarini controls the action.
Jones tries to break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lazzarini trying to control.
Jones covering up well and avoiding damage.
Lazzarini struggling to keep hold of the position.

Lazzarini looking for the RNC.
Jones tries to roll but Lazzarini sticks to his back.
Lazzarini landing with strikes.
Jones trying to control but not successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lazzarini thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.
Lazzarini loading up with punches from the back mount - how long can Jones hold on?
Lazzarini trying to control momentarily.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Lazzarini is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Jones is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Lazzarini has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Lazzarini controlling from the back.
Jones manages to reverse the position and now he's in Lazzarini's guard. Nice work there by Jones.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Flavio Lazzarini dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Tom Jones's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Lazzarini throws a big shot that misses.
Jones shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Lazzarini eats them both and turns towards Jones to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Lazzarini walks into a left hand.
Lazzarini uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Jones.
Lazzarini takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Lazzarini walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
A jab from Jones misses.

Lazzarini closes the distance and clinches.
Jones misses with a hook to the ribs.
Jones tries to break free but Lazzarini pushes him back against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Jones.
Lazzarini looking to slow down the pace here.
A short right from Lazzarini on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Jones fails to land.
Lazzarini working aggressively here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones misses with a punch on the inside.
Lazzarini lands with a right to the head.
Jones digs a right hand into Lazzarini's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Lazzarini's gas tank.
Jones throws a punch but it's blocked by Lazzarini.
Lazzarini wants to stall.
Lazzarini struggles to land a body shot inside as Jones controls his hands.
A head punch on the inside from Jones fails to land.
Lazzarini landing knees to the head.
Lazzarini blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Jones lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Lazzarini misses with a hook to the ribs.
Lazzarini trying to land knees to the body.
Jones throws a head punch that misses.
Lazzarini stalling in the clinch but Jones improves position.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Jones gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Lazzarini moves into full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Jones is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Jones throwing strikes from guard but Lazzarini blocks nicely.
Lazzarini 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.
Lazzarini keeping moving, preventing Jones from controlling successfully.
Jones missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Jones 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.
Lazzarini tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lazzarini trying to keep a closed guard but Jones is proving a slippery customer.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Jones trying to control but Lazzarini is working from the bottom.
Lazzarini trying to control the position.
Flavio Lazzarini overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Jones throws a big shot that misses.
Lazzarini throws a leg kick but Jones sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Jones swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Lazzarini stuffs the takedown.
Tom Jones seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Jones misses with a two punch combination.
Lazzarini tries to clinch up.
Jones lands a really nice looking cross but Lazzarini seems unphased.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lazzarini misses with a leg kick.
Lazzarini will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Jones tries to close the distance and clinch up but Lazzarini swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Lazzarini takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Jones lands a nice looking kick to the body. Lazzarini takes a step back to recover.
Jones tests Lazzarini's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Jones on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Lazzarini throws a leg kick but Jones sees it coming and moves out of range.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Jones shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Lazzarini pinned against the cage. Lazzarini gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Flavio Lazzarini is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Good leg kick by Jones there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Jones fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Lazzarini has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Jones showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Tom Jones's cut.
That's time! Lazzarini's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Lazzarini fails with an attempt to clinch.
Jones shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Lazzarini eats them both and turns towards Jones to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Jones dives in and grabs Lazzarini's left leg, looking for a takedown. Lazzarini pushes down on Jones's head and hops out.
A lazy left from Lazzarini finds it's target.
Lazzarini moves out of range as Jones throws a body kick.
Lazzarini connects with a body shot.
A chopping leg kick lands by Jones.
Jones throws a hook but Lazzarini blocks it.
Left hook, right uppercut from Jones.
Jones ducks under a wild hook from Lazzarini.

Lazzarini tries to keep at a distance but Jones has taken the fight into the clinch.
Jones lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Jones.
Lazzarini lands a nice uppercut.
Jones goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones wants to break free but Lazzarini has control.
A short uppercut from Jones.
Jones misses with a punch to the body.
Lazzarini throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Joness head.
Jones tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Jones misses with the head strike.
Lazzarini tries to land knees in the clinch but Jones avoids the damage to the body.
Jones is trying to drag Lazzarini to the mat but Lazzarini just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Jones gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Lazzarini moves into full guard.
Lazzarini 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.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Lazzarini trying to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jones in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Jones controlling from the top position.
Jones trying to control the position from guard on top but Lazzarini is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lazzarini 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.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Lazzarini lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.
Jones tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones keeping full guard, as Lazzarini tries to pass.
Jones tries to strike from the bottom.
Lazzarini wants to pass the guard but Jones is keeping the position.
Jones looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Lazzarini puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Jones is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Lazzarini maintaining the dominant position here and is working for a kimura. He's locked it up! Jones could be in real trouble here! He's trying to wriggle out but Lazzarini has cracked it and Jones is screaming in pain - he's tapped out! Great finish by Lazzarini!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Flavio Lazzarini!
As Flavio Lazzarini got his breath back, he grabbed the microphone and managed to blurt out the following: I want the winner of Justice vs Wang!'.