PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Daniel Larusso (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joao Paulo Filho (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Larusso kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Glory of love. Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Larusso
vs
Paulo Filho

170 cm
20
140 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

165 cm
20
146 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Great low kicks
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

VIRAL COMBAT

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Daniel Larusso!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Joao Paulo Filho!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Colin Fray and Ryoma Takatsuka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Filho fails with a takedown attempt.
Larusso has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Filho.
Filho connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Larusso's hands.
Larusso moves out of range as Filho strikes.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Larusso fails to land with a series of punches.
Larusso throws a body punch but Filho moves out of range.
Filho looks to land a right hand but Larusso moved out of range.
Larusso shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Larusso scores with a jab to the jaw.

Larusso gets tackled into the cage by Filho. Filho maintains the clinch.
Filho has Larusso pressed against the cage, preventing Larusso from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Larusso lands a hook that snaps the head of Filho backwards.
Larusso tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Filho scores with a nice hook to the head.
Filho is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Larusso gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Filho drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Daniel Larusso has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joao Paulo Filho.
Filho lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Larusso blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Larusso breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Filho has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Filho lands a nice shot to the body.
Filho doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Larusso finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Larusso throws a right and a left that both miss.
Larusso wants to land a leg kick but Filho is out of range.
Filho takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Filho shoots in for a double leg but Larusso sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Filho moves out of range as Larusso throws a body kick.
Larusso tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Filho is able to avoid easily.
Larusso waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Filho.
Filho cracks Larusso with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Larusso is looking to score with low kicks.
A looping hook to the body misses from Filho. Larusso does a little dance to reset his feet.
A jab from Filho misses.
Filho lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Nice uppercut there from Filho.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Filho throws a leg kick but Larusso sees it coming and moves out of range.
Larusso thumps Filho with a low kick.
Larusso looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
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!
Larusso keeps Filho at a distance using the push kick.
Daniel Larusso is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A thudding body kick lands there by Filho!
Larusso misses with a head kick.
Larusso throws a right and a left that both miss.
Larusso with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Larusso sizes up Filho with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Filho with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Jab, jab by Larusso - just one landing.
Larusso throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Larusso throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Larusso throws a body kick that misses.
A swing and a miss from Larusso.
Larusso connects with a single shot there.
Larusso takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Larusso goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Filho fails with a takedown attempt.
Filho walks into a left hand.
Larusso throws a push kick but Filho slaps the foot to one side.
Filho lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Filho lands a leg kick that knocks Larusso off balance momentarily.
A big right from Filho misses.
A nice inside leg kick there by Larusso. That's going to slow Filho down.
Larusso tries a low kick but Filho avoids it.
Larusso throws a body kick that misses.
Danga de danga de dang - Filho scores with a four punch combination!
Filho takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A telegraphed right hand from Larusso misses the target.
Filho lands a glancing blow to the side of Larusso's head.
Filho has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Larusso.
Filho fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Filho will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Filho with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Larusso to score with a decent uppercut.
Filho misses with a lunging right hand
and Larusso finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Filho throws a body kick that misses.
Filho fails with the takedown
and Larusso counters with a slapping leg kick.
Larusso misses with a low kick.
Larusso moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Filho looks winded!
Larusso is looking to score with low kicks.
Filho is trying desperately to land a takedown but Larusso is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Filho.
Larusso swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Filho misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Larusso pushes Filho away with a front kick.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Larusso pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Filho throws a head kick that misses.
Filho misses with a head kick.
Larusso throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Filho cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Larusso throws a hook but Filho blocks it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daniel Larusso dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Larusso on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Filho. Filho obviously looking to wear him down.
Larusso throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Larusso misses with a looping left.
Larusso drops his hands momentarily and Filho takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
A chopping leg kick lands by Filho.
Filho connects with an inside leg kick.
Larusso looks to land a combination but Filho avoids it well.
Filho swings for the body but Larusso moves out of range.
Filho avoids a kick to the body.
Filho throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Filho misses with an uppercut. Larusso saw that one coming.
Larusso takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Larusso throws out a loose jab but Filho uses good head movement to avoid it.
Filho takes a jab right on the kisser.
Filho takes one to the chin there.
Larusso ducks right into an uppercut from Filho.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Filho cracks Larusso with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Filho throws a leg kick but Larusso moved away.
Filho has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Larusso.
Filho shoots in for a takedown but Larusso shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Larusso throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Filho fails with an attempt to clinch.
Daniel Larusso is winning the standup battle so far.
Filho throws a head kick but Larusso moves out of range.
Larusso throws a leg kick which misses Filho's front leg but catches the back leg as Filho tries to avoid it.
Larusso checks a leg kick nicely.
Larusso defending well as Filho loads up on a big left hand.
Filho fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Larusso will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Larusso lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Larusso throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Filho.

Filho closes the distance and clinches.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Larusso prevents the takedown attempt.
Daniel Larusso has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joao Paulo Filho.

Larusso breaks the clinch.
Larusso throws a half hearted mid kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Larusso with a hook.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Larusso.
Larusso misses with an attempted mid kick.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Larusso.
Filho lands with an overhand left.
Good work by Filho as he checks the leg kick.
Filho punishes Larusso's body with a nice straight punch.
Daniel Larusso is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Filho scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Larusso throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Larusso.
Larusso misses with a head kick.
Larusso misses with a looping left.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Larusso.
Larusso connects with an inside leg kick.
Larusso throws a chopping leg kick but Filho manages to avoid taking any serious damage.

Filho has closed the distance and engaged Larusso in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Larusso creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

Filho has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Larusso regains guard immediately.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Filho wants to control from the top but Larusso keeps moving.
Larusso wants to stand and escape but Filho is having none of it.
Filho pushes down on Larusso's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Filho is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Larusso is just riding it out for now. Filho eventually gives up the hold.
Filho prevents Larusso from standing back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Larusso avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Filho.
Filho looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Larusso knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Filho on the ground.
Filho is trying to control the action in half guard but Larusso is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Filho is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Daniel Larusso will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Filho bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Filho uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Larusso has time to react.
Larusso throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Nice cross by Filho.
Larusso throws the kick towards the body but Filho avoids it.
Larusso pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Good leg kick by Filho there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Larusso throws out a leg kick but Filho moves out of range and Larusso only half commits.
Larusso looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Filho throws the kick towards the body but Larusso avoids it.
Filho turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Filho cracks Larusso with a right hand to the side of the head.
Filho keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Larusso lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Filho connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Larusso momentarily.
Filho lands a right hook to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Filho scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

Filho changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Larusso looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Filho in side control, throwing shots but Larusso defends.
Filho wants to control but Larusso is keeping him busy.

Filho tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Filho has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Larusso is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Filho is controlling him well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Larusso sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Filho prevents Larusso from standing back up.
Larusso trying to control here.
Filho thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Larusso's head.
Filho not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Filho is trying to control. Larusso wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Filho stalling.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Larusso makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Larusso lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Filho tries to clinch up.
Filho connects with a jab.
Filho on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Larusso tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A nice leg kick lands there from Filho.
Good leg kick by Filho there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Filho closes this distance looking for a takedown but Larusso circles away.
A chopping leg kick lands by Filho.
Filho's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Larusso walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Filho scores with the left hand. Larusso knows he should have avoided that one.
Larusso looks to land a left hand but Filho moved out of range nicely.
Larusso swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Filho uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Larusso.
Larusso throws a lazy head kick
and Filho counters with a series of strikes. Larusso will be more careful next time no doubt.
Larusso throws a lazy right hand but Filho sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Filho lands a jab-cross combination.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Larusso. Filho shrugs it off though.
Larusso blocks a jab.
Larusso takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Larusso misses with a body kick.
Filho changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Larusso tries to avoid it but Filho manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Larusso to the ground. Larusso escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Filho takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Larusso checks a leg kick.
Daniel Larusso is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Larusso tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Filho is able to avoid easily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Filho uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Filho shoots in for a takedown but Larusso shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Daniel Larusso has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joao Paulo Filho.
Filho avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Joao Paulo Filho has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
That kick from Larusso tenderised Filho's leg. Filho is trying to keep his angry face on.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joao Paulo Filho comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Larusso has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Roger Salmon scores the fight 29:28
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Daniel Larusso!
A very excited looking Daniel Larusso rambled incoherently for about 5 minutes post fight about how awesome he is. It was kinda funny for a while but then everyone got annoyed.