PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Taco Grande (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eli Massey (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Grande
vs
Massey

193 cm
33
204 lbs
21 - 17 - 0

184 cm
28
194 lbs
8 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 21 - 17 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Taco Grande!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Eli Massey!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Jack Bonds and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Massey feints and as Grande raises his hands in defense, Massey changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Massey trying to control but Grande is working from the bottom.
Massey in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Massey postures up in Grande's guard and throws a big left but Grande blocks it.
Massey throwing strikes but missing.
Grande preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Grande wants to stand and escape but Massey is having none of it.
Grande keeping moving, preventing Massey from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Grande 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.
Massey throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Sloppy strikes from Grande. Those never looked like landing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Massey shoots in but no luck this time.
Eli Massey seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
That kick from Grande tenderised Massey's leg. Massey is trying to keep his angry face on.
Massey throws a big shot that misses.
Massey pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Massey manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Grande on his heels. He'll look to pass Grande's guard now, I'm sure.
Massey is pushing down on Grande's leg trying to pass to half guard. Grande is fighting to maintain full guard but Massey has managed to sneak the leg through.
Massey trying to pass the guard but Grande defending well.
Massey missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Grande is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Massey is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Grande keeping hold of Massey's head, controlling as best he can.
Grande is trying to stand back up but Massey is controlling him
Grande is pressing down on Massey's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Massey trying to control but Grande is working from the bottom.

Massey drops back, looking for a kneebar! Grande looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Grande looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Grande!

Massey seems a little lost for a moment, as Grande dominates the positioning.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Grande decides to stand back up. Grande steps back and let's Massey get back to his feet.
Grande scores with a one two! Massey had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

It looks like Eli Massey has been cut.
Massey tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Grande swivels and escapes.
Grande slips under a jab.
Massey looks to score with a jab to the body but Grande is just out of range.
Grande tries to move into range but Massey moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Massey throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Grande counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Massey misses with a shot to the body
and Grande counters with a leg kick.
A swing and a miss from Massey.
Massey circles away from the clinch attempt.
Grande wants to clinch up but Massey keeps it at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Grande showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Massey.
Grande misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Massey rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Grande counters with a good low kick that Massey was not able to check.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Massey does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Massey closes this distance looking for a takedown but Grande circles away.
Taco Grande has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Eli Massey.
A head kick from Grande lands but Massey takes it in his stride.
Grande stalks Massey and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Massey's face. Massey staggers backwards, shaken.

Massey is rocked!
Grande tries to close the distance and clinch up but Massey swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Massey is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Grande bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Nice body punch from Massey.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Taco Grande will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Eli Massey's cut.
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.

Grande uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Massey.
Massey lands with a hook. Grande tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Massey closes the distance and clinches up with Grande, looking for a takedown. Massey pushes Grande against the cage but Grande circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Taco Grande is winning the standup battle so far.
Grande ducks under a wild hook from Massey.
Grande uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Massey.
Massey looks to land a left hand but Grande moved out of range nicely.
Grande ducks under a wild hook from Massey.
Massey misses with a low kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Massey lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Massey shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Grande pinned against the cage. Grande gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Sloppy strikes from Massey. Those never looked like landing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grande steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Massey.
Massey throws a series of punches but Grande moves out of range.
Massey just misses with a punch to the body.
Massey goes for a double leg but Grande avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Grande continues to drive forward.
Taco Grande has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Eli Massey.
Grande is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Grande throws an elbow that misses.

Grande breaks the clinch.
Massey scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Grande doesn't seem bothered though.
Massey misses with a wild body shot.
Massey scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Grande tries to clinch but Massey is having none of it.
Massey throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Grande counters with a stiff right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Massey rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Grande counters with a nice low kick that buckles Massey's knee momentarily.
Grande slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

Massey darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Massey is breathing heavily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Grande is trying to get back to full guard.
Massey throwing shots but Grande is blocking nicely.
Grande works his way to full guard. Good work.
Massey in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Massey stops Grande from standing up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Massey pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Grande is keeping the position for now.
Massey with a flurry of punches that miss.
Massey postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Eli Massey has got the better of the ground game so far.
Grande looking to hit a scissor sweep but Massey is one step ahead there.
Massey in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Grande wants to get back to his feet but Massey is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Grande takes a shot to the body in his stride.

Grande rushes Massey and presses him up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Massey blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Grande has a couple of punches blocked by Massey.

Massey breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Massey misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Grande.
Massey ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Grande moves away.
Massey on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.

That has opened up Eli Massey's cut even more.

Grande pushes Massey up against the cage in a clinch.
Grande misses with some punches.
Grande stops a takedown attempt from Massey.
Grande misses with some punches.
Grande landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Grande misses with the head strike.
Massey is trying to force a seperation but Grande has the dominant position.
Grande keeps control of Massey as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Grande drops Massey with a big knee straight up the middle! Massey is covering up against the cage but manages to escape and gets back to his feet!
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 Taco Grande will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Eli Massey's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Grande lands a right hook to the body.
Massey misses with a lunging right hand
and Grande counters with a crisp right that sends Massey to the canvas! Grande follows up with punches from the mount and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:11 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Taco Grande!
Taco Grande decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.