PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Chico Giovanni (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chris Meredith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Meredith has chosen Four Kicks as his entrance music. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Giovanni
vs
Meredith

170 cm
22
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Uncle Sam's Nutrition Superstore

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Chico Giovanni!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Chris Meredith!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Steve Smith and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No joy there for Giovanni, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Meredith misses with a body kick.

Giovanni closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Meredith trying to remain calm as Giovanni controls from the top position.
Giovanni working away.
Meredith tries to buck Giovanni off but Giovanni is having none of it.
Meredith sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

Meredith is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Giovanni pulls his head out easily.
Giovanni is trying to control the action in half guard but Meredith is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Giovanni works his way into side control.
Giovanni trying to control the position but Meredith is working away.
Meredith tries to buck Giovanni off but Giovanni is having none of it.
Meredith stops Giovanni from passing to mount.
Meredith is looking to reverse the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Giovanni gets to mount! Meredith was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Giovanni lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
BOOM! Giovanni connects with a massive shot to the dome!
BOOM! Giovanni connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Meredith keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Giovanni looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Meredith looks gassed!
Meredith takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Meredith is looking to get to half guard.
Giovanni is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Giovanni controlling the pace for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Giovanni can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Meredith is looking to escape.

Giovanni jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Meredith manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Meredith tries to buck Giovanni off but Giovanni is having none of it.

Giovanni working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
You can see the frustration on Meredith's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Meredith is looking to regain half guard here but Giovanni keeps moving and retains side control.
Meredith manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Giovanni wants to control but Meredith is keeping him busy.
Giovanni passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Meredith!
Giovanni has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Meredith's face.
Giovanni lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Giovanni wants to control the pace but Meredith is squirming around nicely.
Meredith tries to reverse the position but Giovanni maintains control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Meredith is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Giovanni manages to capitalize on a mistake by Meredith to take his back!
Meredith takes a big shot to the side of the head.

Giovanni is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Meredith is defending well though. Giovanni let's go of the attempt for now.
I really don't envy Meredith right now.
Giovanni is riding his opponent, not letting Meredith buck him off.
Giovanni struggling to keep hold of the position.
Giovanni gets his hands free as Meredith looks to control.
Meredith tries to escape but Giovanni has the hooks in and won't let him break free.

Meredith preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Giovanni.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chico Giovanni dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Giovanni tries to clinch up but Meredith circles away and keeps his distance.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Meredith misses with an elbow strike.
Giovanni lands a hook to the side of the head.

Giovanni breaks from the clinch.
Giovanni slips under a jab from Meredith.
Chris Meredith seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Giovanni has taken the fight to the clinch.
Giovanni throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Merediths head.
Meredith trying to land knees to the body.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Giovanni.
With the fighters up against the cage, Giovanni throws an elbow but misses.
Meredith landing some nice looking knees to the body.

Giovanni pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A big right from Meredith misses.
Giovanni tries to clinch there but Meredith circles away.
A jab from Meredith misses.
Meredith scores with a jab.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Giovanni blocks a head kick by Meredith.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Giovanni pushes Meredith up against the cage in a clinch.

Giovanni jumps guard.
Giovanni tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Chico Giovanni overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Giovanni is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Meredith tries to stand but Giovanni is controlling from the bottom.
Meredith looking to sit in guard and control but Giovanni gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Giovanni working some strikes from top position.

Meredith looking for subs off his back but Giovanni has passed one foot through into half guard.
Giovanni is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Giovanni wants to pass to mount but Meredith is defending the position.

Meredith looking for submissions off his back.
Giovanni works his foot free and advances to mount.

Giovanni moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Meredith has worked his arm free - good work by Meredith!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Meredith tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Giovanni wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Giovanni is looking to take a break and control but Meredith is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Meredith looking for a sweep but Giovanni has passed into full mount! Oh no!

Giovanni is working for a guillotine from mount but Meredith frees his head quite easily.
Meredith gets back to half guard.
Meredith keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Giovanni lands with a punch from half guard.

Meredith actively working from the bottom here.
Giovanni works his way into side control.
Meredith is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Giovanni is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Giovanni controlling from mount.

Giovanni looking to secure an arm triangle but Meredith defends it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chico Giovanni dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Meredith throws a series of punches but Giovanni moves out of range.
Meredith throws a head kick that misses.
Giovanni is looking to clinch.
Meredith throws a sloppy head kick and Giovanni moves out of range easily.
Giovanni is looking to clinch.
Giovanni thuds a left hand into Meredith's body.
Giovanni tries to clinch but Meredith is having none of it.
Meredith circles away from the clinch attempt.

Giovanni clinches up with Meredith and pushes him back against the cage.
Good body shot from Giovanni.
Giovanni lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Meredith or not.
Giovanni dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Giovanni lands with a right to the head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Giovanni presses Meredith against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Meredith.

Giovanni pulls guard successfully.

Meredith has gone for a leg lock! Giovanni slips out almost immediately though and dives into Meredith's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Giovanni gets to his feet - Meredith follows without any prompting.
Giovanni connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

Giovanni feints and as Meredith raises his hands in defense, Giovanni changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Meredith has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Giovanni can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Meredith has his foot on Giovanni's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Giovanni works his way back into a safe position though.
Giovanni controlling from the top position.

Meredith had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Giovanni is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Meredith Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Giovanni's back instead.
Meredith throwing strikes from the back - he gets a warning from the referee for striking the back of the head but all these shots are hurting Giovanni!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Giovanni has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
Giovanni staying busy and making it hard for Meredith to control.

Meredith is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Giovanni has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.

Meredith looking for the RNC.

Meredith is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Giovanni has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Giovanni turns into Meredith and is now in his guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Giovanni wants to control from the top but Meredith keeps moving.
Giovanni controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Meredith avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Meredith is looking for a triangle but Giovanni pushes his legs off easily.
Meredith controls Giovanni momentarily but Giovanni frees himself.

Giovanni avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Meredith is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Giovanni controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Meredith bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Giovanni's guard.
Chico Giovanni is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Giovanni 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.
Chris Meredith has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Meredith throws and elbow that misses. Giovanni uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Meredith's guard. Nice move by Giovanni!

And that's the end of the fight!
Chico Giovanni showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Giovanni has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Yves DeLean scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chico Giovanni!