PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Anthony Anastasio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Lakanik (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Anastasio
vs
Lakanik

181 cm
28
190 lbs
14 - 5 - 0

191 cm
41
195 lbs
20 - 16 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Fury Nutrition Inc.
Modern Wear Apparel

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Anthony Anastasio!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 16 - 0, fighting out of New York, John Lakanik!
The judges for this bout are Eddie Farnsworth, Anthony Taglia and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Anastasio goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

It looks like John Lakanik has been cut.
Anastasio circles away from the clinch attempt.
Anastasio connects with a leg kick. Lakanik looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Lakanik tries a head kick but it misses.
Anastasio throws a head kick but Lakanik moves out of range.
Anastasio ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Lakanik moves away.
Anastasio connects with a right hand. Lakanik shakes it off.
Lakanik lets loose with a powerful body kick. Anastasio will feel that in the morning.
Anastasio throws a head kick but Lakanik moves out of range.
A slapping leg kick lands for Anastasio.
Anastasio moves out of range of the body kick from Lakanik.
A bone on bone clash there as Lakanik blocks the leg kick.
Lakanik slips under a jab from Anastasio.
Lakanik bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Lakanik throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Anastasio steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Lakanik. That one must have hurt.
Lakanik pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Lakanik throws a head kick but Anastasio moves out of range.
Lakanik pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Lakanik.
Lakanik throws a body kick that misses.
A little feinted left hand from Anastasio on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Anastasio's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Lakanik connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Anastasio scrambles back to his feet.
Anastasio blocks a head kick by Lakanik.
Lakanik throws a jab when Anastasio was well out of range.
Lakanik throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Anastasio counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Lakanik thinking.
Anthony Anastasio is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nice shot lands for Lakanik.
Lakanik wants to clinch.
Anastasio lands with a straight right. Lakanik didn't see that one coming.
Lakanik tries to clinch up.

Lakanik closes the distance and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Anastasio throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Lakaniks head.
Anastasio blocks an elbow strike.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Anastasio misses with a punch on the inside.
Anastasio stalling the fight.
Anastasio on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Anastasio stalling in the clinch but Lakanik improves position.
Anastasio blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Lakanik is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Anastasio is defending well for now.
Lakanik blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Lakanik looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Lakanik wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Anastasio has him pressed against the cage.
Lakanik with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Anastasio is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Lakanik on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Lakanik throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Anastasio blocks it with crossed arms.
Lakanik utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lakanik is stalling here.
Anastasio tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Anastasio lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Lakanik.
Anastasio pushes Lakanik back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Anastasio lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Lakanik tries to land knees in the clinch but Anastasio avoids the damage to the body.
Lakanik misses with a hook to the ribs.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Lakanik trying to land knees to the body.

Lakanik breaks from the clinch.
Lakanik swings for the body but Anastasio moves out of range.
Anastasio throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Anastasio scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Anastasio circles away from the clinch attempt.
Lakanik wants to clinch but Anastasio slips to the side
and Anastasio counters with a good low kick that Lakanik was not able to check.
Anastasio avoids the head kick by Lakanik.
Lakanik pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Lakanik scores with a head kick. Anastasio tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Lakanik has a takedown stuffed.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lakanik wants to clinch up but Anastasio keeps it at a distance.
Anastasio tries a head kick but it misses.
Lakanik has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Anastasio lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

Lakanik closes the distance and pushes Anastasio back into the cage.
Lakanik slows down the pace here.
Lakanik utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Anastasio stalling in the clinch but Lakanik improves position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but John Lakanik will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on John Lakanik's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Lakanik is looking to clinch but Anastasio is avoiding it.
Lakanik slips under a jab from Anastasio.
Lakanik is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Lakanik misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Lakanik misses with a head kick.
Anastasio throws a body kick that misses.
Anastasio throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Lakanik.
Anastasio scores with a hook to the body. Lakanik takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Anthony Anastasio is winning the standup battle so far.
Lakanik fails with an attempt to clinch.
Lakanik throws a body punch but Anastasio moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lakanik pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Anastasio ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Lakanik throws a head kick but Anastasio moves out of range.
Lakanik tries to close the distance and clinch but Anastasio swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Lakanik sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Lakanik tries to close the distance and clinch up but Anastasio swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Anastasio appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Anastasio avoids a kick to the body.

Anastasio has managed to clinch.
Anastasio throws a punch but it's blocked by Lakanik.
Anastasio works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Lakanik is breathing heavily.

Anastasio's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Anastasio avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Anastasio avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Anastasio throws a head kick that half lands.

Anastasio gets tackled into the cage by Lakanik. Lakanik maintains the clinch.

Lakanik manages to break the clinch.
A head kick misses from Lakanik.
Anastasio dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Anastasio lands with a thumping leg kick.
Anastasio throws a shot to the body.
Lakanik is looking to clinch but Anastasio is avoiding it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Lakanik wants to clinch.
Anastasio has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Anastasio lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Lakanik fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Lakanik tries to clinch but Anastasio moves out of range.
Anastasio throws a head kick but Lakanik moves out of range.
Lakanik throws a counter combo.
Anastasio moves out of range of the body kick.
Anastasio tries a low kick but Lakanik avoids it.
Anastasio connects with a body shot.
Anastasio scores with a jab to the head.

That has opened up John Lakanik's cut even more.
Anastasio misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Anastasio is looking to wear down Lakanik with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Anastasio avoids the head kick by Lakanik.
Anastasio checks the leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anastasio swings for the body but Lakanik moves out of range.
Lakanik tries to clinch up but Anastasio circles away and keeps his distance.
It looked like Anastasio wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Lakanik moves forwards but Anastasio connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Anastasio blocks a head kick by Lakanik.
Anastasio throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Nice body kick there by Anastasio.
Lakanik throws a leg kick that is checked
and Anastasio counters with a head kick. That will keep Lakanik thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Anastasio throws a good cross that connects.
Good leg kick by Anastasio there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Lakanik tries to clinch there but Anastasio circles away.
Lakanik fails to land the takedown.
Lakanik just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromAnastasio.
Lakanik staying out of range there.
Lakanik is trying to counter with his kicks.
Lakanik wants to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lakanik tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Anastasio paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Anastasio is looking to counter punch.
Anastasio lands a slapping body shot.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nice uppercut lands for Anastasio. That snapped Lakanik's head back.

The cut above John Lakanik's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Lakanik lands a head kick. Anastasio smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Anastasio is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Lakanik can do to turn this around?
Lakanik ducks right into an uppercut from Anastasio.
Anastasio takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Anastasio throws a low kick but it's checked well by Lakanik.
Anastasio blocks the body kick.
Anastasio connects with a leg kick. Lakanik looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Lakanik avoids the head kick by Anastasio.
Anastasio lands with a right hand.
Lakanik tries to clinch up but Anastasio circles away and keeps his distance.

Anastasio lands a big right hand that sends Lakanik crashing to the mat! Anastasio stays standing though and waves Lakanik back to his feet!

Lakanik is rocked!

John Lakanik's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.
Anastasio throws a leg kick but Lakanik checks it.
Lakanik is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.
Lakanik is still on wobbly legs! Can Anastasio finish him?
John Lakanik is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lakanik lands a head kick. Anastasio smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anthony Anastasio dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on John Lakanik's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Lakanik goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Lakanik seems to have recovered his senses.
Anastasio buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Anastasio takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Lakanik tries to close the distance and clinch but Anastasio swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Anastasio just misses with a punch to the body.
Anastasio avoids the head kick by Lakanik.
It looked like Anastasio wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Anastasio misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Lakanik wants to clinch.
Lakanik tries to clinch there but Anastasio circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Anastasio misses with a low kick as Lakanik jumps back.
Lakanik is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Lakanik tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Lakanik misses with a wild combination.
It looked like Anastasio was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Lakanik.
Lakanik throws a head kick that misses
and Anastasio counters with a flying knee. Nice.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lakanik tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Lakanik takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Anastasio connects with a solid leg kick.
Lakanik pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Lakanik lands a head kick!
Anastasio throws a sloppy head kick and Lakanik moves out of range easily.
Lakanik takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Lakanik blocks a head kick by Anastasio.

Lakanik gets in close and instigates a clinch.
The referee is keeping an eye on Anastasio - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Lakanik's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Anastasio lands a nice uppercut.
Lakanik missing with knees to the body.
Lakanik landing knees to the body.
Anastasio keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Lakanik's efforts to push away.
Anastasio scores with an uppercut up the middle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lakanik takes a shot to the head.
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!
Lakanik tries a body shot but Anastasio blocks it.
Anastasio scores with a shot to the side of Lakanik's head.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at John Lakanik's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:27 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Anthony Anastasio!
Anthony Anastasio retains his middleweight title!
After winning the bout, Anthony Anastasio thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.