PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Austin Giordano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ivan ORourke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Austin Giordano had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Giordano
vs
ORourke

170 cm
20
138 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

180 cm
20
135 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Intelligent

Renegade Extreme Fightwear

MMA's Best Nutrition
O'Brannigan's Fightwear

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Austin Giordano!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ivan ORourke!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Valeri Chadov and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
ORourke looks to land a combination but Giordano avoids it well.
ORourke stuffs the takedown attempt from Giordano. Giordano gets slowly back to his feet.
ORourke looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

ORourke gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Giordano wants to pass the guard but ORourke is keeping the position.
ORourke preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
ORourke really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Giordano. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
ORourke pulls Giordano in to control the position.
Giordano stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. ORourke swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Giordano trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Giordano with a flurry of punches that miss.

Giordano drops back, looking for a kneebar! ORourke looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. ORourke looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from ORourke!
Giordano is trying to get back to half guard.
Giordano tries to contro but end up mounted... ooooh, that's bad.
Giordano can't escape the position.

That's two 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.
ORourke controlling from the full mount.
Giordano is looking to get to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Giordano is breathing heavily.
ORourke controlling the position easily from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
ORourke's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Giordano is in all sorts of trouble here.
ORourke content just to control the position here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Giordano tries to reverse the position but ORourke maintains control.
ORourke is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
ORourke controlling his opponent.
Giordano regains half guard.
ORourke sitting and controlling from the half guard.

Giordano pushes ORourke off 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 round but I would say that Austin Giordano will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

ORourke thows a body shot but no joy.
Giordano shoots for a double leg takedown but ORourke sprawls well. He's pushed Giordano's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Giordano keeps the fight on the outside.

ORourke has taken the fight to the clinch.

ORourke escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
ORourke tries to clinch but Giordano moves out of range.
Austin Giordano is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Giordano shoots for a takedown but ORourke saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
ORourke fails in his attempt to clinch.
Giordano keeps the fight on the outside.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Giordano displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as ORourke throws out the jab.
Giordano pulls out of a head kick attempt.
ORourke is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
ORourke throws a head kick that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
ORourke tries to close the distance and clinch but Giordano swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Giordano moves out of range of the strikes.
Giordano looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Austin Giordano. That's going to take a lot out of him.
ORourke throws a head kick but Giordano moves out of range.
Giordano avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
ORourke moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

It looks like Austin Giordano has been cut.
Giordano avoids a kick to the body.
ORourke is looking to clinch but Giordano is avoiding it.
ORourke tries a head kick but it misses.
Giordano keeps the fight on the outside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
ORourke tries to close the distance and clinch up but Giordano swats him away and circles back towards the center.
ORourke tries to clinch but Giordano is having none of it.
Giordano shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has ORourke pinned against the cage. ORourke gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Giordano shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has ORourke pinned against the cage. ORourke gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Giordano fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
ORourke throws a head kick but Giordano moves out of range.

ORourke clinches up with Giordano and pushes him back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Giordano goes for a takedown in the clinch but ORourke prevents it.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Giordano drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
ORourke gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Giordano.

ORourke breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
ORourke lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from ORourke - that will leave a mark!
Giordano tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
ORourke scoring well with a low kick there.
ORourke throws a nice inside leg kick.

ORourke throws a head kick that lands with a deafening thwack! The crowd roars as Giordano stumbles backwards and falls to the mat. ORourke follows into mount!

Giordano is rocked!
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!
ORourke controlling from the full mount.
Oh Giordano is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Giordano seems to have got his legs back now.
Giordano is trying to escape the mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan ORourke showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Austin Giordano's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

A good leg kick by ORourke.
ORourke doesn't manage to clinch there - Giordano circles away.
Giordano tries for a takedown but ORourke sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
ORourke throws a right and a left that Giordano avoids nicely.
ORourke throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
ORourke keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Giordano shoots in for a takedown but ORourke shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Austin Giordano. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A punch combination from ORourke misses.
ORourke tries to clinch up but Giordano circles away and keeps his distance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
ORourke misses with a few strikes there.
Giordano takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
ORourke throws a right hand that Giordano ducks under and follows up with a left that Giordano also avoids with ease.
ORourke is looking to clinch.
A punch combination from ORourke misses.
Giordano shoots for a double leg takedown but ORourke sprawls well. He's pushed Giordano's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
ORourke misses with a few strikes there.
Good leg kick by ORourke there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
ORourke throws a head kick that misses

and Giordano counters with a takedown into side control.

Giordano working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Giordano tries to advance to mount but ORourke instead regains half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
ORourke is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Giordano is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Giordano is trying to work for a kimura but ORourke is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Giordano seems to be trying to get a kimura but instead ORourke has recovered full guard.

Giordano postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! ORourke is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Giordano, into his guard.
ORourke controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Giordano is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Giordano looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but ORourke puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
ORourke perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Giordano is looking for a sweep. ORourke is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ivan ORourke comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think ORourke has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 27:29
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 27:29
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ivan ORourke!