PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Joe Ranieri (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Armen Petrosyan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ranieri comes into the arena with Eminem – Kings Never Die blaring out of the sound system. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Ranieri
vs
Petrosyan

186 cm
28
190 lbs
12 - 4 - 0

185 cm
28
200 lbs
9 - 6 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Very quick

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Solid chin

Spartan Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Joe Ranieri!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Armen Petrosyan!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Felipe Paraventi and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ranieri moves into range and connects with a jab.
Ranieri lands with a straight right. Petrosyan didn't see that one coming.
Ranieri scores with a jab to the jaw.
Petrosyan tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ranieri paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Petrosyan darts in and clinches Ranieri up against the cage.
I was talking to Ranieri's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Petrosyan misses with a knee to the head.
Petrosyan using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Petrosyan using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Petrosyan tries a knee to the head but Ranieri blocks it.
Petrosyan missing with knees to the body.
Petrosyan creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Ranieri's defenses.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Ranieri tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Petrosyan smiles and moves away.
Ranieri scores with a hook.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Petrosyan gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Petrosyan lands an elbow inside.
Ranieri jumps guard but Petrosyan turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Ranieri tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Petrosyan just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joe Ranieri. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ranieri jumps into guard, dragging Petrosyan to the mat.
Petrosyan wants to stand but Ranieri has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Ranieri is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Petrosyan defends well.

Ranieri has his foot on Petrosyan's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Petrosyan works his way back into a safe position though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Petrosyan has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Ranieri is proving hard to escape from.
Ranieri lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Ranieri prevents Petrosyan from getting back to his feet.

Petrosyan scrambles and gets back to his feet.

Petrosyan instigates a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Petrosyan with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Petrosyan with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Maybe Ranieri would be better served going for some more strikes rather than trying to control so much.
Petrosyan misses with a knee strike.
Petrosyan lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Petrosyan tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Petrosyan scores with a knee to the head.
Petrosyan throws a knee to the head but misses.

Ranieri gets control of Petrosyan's arms and successfully pulls guard. Ranieri will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

Petrosyan gets to his feet. Ranieri looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Ranieri, right into the meat.
Petrosyan doesn't manage to clinch there - Ranieri circles away.
Petrosyan tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ranieri swats him away and circles back towards the center.
It looked like Ranieri wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Petrosyan walks into a jab.

Petrosyan darts in and clinches Ranieri up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Petrosyan landing knees to the head.
Petrosyan with an attempt at a knee that misses.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Petrosyan.
Petrosyan tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Ranieri blocks an elbow strike.
Ranieri tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Petrosyan lands an elbow inside that Ranieri shrugs off.
Petrosyan lands an elbow inside.
Ranieri jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Petrosyan walks away with a smile on his face. Ranieri gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Ranieri throws a quick inside leg kick.

Petrosyan clinches.
Ranieri looking to throw knees to the head but Petrosyan is blocking nicely.
Ranieri jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Petrosyan walks away with a smile on his face. Ranieri gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Petrosyan closes the distance and clinches.
Ranieri jumps guard but Petrosyan stands there with Ranieri around his waist. Ranieri gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Ranieri takes an elbow to the forehead.

It looks like Joe Ranieri has been cut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ranieri lands with a light punch inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Petrosyan scores with a knee to the head.
Petrosyan connects with a knee to the head.
Nice elbow from Petrosyan.
Ranieri misses with a knee strike.
Petrosyan misses with a knee strike.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Petrosyan just misses with a elbow thrown towards Ranieri's brow.
Petrosyan lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Ranieri on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Ranieri jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Petrosyan walks away with a smile on his face. Ranieri gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Petrosyan clinches up against the cage.
Ranieri throws a knee to the head but misses.
Ranieri tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Petrosyan just stands there and leans against the cage.
Petrosyan has Ranieri pressed against the cage, preventing Ranieri from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Ranieri misses with a knee strike.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ranieri avoids the elbow strike from Petrosyan, against the cage.
Knees to the body from Petrosyan.
Ranieri is breathing heavily.
Petrosyan with a knee to the head.
Petrosyan lands an elbow inside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Armen Petrosyan dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Joe Ranieri's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Petrosyan has taken the fight to the clinch.
Ranieri wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Ranieri with a knee to the head.
Ranieri tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Ranieri wants to break free but Petrosyan has control.
Ranieri with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Petrosyan scores with a knee to the head.
Petrosyan tries a knee to the head but Ranieri blocks it.
Ranieri managing to block the knees to the body from Petrosyan.
Ranieri managing to block the knees to the body from Petrosyan.
Armen Petrosyan seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Ranieri takes an elbow to the forehead.
Ranieri tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Petrosyan smiles and moves away.
Ranieri lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Petrosyan tries to clinch but Ranieri is having none of it.
Ranieri lands a nice looking kick to the body. Petrosyan takes a step back to recover.

Petrosyan moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Petrosyan throws an elbow but it's blocked.

Ranieri manages to pull guard.
Petrosyan would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Petrosyan gets to his feet - Ranieri follows without any prompting.
Ranieri lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Ranieri.
Petrosyan closes the distance looking to clinch
and Ranieri counters with a straight right hand.

Ranieri gets tackled into the cage by Petrosyan. Petrosyan maintains the clinch.
Petrosyan lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Ranieri with an attempt at a knee that misses.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Petrosyan just misses with a elbow thrown towards Ranieri's brow.
Petrosyan trying to land knees to the body.
Petrosyan misses with a knee to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ranieri tries to land a knee to the head but Petrosyan blocks with his arms.
Petrosyan prevents Ranieri from breaking the clinch.
Petrosyan lands a nice elbow.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Petrosyan gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Petrosyan lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Ranieri lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Petrosyan has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Ranieri looking to throw knees to the head but Petrosyan is blocking nicely.
Petrosyan missing with knees to the body.
Petrosyan with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Petrosyan looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Ranieri with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Ranieri blocks an elbow strike from Petrosyan.

Ranieri pulls guard successfully.

Petrosyan wants to stand up, so he's looking to wriggle free of Ranieri's closed guard. He's half up but Ranieri has locked on to an arm! Uh oh! Ranieri pivots and extends the arm, Petrosyan falls face first to the mat and taps??... does he?? YES! He's tapping! Excellent counter grappling there by Ranieri! Well done that man!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Joe Ranieri!
A loyal slave to those sponsorship dollars, Joe Ranieri made sure he mentioned Spartan Nutrition , along with how happy he was to win his fight.