PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Marco Macotti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rupert Whiston (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Macotti might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Drown - Theory of a Deadman. Marco Macotti had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Macotti
vs
Whiston

190 cm
32
203 lbs
22 - 14 - 2

175 cm
30
202 lbs
12 - 9 - 1

Good wrestling
Decent elbows
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 22 - 14 - 2, fighting out of Los Angeles, Marco Macotti!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rupert Whiston!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Don Winkell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Whiston throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Jab, jab by Whiston - just one landing.
Macotti misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Whiston.
Whiston throws the left hand but Macotti avoids the punch easily.
A looping hook to the body misses from Whiston. Macotti does a little dance to reset his feet.
Whiston lands a body shot.

Macotti clinches.
Whiston blocks an elbow strike.
Macotti lands with a light punch inside.
Macotti stalling in the clinch.
Whiston is looking to break free of the clinch but Macotti has double underhooks.
Macotti content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Macotti misses with some punches.
Whiston is trying to force a seperation but Macotti has the dominant position.
Macotti tries to stall but Whiston uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Whiston pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Whiston plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Whiston throws a head kick that misses.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Whiston lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Whiston blocks a jab.
Macotti fails in his attempt to clinch.
Whiston slips a jab from Macotti.
Macotti tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Whiston uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Macotti.
Decent striking displayed by Whiston there.
Whiston connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Macotti definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Macotti throws a shot from downtown. Whiston moves away and avoids it.
Macotti tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Whiston paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A jab from Macotti misses.
A punch combination from Macotti misses.
Whiston scores with a hook to the body. Macotti takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.

Macotti closes the distance and clinches.
Macotti keeps control of Whiston as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Macotti misses with the head strike.
Whiston has had enough of the clinch but Macotti keeps him there for the moment.
Whiston jumps guard but Macotti turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Macotti scores with a hook to the body.

Whiston escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Whiston misses with a jab, cross combination.
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!
The fight stays on the outside here - Macotti looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Macotti throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Whiston cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Macotti takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Whiston throws a low kick, looking for Macotti's leg but Macotti calmly moves out of range.
Macotti swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Macotti wants to clinch up but Whiston keeps it at a distance.
Whiston scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Whiston swinging wildly here.
Macotti is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Whiston.
Macotti uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Whiston.
Macotti lands a jab to the nose.
Whiston throws a good cross that connects.
Macotti scores with the left hand. Whiston knows he should have avoided that one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whiston throws a big shot that misses.
Whiston lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Macotti circles away quickly and effectively.
Macotti lands a head shot.
Whiston moves out of range as Macotti strikes.
Sloppy strikes from Whiston. Those never looked like landing.
Whiston uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Macotti.

Macotti has taken the fight to the clinch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Macotti tries to throw a body punch but Whiston avoids it by throwing Macotti back against the cage.
Whiston is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Whiston pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Macotti misses with a hook. Whiston ducked under it nicely.
Whiston throws a counter combo.
Whiston keeps the fight on the outside.
A head kick misses from Whiston.
Whiston swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Nice defenses there by Macotti.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Macotti misses with a few strikes there.
No joy there for Whiston, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Whiston with a jab.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nice defenses there by Macotti.
Macotti tries to close the distance and clinch but Whiston swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Whiston throws a nice looking combination but Macotti bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Macotti tries to counter by clinching up but Whiston breaks away and moves out of range.

Macotti fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Whiston, pushing him back against the cage.
Macotti tries to throw a body punch but Whiston avoids it by throwing Macotti back against the cage.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Macotti.

It looks like Rupert Whiston has been cut.
Whiston drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Whiston wants a takedown.
Marco Macotti has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rupert Whiston.
Macotti pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

Whiston's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Macotti moves into the clinch successfully.
Macotti lands with a short shot to the head.
Macotti misses with an elbow over the top.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rupert Whiston dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rupert Whiston's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Whiston misses with a hook. Macotti ducked under it nicely.
Macotti keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Macotti avoids the body shot from Whiston.
Whiston is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Macotti.
Macotti wants to clinch up but Whiston keeps it at a distance.
Rupert Whiston seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Macotti uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Whiston has time to react.
Whiston misses with an uppercut. Macotti saw that one coming.
Whiston keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Macotti.
Whiston tries to bum rush Macotti with a series of wild strikes but Macotti uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A little feinted left hand from Macotti on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Macotti 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.
Macotti gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Whiston.
Whiston slips a jab from Macotti.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Whiston keeps the fight on the outside.
It seemed like Whiston was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Whiston ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Macotti moves away.
Whiston slips under a jab from Macotti.
Whiston lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Whiston lands a really nice looking cross but Macotti seems unphased.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Whiston works Macotti's body with a nice hook.
Macotti is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.

Macotti clinches.
Macotti misses with a hook from the clinch.
Macotti has Whiston pressed against the cage.
Whiston blocks an uppercut.
Still in the clinch, Macotti scores with a nice short uppercut.
Whiston tries to break free but Macotti pushes him back against the cage.
Whiston prevents a body shot from Macotti.
Macotti scores with a nice hook to the head.

Whiston has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Macotti uses from the top position.
Whiston can't keep his opponent in guard - Macotti advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Whiston wants to get back to full guard.
Macotti will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Whiston trying to control here.
Whiston makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Whiston.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Whiston is pulling down on Macotti's head. It's preventing any offense from Macotti, at least for the moment.
Macotti slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Whiston tries to bench press Macotti off him but Macotti keeps the position.
Whiston holds on to Macotti's head and controls the position momentarily.
Whiston is not content to let Macotti control the position.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Macotti thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Macotti is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Whiston knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whiston tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Macotti wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Whiston is trying to control Macotti's posture but Macotti avoids it.

Macotti tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Macotti has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Whiston wants to control but Macotti postures up.
Whiston is looking for a sweep.

Macotti working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Macotti is putting a hurting on Whiston here, landing some big shots from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Whiston is trying to get back to half guard.
Whiston struggling a bit here.
Whiston is looking to reverse the position.
Macotti working away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Whiston tries to bench press Macotti off him but Macotti keeps the position.
Whiston is trying to work for a sweep but Macotti has mounted him!
Whiston looks out of his depth in this position - he's holding on tight.
Whiston really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Whiston is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
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 Marco Macotti will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Rupert Whiston's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Whiston lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Macotti looks to throw the jab but Whiston is out of range.
A jab from Macotti misses.
Whiston lands a nice hook to Macotti's body. Macotti takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Macotti uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Whiston.
A counter left hand to the body from Macotti misses its target.
Whiston misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Macotti moves in looking to clinch but Whiston pushes him off.
Macotti changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Rupert Whiston seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Whiston misses with an uppercut. Macotti saw that one coming.
Macotti throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Macotti uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Whiston.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Whiston looks to score with a jab to the body but Macotti is just out of range.
Macotti takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

Macotti rushes Whiston and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Whiston takes an elbow to the temple.
Whiston drops down looking for an ankle pick but Macotti pulls his leg out and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Whiston just misses with a punch to the body.
Whiston thuds a left hand into Macotti's body.
Macotti moves out of range as Whiston strikes.
Whiston ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Whiston fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Macotti looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Macotti uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Whiston.
Macotti lands with a hook. Whiston tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Whiston throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Whiston showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Macotti.
Macotti rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Whiston moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Macotti throws a big shot that misses.
Whiston darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Whiston rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Macotti moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Whiston misses with a jab to the body

and Macotti counters by moving into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Macotti lands a body punch.
Whiston takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Macotti misses with a punch on the inside.
Whiston tries to break free but Macotti pushes him back against the cage.
Macotti throws an elbow but it's blocked.

Whiston breaks from the clinch.
A head kick misses from Whiston.
Macotti throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Whiston sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Macotti misses with a body shot.
Macotti tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Whiston avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Good exchange - Macotti coming out on top.
Macotti misses with an uppercut.
The fighters circle momentarily. Macotti darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Macotti changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Whiston throws a sloppy head kick and Macotti moves out of range easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Macotti needs to keep his hands up - Whiston had a free shot at his head there.
Whiston looks to land a left hand but Macotti moved out of range nicely.
Macotti uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Whiston.
Macotti tries to clinch but Whiston moves out of range.
Macotti tries to close the distance and clinch up but Whiston swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Macotti doesn't manage to clinch there - Whiston circles away.
Macotti uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Whiston jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Whiston circles away from the clinch attempt
and Whiston connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Whiston jabs Macotti to the body, keeping him at a distance.

Macotti clinches with his opponent.
Macotti lands a nice elbow.
Macotti swings away with an uppercut that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Whiston drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Whiston has Macotti pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Macotti manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Marco Macotti has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rupert Whiston.
Whiston takes an elbow to the forehead.
Macotti digs a right hand underneath Whiston's ribcage. Whiston let out a lung full of air as it connected.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Whiston takes an elbow to the temple.

That has opened up Rupert Whiston's cut even more.
Macotti throws a punch but it's blocked by Whiston.
Macotti misses with the head strike.
Whiston wants a takedown but no success here.
Macotti is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Macotti.
Whiston avoids a wild elbow strike from Macotti.
Macotti has Whiston pressed against the cage, preventing Whiston from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Macotti creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Whiston blocking some punches.
Marco Macotti has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Whiston wants to break free but Macotti has control.

Whiston manages to break the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Marco Macotti.
I think Macotti has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marco Macotti!
Marco Macotti decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.