PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Nick Messner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sal Bernito (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sal Bernito will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Messner
vs
Bernito

172 cm
18
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

196 cm
25
159 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter fighter
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nick Messner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sal Bernito!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Stewart Dunkirk and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Bernito clinches up against the cage.
Messner is pressed up against the cage. Bernito has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Messner down to the mat. Messner avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Messner stuffs the takedown attempt from Bernito. Bernito gets slowly back to his feet.

Bernito drives through and clinches with Messner against the cage.
Bernito tries for a takedown but Messner manages to get underhooks.
Nick Messner has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sal Bernito.
Bernito is looking to take this one to the mat.

Bernito pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Messner gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Bernito counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Messner gets a clinch.
Messner is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Bernito manages to break the clinch.
Bernito fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Messner avoids it really well and circles away.
Messner tries to counter by clinching up but Bernito breaks away and moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bernito pushes Messner up against the cage in a clinch.
Messner tries for a takedown. No joy.
Bernito is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Messner to keep the fight standing.
Bernito prevents a takedown attempt there.
Messner has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Bernito is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Bernito is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Bernito is working for takedown but Messner is calmly controlling the position for now.
Bernito is looking to break free of the clinch but Messner has double underhooks.
Messner has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Bernito avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Messner takes a knee right on the jaw!
Messner gets underhooks to prevent Bernito's takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bernito is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Messner gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Messner has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Bernito after a bit of a struggle.
Messner blocks a punch to the side of the head.

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

Messner fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Bernito sprawls well initially but Messner persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Bernito is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Messner scores with a couple of nice shots.
Messner is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Bernito is trying to maintain the position but Messner is very close to passing his half guard.
Bernito gets full guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Messner lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Bernito is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Messner has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bernito looking for a sweep. Not yet Bernito, not yet.
Messner loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Messner tries to free his leg and advance position but Bernito is retaining full guard.
Messner is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Messner working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Bernito thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Messner throwing strikes from guard but Bernito blocks nicely.
Messner wants to control from the top but Bernito keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Messner rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Bernito moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Bernito looks to land a combination but Messner avoids it well.
Messner is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Bernito.
Bernito shoots for a takedown but Messner saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Bernito looks winded!

Messner closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Messner is working for takedown but Bernito is calmly controlling the position for now.
Messner stalling in the clinch.
Messner wants a takedown.
Bernito wants a takedown but no success here.
Bernito is trying to break the clinch but Messner has him pressed against the cage.
Messner looking for a takedown.
Bernito is looking to control Messner's arms but Messner gets an underhook and turns him. Now Bernito has his back to the cage.
Bernito avoiding damage as Messner throws knees to the body.
A body shot lands from Bernito.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Sal Bernito will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Messner throws a right and a left that Bernito avoids nicely.

Bernito closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Bernito lands in his opponent's guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Messner is on top in guard.

The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bernito looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Bernito keeping moving, preventing Messner from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bernito doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Messner drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Bernito dives on top into guard.

Bernito connects with a couple of short punches.
Messner is pulling down on Bernito's head to control his posture.
Bernito prevents Messner from getting back to his feet.
Messner seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Messner is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Bernito is controlling him.
Bernito working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Messner wants to stand but Bernito is controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bernito is looking to work some ground and pound but Messner has wrist control.
Messner is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Bernito regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Messner.
Messner trying to move into half guard but instead Bernito has managed to sweep!

Messner trying to keep a closed guard but Bernito is proving a slippery customer.
Bernito trying to control the position from guard on top but Messner is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Messner knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Bernito on the ground.
Bernito throws a big elbow that misses.
Bernito loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bernito controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Bernito trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Bernito not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Bernito throwing strikes but missing.
Bernito trying to control the position from guard on top but Messner is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Messner preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Messner is controlling Bernito's posture.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Bernito rushes Messner and presses him up against the cage.

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.

Messner gets a trip takedown into half guard.

Bernito kicks off Messner and gets to his feet.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Messner drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Bernito gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Bernito is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Bernito is looking for a takedown.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Messner gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Bernito.
Bernito is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Messner gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sal Bernito showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Messner closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Bernito quickly recovers to half guard.

Bernito has one foot on Messner's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.

Bernito has closed the distance and engaged Messner in a clinch.
Bernito tries to work over Messner's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Bernito fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Messner prevents a takedown attempt there.
Messner goes for a takedown in the clinch but Bernito prevents it.
Messner is trying to drag Bernito to the mat but Bernito just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Bernito gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Messner.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nick Messner. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Messner is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Bernito is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Messner has Bernito pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Bernito manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Messner wants a takedown but no success here.

Bernito has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Messner uses from the top position.
Bernito working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Messner.
Bernito lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Bernito stops Messner from standing up.
Sal Bernito has got the better of the ground game so far.
Bernito with a flurry of punches that miss.
Bernito with a flurry of punches that miss.
Bernito is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Messner on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Messner tries to get out of the position.
Bernito tries to free his leg and advance position but Messner is retaining full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bernito won't allow Messner to sweep him here.
Messner keeping full guard, as Bernito tries to pass.
Bernito wants to control from the top but Messner keeps moving.
Bernito throwing strikes but missing.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Messner manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Bernito manages to get himself to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bernito is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Messner presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.

Bernito breaks the clinch.
Messner keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Nick Messner is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Messner takes one on the button.
Bernito goes for a double leg but Messner avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Messner continues to drive forward.
Nice takedown defense from Bernito. No joy for Messner on that attempt.
Bernito has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Messner has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bernito fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Bernito looking for a takedown.
Messner tries for a takedown but Bernito manages to get underhooks.
Messner drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Bernito has Messner pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Messner manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Messner turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Messner manages to end up in side control.

Bernito bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bernito shoots in for a takedown but Messner shows good takedown defense.
Bernito shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Messner counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sal Bernito comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Bernito has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sal Bernito!