PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Buck Rowland (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Giuoco Piano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Giuoco Piano has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Rowland
vs
Piano

155 cm
19
177 lbs
2 - 5 - 0

178 cm
25
178 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Buck Rowland!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Giuoco Piano!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Fedor Mirinova and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Piano tries to bum rush Rowland with a series of wild strikes but Rowland uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Piano gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Rowland tries to pull guard but Piano holds him up against the cage and eventually Rowland drops back down to his feet.

Piano gets control of Rowland's arms and successfully pulls guard. Piano will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Piano preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Piano is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Rowland is controlling him.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Piano pushes Rowland off and scrambles back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice uppercut lands for Piano. That snapped Rowland's head back.

Piano closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rowland tries to pull guard but Piano holds him up against the cage and eventually Rowland drops back down to his feet.
Still in the clinch, Piano scores with a nice short uppercut.
Rowland is trying to pull guard but Piano has him pressed against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Buck Rowland. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rowland tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Piano smiles and moves away.
Piano lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Rowland circles away quickly and effectively.
Piano lunges at Rowland with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Rowland's hand.
Piano lands with a nice combination. Rowland backs away looking to recover.

It looks like Buck Rowland has been cut.
A right-left combo lands from Piano.

Piano fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Rowland to the ground. Piano is now in Rowland's guard.

Rowland pushes Piano off and gets back to his feet.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Piano throws a series of punches but Rowland avoids them all with ease.
Rowland really is a fat lump.

Piano clinches.
Rowland is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Piano gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Rowland breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rowland looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Piano is looking for the big counter here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Piano lands a jab to Rowland's midsection.
Nice body punch from Piano.

Piano shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Piano was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Rowland sneaks out the side door and pushes Piano away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.

Piano moves into range and clinches up with Rowland.
Rowland tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Piano just stands there and leans against the cage.
Rowland fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Rowland decides to pull guard.
Piano sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Rowland's guard.
Rowland is breathing heavily.

Piano decides to return to a standing position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Piano drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Piano accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Piano accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Rowland might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Piano throws a big elbow that misses.
Piano is stalling in the full guard.

Piano stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Piano works over Rowland's head and body with a nice combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
The referee is keeping an eye on Piano - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Piano leaning his opponent against the cage.
The crowd are getting on Piano's back here. They're not happy about his lack of aggression in the clinch.

Piano has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Rowland uses from the top position.
Piano is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Rowland is controlling him.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rowland accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Rowland trying to control the position from guard on top but Piano is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Giuoco Piano dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Buck Rowland's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Piano scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Rowland trying to control from the bottom.
Piano has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Piano sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Rowland defending well though.
Piano looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Piano with the ground and pound but Rowland uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Piano is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Piano loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Piano preventing the sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Piano stays in close to Rowland's body and controls the position.
Piano trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Piano gets a takedown into half guard.
Rowland misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Giuoco Piano has got the better of the ground game so far.
Piano is controlling the pace.
Piano's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Piano is looking for a kimura here.
Piano with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Rowland regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Piano.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Piano slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Piano throws a strike aimed at the side of Rowland's head but Rowland avoids it well.
Rowland prevents Piano from improving position.

Piano decides to stand back up. Piano steps back and let's Rowland get back to his feet.

Piano shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Rowland napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Piano advances to full mount.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Piano unloads with some shots from mount but Rowland bucks and avoids them well.
Poor strikes thrown by Piano there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Piano throws some wild stikes that Rowland manages to avoid easily.
Piano thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Piano looking to finish with strikes here!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Piano punching from mount but Rowland doing a good job of avoiding damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Giuoco Piano showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Buck Rowland's cut.
That's time! Rowland's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Left hook, right uppercut from Piano.
Piano lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Piano lands a body shot.
Piano rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Rowland moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Piano gets a double leg takedown into Rowland's guard.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Rowland manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Piano displaying some good clinch control by pressing Rowland up against the cage.
Rowland is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Piano to keep the fight standing.
Piano tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Piano successfully pulls guard.
Piano is wriggling around but Rowland manages to pass to half guard.
Rowland missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Piano kicks Rowland off and gets back to his feet.
Piano lands a two punch combo.
Piano swats away the attempt to clinch by Rowland.
Piano throws a series of strikes that have Rowland backpedaling.
Piano fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Piano feints and as Rowland raises his hands in defense, Piano changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rowland utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rowland is trying to control the position but Piano postures up.
Piano is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Piano throws a strike but Rowland rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Rowland throws a big right hand that misses.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Piano manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Piano taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Piano stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

Piano is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Rowland can't fight it off and eventually Piano manages to take the fight to the floor. Rowland looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Piano tries to free his leg and advance position but Rowland is retaining full guard.

Piano stands up from Rowland's guard - Piano perhaps looking for a knockout.
Piano shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Rowland eats them both and turns towards Piano to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.

Piano scores with a takedown into Rowland's guard.

Rowland wriggles free and stands up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Piano closes the distance and pushes Rowland back into the cage.

Piano gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Rowland regains guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rowland keeping moving, preventing Piano from controlling successfully.
Piano is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Piano lands a couple of elbows.
Rowland utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
Giuoco Piano comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Piano 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 Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Giuoco Piano!