PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Leozinho Bassi (ranked 6436 p4p, 635 weight class) and Phil Maroni (ranked 5858 p4p, 606 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Bassi
vs
Maroni

174 cm
25
190 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

177 cm
26
190 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Good kicks
Good in bed

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Leozinho Bassi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Phil Maroni!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fray, Paul Gruel and Roger Salmon.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maroni throws a low kick but Bassi moves out of range easily.

Maroni gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Maroni looks to throw an elbow but misses.

Bassi has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Maroni is trying to keep an underhook but Bassi manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Bassi wants to lay and pray for a moment but Maroni keeps working.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Maroni is trying to control but can't.
Maroni is not content to let Bassi control the position.
Bassi is pressing down on Maroni's thigh, looking to free his foot. Maroni is holding on for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maroni is trying to get back to full guard.
Maroni trying to hold on to Bassi's head to control him but Bassi postures up.
Bassi is looking to take a break and control but Maroni is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bassi wants to pass to mount but Maroni is defending the position.

Bassi is working for a submission of some sort.
Bassi thows a huge punch but Maroni dodges it nicely.
Bassi is just content to waste time from the top position. Maroni takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Maroni holds on and takes a little breather.
Bassi definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Bassi trying to control the position from guard on top but Maroni is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Bassi pushing down on Maroni's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Maroni is looking to improve his position.
Bassi is looking to stall here but Maroni recovers full guard.
Bassi trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Bassi drops back, looking for a kneebar! Maroni looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Maroni looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Maroni!

Maroni wants to lay and pray for a moment but Bassi keeps working.
Bassi can't do much from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Who's going to make the next move?
Bassi is trying to control Maroni's posture but Maroni avoids it.
Maroni tries to advance to mount but Bassi denies him.
Bassi is trying to control Maroni's posture but Maroni avoids it.
My spies in White's ELITE Fitness Gym inform me that Maroni has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Bassi prevents Maroni from improving position.
Maroni controlling the position from side mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Maroni is looking to take a break and control but Bassi is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Maroni is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Bassi has escaped the position, nice work there.

Maroni working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Bassi could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bassi is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Phil Maroni dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Maroni feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Bassi's calf.
Bassi on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Maroni. Maroni obviously looking to wear him down.
A clash of legs there as Bassi blocks the low kick.
Maroni lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Maroni throws a leg kick which misses Bassi's front leg but catches the back leg as Bassi tries to avoid it.
Maroni has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Maroni motions for Bassi to come forward. Maroni throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
An inside leg kick lands from Maroni.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bassi checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
A nice inside leg kick there by Maroni. That's going to slow Bassi down.
Maroni connects with a solid leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Some bone on bone action there as Bassi checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Maroni just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromBassi.
Maroni scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Maroni lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Maroni throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Bassi throws a quick counter head kick but Maroni was just out of range.

Maroni clinches up against the cage.

Maroni tightens his grip and picks Bassi up, before dumping him to the ground. Bassi manages to land in guard.
Maroni looking to sit in guard and control but Bassi gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Bassi drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Maroni manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Bassi has Maroni in his guard.

Bassi looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Maroni wants to control from the top but Bassi keeps moving.
Maroni sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Maroni slips nicely into half guard.

Bassi is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Maroni pulls his head out easily.
Bassi trying to control from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maroni missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Maroni stalling away here and it's allowed Bassi to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Maroni trying to control but Bassi is working from the bottom.

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

Bassi cracks Maroni with a solid left hand.
Bassi wants to control from the top but Maroni keeps moving.
Bassi missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Bassi throws a big elbow that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maroni keeping moving, preventing Bassi from controlling successfully.
Maroni trying to keep a closed guard but Bassi is proving a slippery customer.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bassi sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Maroni's guard.

Bassi wants to work for an arm triangle but Maroni is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Bassi missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Maroni wants to get back to full guard.
Maroni avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Bassi.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Bassi is looking for a kimura here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Maroni trying to control from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Phil Maroni showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Bassi's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Maroni throws a leg kick that misses.
Bassi throws a quick counter head kick but Maroni was just out of range.
A leg kick checked by Bassi.
Maroni just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromBassi.
Maroni fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Bassi.
Bassi is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
A looping hook to the body misses from Maroni. Bassi does a little dance to reset his feet.
Bassi moves out of range of the leg kick from Maroni.
Maroni tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Maroni misses with a leg kick
and Bassi counters with a flying knee. Nice.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bassi checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Maroni misses with a head kick.
Maroni misses with a low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maroni moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Maroni feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Bassi's calf.
Maroni connects with a jab.
Phil Maroni is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Maroni connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Maroni swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Maroni throws a low kick but Bassi moves out of range easily.
Bassi dodges the punch combination from Maroni.
Bassi checks a leg kick.
As Maroni backs away, Bassi returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maroni throws a low kick but it's checked well by Bassi.
Phil Maroni seems to be getting the better of the standup.

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

Bassi works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Bassi wants to pass the guard but Maroni is keeping the position.
Bassi passes easily into side control. Nice work.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Bassi tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Bassi trying to control the action but Maroni is working from the bottom.
Maroni manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Leozinho Bassi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bassi is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Maroni doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Bassi.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bassi thows a huge punch but Maroni dodges it nicely.
Maroni is looking for a sweep. Bassi is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Maroni avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Bassi.
Maroni is trying to get back to full guard.
Maroni won't allow Bassi to pass to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Bassi missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Maroni tries to roll over but Bassi keeps him under control.
Bassi not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Bassi thows a huge punch but Maroni dodges it nicely.
Bassi wants to take a breather but Maroni is having none of it.
Maroni tries to roll over but Bassi keeps him under control.
Bassi seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Maroni does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Maroni wants to improve his position but Bassi is controlling well.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bassi works his foot free and advances to mount.
Phil Maroni is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Bassi thowing shots but they're missing.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Phil Maroni.
I've got Maroni winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Colin Fray scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 27:30
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Phil Maroni!
A victorious Phil Maroni thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.