PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ricardo Arona (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sam Mancuso (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Arona
vs
Mancuso

225 cm
22
265 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

190 cm
19
265 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ricardo Arona!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sam Mancuso!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Chris Downing and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mancuso wants to clinch up but Arona keeps it at a distance.
Mancuso throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Arona's waist but Arona gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Mancuso off to one side.
Arona throws a wild body kick that Mancuso sees coming a mile off.
Mancuso closes this distance looking for a takedown but Arona circles away.
Mancuso looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Ricardo Arona has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sam Mancuso.
Arona misses with an attempted mid kick.
Mancuso closes the distance and clinches up with Arona, looking for a takedown. Mancuso pushes Arona against the cage but Arona circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Arona fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Mancuso sprawls well initially but Arona persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Mancuso has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Arona is working away from the top position though.
Arona looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Mancuso with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Arona keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Mancuso tries to get to full guard but Arona has control of the leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arona tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Mancuso.
Arona trying to control the pace.
Mancuso should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Arona is trying to control the action in half guard but Mancuso is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mancuso is pressing down on Arona's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Mancuso working for a triangle but Arona defends it easily.

Arona is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Mancuso looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Arona is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Arona trying to control the position from guard on top but Mancuso is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Arona lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Mancuso is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Arona is breathing heavily.
It looks like Mancuso is going to stand back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mancuso not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Arona is refusing to be controlled, as Mancuso sits in half guard.

Arona looking for submissions off his back.
Mancuso is tying to control. Arona wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Arona is looking for a sweep. Mancuso is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Arona manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Mancuso tries for a takedown but Arona circles away easily

and Arona counters with a single leg into guard. Mancuso didn't expect that.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mancuso trying to control the position.
Arona would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Mancuso lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Arona!
Arona on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Arona tries to get out of the position.
Mancuso fails to advance to Arona's back.
Mancuso wants to control but Arona has made it back to half guard. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricardo Arona dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Arona looks to clinch

and Mancuso counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Mancuso trying to control but Arona is working from the bottom.
Arona keeping full guard, as Mancuso tries to pass.
Arona keeping moving, preventing Mancuso from controlling successfully.
Mancuso has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Arona is proving hard to escape from.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Arona controlling Mancuso's posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mancuso postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Mancuso looking to pass the guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Arona circles away from the clinch attempt

and Arona counters by moving into the clinch.
Arona is trying to break free.
Mancuso tries to land knees in the clinch but Arona avoids the damage to the body.

Arona escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Mancuso changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Arona looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arona struggling a bit here.
Mancuso is looking to take a break and control but Arona is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Arona is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Arona is trying to improve his position.
Arona struggling a bit here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mancuso wants to lay and pray for a moment but Arona keeps working.

Mancuso has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Mancuso misses with a takedown attempt

and Arona counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Mancuso!
Arona working the ground and pound effectively.
Arona tries to control but Mancuso wriggling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arona raining down shots from the mount!
The referee warns Mancuso that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Arona trying to control but Mancuso is having none of it.
Arona blocks Mancuso's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Mancuso tries to hold on but Arona pushes him away.
Mancuso is looking to improve his position but Arona isn't that keen on the idea.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sam Mancuso showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Mancuso shoots in and drives through. Arona sprawls well.
The fight stays on the outside here - Arona looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Arona gets a takedown into half guard.

Arona stands up from half guard.
Arona really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Arona drives through with a takedown into guard.
Arona has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Mancuso looking to try and escape his hips here, looking for a submission. It looks like he's going for a triangle but Arona is defending well. Mancuso quickly switches to an armbar and extends the arm! Arona has no choice but to tap, to a very quick submission! Wow, that was lightning fast! Mancuso celebrates on the cage, with the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:02 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Sam Mancuso!