PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Massimo Damiani (ranked 4701 p4p, 355 weight class) and Hodi Garbandit (ranked 4999 p4p, 371 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Damiani
vs
Garbandit

174 cm
20
155 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

177 cm
26
150 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Bank of noobs

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Massimo Damiani!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Hodi Garbandit!
The judges for this bout are Ben Watson, Ben Hemmingworth and Ron Honeybunn.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Damiani throws a nice looking combination but Garbandit bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Garbandit throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Garbandit throws a head kick that misses.
Garbandit avoids a punch combination nicely.
Damiani swings for the body but Garbandit moves out of range.
Damiani tries to bum rush Garbandit with a series of wild strikes but Garbandit uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Garbandit throws a fast counter high kick but Damiani manages to duck under it in time.
The fight stays on the outside here - Damiani looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Garbandit looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Garbandit is looking to land body kicks.
Hodi Garbandit seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Damiani takes a swing at Garbandit's ribcage but misses.
A big left from Damiani misses.

Damiani instigates a clinch.
Garbandit struggles to land a body shot inside as Damiani controls his hands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Damiani tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Garbandit told us before the fight that he's been working on his elbows. An under utilised technique these days - let's see if it can sway the outcome of the fight.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Garbandit.
Garbandit scores with a hook to the body.
Damiani misses with the head strike.
Damiani working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Damiani lands a nice uppercut.
Garbandit fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Damiani struggles to land a body shot inside as Garbandit controls his hands.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Garbandit creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Garbandit is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Garbandit lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Garbandit is trying to stall.
Garbandit lands a right hand.
Garbandit misses with an elbow over the top.
Damiani tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Damiani has a couple of punches blocked by Garbandit.
Garbandit swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Garbandit can't find room to land a body shot as Damiani controls the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Damiani misses with a punch on the inside.
Damiani blocks a punch to the side of the head.
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!
Garbandit makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Garbandit.
Damiani throws a punch but it's blocked by Garbandit.
Damiani misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Garbandit misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Garbandit struggles to land a body shot inside as Damiani controls his hands.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Garbandit lands a left hand that snaps the head of Damiani backwards.
Garbandit takes a shot to the head.
Damiani has Garbandit pressed against the cage.
Damiani misses with some punches.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Garbandit.
Damiani tries a body shot but Garbandit blocks it.
Garbandit swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Damiani doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Garbandit swings wildly with an uppercut but Damiani uses good head movement to avoid it.
Damiani stalling the fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Garbandit.
Garbandit tries a body shot but Damiani blocks it.
Damiani tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Garbandit's elbow.
Damiani makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Damiani softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Garbandit fails to land.
Damiani blocks an uppercut.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Damiani tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Garbandit swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Damiani.
Garbandit swings wildly with an uppercut but Damiani uses good head movement to avoid it.
Garbandit gets through Damiani's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Damiani lands a left hand.
Damiani misses with the head strike.
Garbandit throws a punch but it's blocked by Damiani.
A short uppercut from Garbandit.
A right hook to the body lands for Damiani.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Garbandit.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Garbandit working aggressively here.
A right hand to the body from Damiani.
Garbandit lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Damiani leaning his opponent against the cage.
Garbandit misses with a hook to the ribs.
Damiani blocking some punches.
A head punch on the inside from Garbandit fails to land.
Damiani tries to work over Garbandit's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Damiani lands a hook to the side of the head.
Damiani tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Garbandit's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Damiani misses with a body punch.
Garbandit misses with the head strike.
Damiani lands a body shot.
Damiani prevents a body shot from Garbandit.
Damiani blocks an uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Massimo Damiani will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Damiani scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Garbandit doesn't seem bothered though.
Damiani checks the leg kick.
Damiani seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Damiani misses with an uppercut. Garbandit saw that one coming.
Garbandit throws a head kick but Damiani moves out of range.
An attempted straight right counter from Damiani misses the target.

Damiani forces Garbandit back against the cage and clinches.
Garbandit working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Damiani misses with a hook from the clinch.
Damiani blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Garbandit blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Garbandit doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Damiani digs a right hand underneath Garbandit's ribcage. Garbandit let out a lung full of air as it connected.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Damiani lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Damiani blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Damiani misses with a punch to the body.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Damiani.
Damiani goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Garbandit working aggressively here.
Damiani tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Garbandit's elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garbandit lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Garbandit has a couple of punches blocked by Damiani.
Damiani doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Damiani misses with some punches.
Damiani throws a punch but it's blocked by Garbandit.
Damiani struggles to land a body shot inside as Garbandit controls his hands.
Damiani fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Damiani lands a shot to the body.
A short right from Garbandit.
Garbandit blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Damiani lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Garbandit or not.
Damiani lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Damiani blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Damiani lands a hook that snaps the head of Garbandit backwards.
Garbandit blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Garbandit blocks a body shot from Damiani.
Damiani throws a head punch that misses.
Garbandit working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Damiani is struggling to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Damiani working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Damiani throws a punch but it's blocked by Garbandit.
Damiani misses with a punch on the inside.
Good body shot from Damiani.
Damiani swings wildly with an uppercut but Garbandit uses good head movement to avoid it.
Damiani blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Garbandit swings wildly with an uppercut but Damiani uses good head movement to avoid it.
Damiani lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Garbandit.
Garbandit doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Damiani misses with a body punch.
Damiani blocks an uppercut.
Garbandit blocks an uppercut.
Damiani lands a right hand.
Damiani doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Garbandit's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Damiani misses with the head strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garbandit misses with a hook from the clinch.
Garbandit struggles to land a body shot inside as Damiani controls his hands.
Garbandit misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Garbandit blocks an uppercut.
Garbandit tries to work over Damiani's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Garbandit fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Damiani scores with a shoulder strike.
A short right from Damiani.
Garbandit trying to control the position but instead, Damiani has worked for underhooks and has pushed Garbandit into the cage.
Damiani blocks an uppercut.
Damiani content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Garbandit misses with a hook from the clinch.
Damiani scores with a nice hook to the head.
Garbandit misses with some punches.
Damiani misses with a short punch on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Garbandit softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Garbandit leaning against his opponent.
Garbandit softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Damiani lands a left hand.
A nice left hand lands by Damiani.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Garbandit lands a right hand that snaps the head of Damiani backwards.
A short uppercut from Damiani.
A head punch on the inside from Garbandit fails to land.
Damiani blocks an uppercut.
Damiani tries to throw a body punch but Garbandit avoids it by throwing Damiani back against the cage.
Garbandit misses with some punches.
Garbandit lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A short uppercut from Garbandit.
Damiani blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Still in the clinch, Garbandit scores with a nice short uppercut.
Damiani throws a punch but it's blocked by Garbandit.
Garbandit has Damiani pressed against the cage.
Damiani lands with a light punch inside.
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 Massimo Damiani will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Damiani fails to land with a series of punches.
Garbandit looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Damiani seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Damiani scores with a jab. Garbandit acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Damiani lands a nice leg kick that just misses Garbandit's sensitive parts.
Garbandit looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
A head kick misses from Garbandit.
Garbandit slips a jab and a cross from Damiani.
Garbandit misses with a low kick.
Garbandit slips a straight right by Damiani.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Damiani misses with a body shot.
Damiani swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Garbandit tries a head kick but it misses.
Garbandit misses with a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garbandit blocks a low kick nicely.
Massimo Damiani is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Damiani blocks a head kick by Garbandit.
Damiani scores with a shot to the body.
Garbandit slips a jab and a cross from Damiani.
Garbandit throws a head kick that misses.
Garbandit throws a head kick but Damiani moves out of range.
Damiani's jab looks to have found its range, popping Garbandit under the eye.
Damiani wants to clinch up but Garbandit keeps it at a distance.
Damiani misses with a wild body shot.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Garbandit fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Damiani tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Garbandit.
Garbandit cracks Damiani with a nice body shot.
Damiani misses with a hook from the clinch.
Damiani lands a right hand that snaps the head of Garbandit backwards.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Garbandit lands a body punch in the clinch.
Damiani lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Garbandit backwards.
Garbandit goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Damiani lands a left hand that snaps the head of Garbandit backwards.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Damiani.
Damiani fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Garbandit.
Damiani blocking some punches.
Damiani blocking some punches.
A nice left hand lands by Damiani.
Damiani throws a punch but it's blocked by Garbandit.
Garbandit tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Garbandit taking a breather.
Garbandit misses with a punch on the inside.
Damiani is working Garbandit over against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Damiani working aggressively here.
A short right from Damiani.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Damiani.
Garbandit misses with a punch on the inside.
Damiani blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Garbandit gets through Damiani's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Damiani blocks an uppercut.
Garbandit swings away with an uppercut that misses.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Garbandit creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Damiani swings wildly with an uppercut but Garbandit uses good head movement to avoid it.
Garbandit prevents a body shot from Damiani.
Hodi Garbandit has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Garbandit lands with a light punch inside.
Garbandit working aggressively here.
Damiani tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Garbandit's elbow.
Garbandit misses with a short punch on the inside.
Damiani misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Damiani misses with the head strike.
Damiani scores with a shoulder strike.
Garbandit stalling in the clinch but Damiani improves position.
Damiani's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Damiani misses with a hook from the clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Damiani.
Damiani throws a head punch that misses.
Garbandit tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Garbandit misses with a punch to the body.
Massimo Damiani is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
A short uppercut from Garbandit.
Damiani blocking some punches.
Massimo Damiani has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Garbandit throws a head punch that misses.
Garbandit tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Garbandit misses with a short punch on the inside.
Damiani makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
A short right from Garbandit.

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 Massimo Damiani.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Damiani, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Ben Watson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Hemmingworth scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ron Honeybunn scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Massimo Damiani!
Massimo Damiani spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.