PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Darrel Petersen (ranked 1916 p4p, 263 weight class) and Michael D Amato (ranked 3071 p4p, 389 weight class). D Amato has chosen Machine Gun - Hated as his entrance music. 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.

Petersen
vs
D Amato

182 cm
28
190 lbs
10 - 7 - 0

178 cm
39
197 lbs
36 - 14 - 0

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

FinnFighter Nutrition (Five 160Q supps!)

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 10 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Darrel Petersen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 36 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Michael D Amato!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Paul Aken and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
D Amato connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Petersen momentarily.

It looks like Darrel Petersen has been cut.
Petersen scores with a body shot.
D Amato slips a jab from Petersen.
D Amato avoids the body shot from Petersen.

D Amato gets a double leg takedown into Petersen's guard.
Petersen looking for a sweep. Not yet Petersen, not yet.
Petersen manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. D Amato manages to get himself to full guard.

D Amato wants to get back to his feet but Petersen is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Petersen showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Petersen scoring with punches to the head and body.
Petersen pushes down on D Amato's leg and manages to get into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Petersen is trying to control the action in half guard but D Amato is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Petersen is sneakily working for an arm triangle but D Amato sees it coming and defends easily.
Petersen stops D Amato from getting back to his feet.
D Amato is holding on to half guard well.
D Amato is looking to control Petersen's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can D Amato avoid being mounted?

D Amato is defending against the submission attempts here by Petersen.
We've been hearing good reports from Petersen's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.

D Amato is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Petersen pulls his head out easily.
Petersen wants to control but D Amato is keeping him busy.
D Amato taking some punishment here, with Petersen in his half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
D Amato preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
D Amato trying to control from the bottom.
Petersen is trying to control. D Amato wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
D Amato is looking to control Petersen's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can D Amato avoid being mounted?
D Amato taking some punishment here, with Petersen in his half guard.
D Amato tries to roll over but Petersen keeps him under control.
Petersen winds up and cracks D Amato with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
D Amato is trying to get back to full guard.
Petersen not doing much here.
Petersen lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
D Amato has hold of Petersen's hands but Petersen slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Petersen connects with a nice short shot to D Amato's temple.
Petersen looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Petersen trying to control from half guard but D Amato is working away.

Petersen looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Petersen is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
D Amato looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
D Amato tries to get to full guard but Petersen has control of the leg.
Petersen has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
D Amato is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
D Amato really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Petersen. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
D Amato is refusing to be controlled, as Petersen sits in half guard.

Petersen is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and D Amato defends it well.
Petersen wants to pass to mount but D Amato is defending the position.

Petersen is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
D Amato is trying to stand.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Petersen drops an elbow to the side of D Amato's head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Petersen moves nicely into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Darrel Petersen dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Darrel Petersen's cut.
That's time! Petersen's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Petersen throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck D Amato on the side of the head.
Petersen throws a nice looking combination but D Amato bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

D Amato moves into the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Petersen fails to land.
Petersen lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt D Amato or not.
D Amato looking for a takedown.
Petersen is pressed up against the cage. D Amato has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Petersen down to the mat. Petersen avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Petersen shoots in and drives through. D Amato sprawls well.

Petersen feints and as D Amato raises his hands in defense, Petersen changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Petersen landing some decent shots from guard.
Petersen lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Petersen controlling from the top position.
Petersen trying to control the position from guard on top but D Amato is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
D Amato is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Darrel Petersen overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Petersen stays in close to D Amato's body and controls the position.

D Amato scrambles and gets back to his feet.
D Amato takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Petersen lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
A lazy left from Petersen finds it's target.
Petersen throws a shot to the body.
Petersen throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Petersen lands a nice hook to D Amato's body. D Amato takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

D Amato clinches up with Petersen and pushes him back against the cage.
D Amato stalling against the cage.
D Amato is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Petersen gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Darrel Petersen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Michael D Amato.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by D Amato.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

D Amato's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
D Amato avoids the body shot from Petersen.
D Amato wants to counter with a clinch but Petersen pushes him away.
Petersen tests D Amato's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Petersen tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but D Amato was well out of range. Poor timing from Petersen.
D Amato fails with the takedown.
D Amato stuffs the takedown.
Petersen staying out of range there.
Petersen ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

Petersen looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Petersen lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
D Amato is staying active underneath Petersen, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Petersen frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Petersen lands with some strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Petersen tries to control but D Amato wriggling away.
Petersen is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that D Amato can do to turn this around?
D Amato wants to hold on but Petersen pushes him away.
D Amato is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Petersen is staying active.
D Amato is bucking up trying to escape but Petersen cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Petersen lands a nice shot to the head.
Petersen trying to control but D Amato is having none of it.
D Amato can't escape the position.
Petersen working the ground and pound effectively.
D Amato is in a horrible position here. Petersen smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Petersen controlling from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
D Amato is trying desperately to improve position.

Petersen working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Petersen looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Petersen swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and D Amato is now in Petersen's guard. A big mistake from Petersen there, giving up the dominant position!
Petersen keeping moving, preventing D Amato from controlling successfully.
Petersen is pulling down on D Amato's head. It's preventing any offense from D Amato, at least for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Darrel Petersen dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Darrel Petersen's cut.
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. This is the final round!

Petersen tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but D Amato was well out of range. Poor timing from Petersen.
Petersen displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from D Amato.
D Amato uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Petersen.
Petersen misses the body punch

and D Amato moves into the clinch.
D Amato is looking to take this one to the mat.
Petersen goes for a takedown in the clinch but D Amato prevents it.
Petersen lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of D Amato backwards.

Petersen has picked D Amato up - he's going for a ride! Petersen dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Petersen prevents D Amato from improving his position.
Petersen working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on D Amato's thigh. D Amato counters though and makes it back to full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
D Amato trying to keep a closed guard but Petersen is proving a slippery customer.
Petersen trying to control but D Amato is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Petersen sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Petersen wants to control from the top but D Amato keeps moving.
D Amato utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

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

D Amato wants to control from the top but Petersen keeps moving.
D Amato must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's two 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.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Petersen is on top in guard.

Petersen is stalling in the full guard.
Petersen trying to control but D Amato is working from the bottom.

D Amato has his foot on Petersen's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Petersen works his way back into a safe position though.
D Amato keeping moving, preventing Petersen from controlling successfully.

The fighters are working up against the cage. D Amato manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Petersen managing to block the knees to the body from D Amato.
D Amato throws an elbow but it misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

D Amato pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Petersen is looking to wear down D Amato with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.

D Amato moves into range and clinches up with Petersen.
Petersen throws a punch but it's blocked by D Amato.
A shot in the inside from Petersen.
Petersen throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
D Amato takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Petersen tries a body shot but D Amato blocks it.
D Amato blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Petersen scores with a shoulder strike.
D Amato is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Petersen is defending well.
Michael D Amato has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Darrel Petersen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Michael D Amato.
A head punch on the inside from Petersen fails to land.
Petersen wants a takedown.
Petersen tries for a takedown but D Amato manages to get underhooks.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Petersen.
A shot in the inside from Petersen.
Petersen tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Petersen lands a shoulder strike.

Petersen tightens his grip and picks D Amato up, before dumping him to the ground. D Amato manages to land in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
D Amato wants to stand and escape but Petersen is having none of it.
Petersen looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
D Amato keeping moving, preventing Petersen from controlling successfully.
D Amato looking to hit a scissor sweep but Petersen is one step ahead there.

D Amato is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Darrel Petersen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Petersen trying to control but D Amato is working from the bottom.
Petersen postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Petersen got a little sloppy there for a moment and D Amato has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Petersen has managed to get both his arms back between D Amato's legs - danger averted.

And that's the end of the fight!
Darrel Petersen showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Petersen has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Nard Betker scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Darrel Petersen!
The defeated Michael D Amato had this to say: 'Fuck you'.