PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ragnar Danneskjöld (ranked 5780 p4p, 539 weight class) and Michael D Amato (ranked 3777 p4p, 421 weight class). D Amato has chosen Machine Gun - Hated as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Danneskjöld
vs
D Amato

185 cm
40
200 lbs
25 - 29 - 0

178 cm
40
197 lbs
36 - 15 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
World class boxer
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 25 - 29 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ragnar Danneskjöld!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 36 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Michael D Amato!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Daniel Blasius and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

D Amato drives through with a takedown into Danneskjöld's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Danneskjöld is pulling down on D Amato's head. It's preventing any offense from D Amato, at least for the moment.
D Amato really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Danneskjöld. 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 won't allow Danneskjöld to sweep him here.
Danneskjöld is working hard here to advance position.

Danneskjöld is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. D Amato is aware though and is defending well.
Danneskjöld controls D Amato momentarily but D Amato frees himself.
Danneskjöld lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Danneskjöld postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Danneskjöld in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
D Amato looking for a sweep. Not yet D Amato, not yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Danneskjöld trying to control the position from guard on top but D Amato is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
D Amato keeping full guard, as Danneskjöld tries to pass.
D Amato is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
D Amato tries to strike from the bottom.
Danneskjöld in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Danneskjöld with a flurry of punches that miss.

D Amato is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

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

Danneskjöld bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in D Amato's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Danneskjöld throwing strikes but missing.
Danneskjöld stops D Amato from standing up.
Danneskjöld wants to pass the guard but D Amato is keeping the position.
We've been hearing that Danneskjöld has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Danneskjöld sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed D Amato's guard.
Danneskjöld lands with a punch from half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Danneskjöld drops an elbow to the side of D Amato's head.
Danneskjöld 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.
Danneskjöld is thwarting D Amato's attempts to control the position.
D Amato keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Danneskjöld thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed D Amato's head.
Danneskjöld looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
D Amato is not content to let Danneskjöld control the position.
D Amato keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
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. Danneskjöld connects with a nice short shot to D Amato's temple.
Danneskjöld slows the pace down in half guard.
Danneskjöld passes into side control, despite D Amato's attempt to control the position.

Danneskjöld looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
D Amato is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Danneskjöld blocks the strikes from D Amato.
Danneskjöld trying to control the position but D Amato is working away.
Danneskjöld cracks D Amato with an elbow. That is naaassty.
D Amato managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Danneskjöld.
Danneskjöld is chipping away with strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Danneskjöld trying to control the action but D Amato is working from the bottom.
Danneskjöld tries to score with some ground and pound. D Amato controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Danneskjöld is trying to ground and pound but D Amato uses the momentary lack of control by Danneskjöld to regain half guard.
D Amato wants to control but Danneskjöld is keeping busy and won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ragnar Danneskjöld dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

D Amato closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Danneskjöld letting D Amato take a breather here.
Danneskjöld scores with a shot to the side of D Amato's head.

D Amato turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and D Amato manages to end up in side control.
Danneskjöld is looking to reverse the position.
Danneskjöld regains half guard.
Danneskjöld manages to get to full guard.
D Amato trying to control the position from guard on top but Danneskjöld is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Danneskjöld is on top in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Danneskjöld throws a big elbow that misses.
D Amato is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
D Amato looking to hit a scissor sweep but Danneskjöld is one step ahead there.
Danneskjöld distracts D Amato with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Danneskjöld throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
D Amato is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Danneskjöld is trying to control but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Danneskjöld is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that D Amato can do to turn this around?
Danneskjöld manages to get to full guard.
D Amato must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Danneskjöld is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
D Amato throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Danneskjöld works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Danneskjöld wants to sweep but no luck.

Danneskjöld isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. D Amato stacks Danneskjöld on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by D Amato!
D Amato throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Danneskjöld wants to control but D Amato postures up.
Danneskjöld 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 lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

D Amato decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Danneskjöld fakes the leg kick and cracks D Amato in the body.

Danneskjöld forces D Amato back against the cage and clinches.
D Amato has Danneskjöld pressed against the cage.

D Amato has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Danneskjöld is trying to keep an underhook but D Amato manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Danneskjöld tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Danneskjöld is looking to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
D Amato is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Danneskjöld on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

Danneskjöld is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but D Amato pulls his head out easily.
Danneskjöld is looking to improve his position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
D Amato seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
D Amato seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Danneskjöld does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael D Amato showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Danneskjöld fails with an attempt to clinch.
D Amato throws a counter combo.

D Amato moves into the clinch.

D Amato tightens his grip and picks Danneskjöld up, before dumping him to the ground. Danneskjöld manages to land in guard.
D Amato trying to control but Danneskjöld is working from the bottom.

Danneskjöld escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. D Amato gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
D Amato trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
D Amato sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Danneskjöld looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Danneskjöld keeping moving, preventing D Amato from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.

D Amato drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and D Amato jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Danneskjöld looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
D Amato slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Danneskjöld is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Danneskjöld looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Danneskjöld working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. D Amato doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. D Amato manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

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.
Danneskjöld trying to control the position.
D Amato trying to control but Danneskjöld is working from the bottom.
D Amato looking to pass the guard.
D Amato stopping the sweep attempt from Danneskjöld.
D Amato throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
D Amato is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
D Amato keeps the fight on the outside.
Danneskjöld throws a sloppy body shot
and D Amato counters with a straight right hand.
Michael D Amato is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Danneskjöld throws out a loose jab but D Amato uses good head movement to avoid it.
Danga de danga de dang - D Amato scores with a four punch combination!
Danneskjöld misses with an uppercut. D Amato saw that one coming.
A big left from Danneskjöld misses.
D Amato keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
D Amato drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Danneskjöld defends it well.

D Amato shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. D Amato showed some decent athleticism there.
Danneskjöld works his way to full guard. Good work.
D Amato tries to stand but Danneskjöld is controlling from the bottom.

Danneskjöld looking for submissions from the bottom but instead D Amato passes into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
D Amato passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Danneskjöld!
D Amato lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
D Amato thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Danneskjöld is squirming around, avoiding D Amato's attempts to control the action.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Danneskjöld can't escape the position.
Danneskjöld wants to hold on but D Amato pushes him away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Michael D Amato comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well D Amato 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 Aafke Stam scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 28:29
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Michael D Amato!
An intense looking Michael D Amato took to the microphone post fight and gave a little speech: 'Fuck you'.