PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Matheus CD (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Pesci (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

CD
vs
Pesci

190 cm
22
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Matheus CD!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Joe Pesci!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
CD tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Pesci swivels and escapes.
CD on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
CD moves in looking to clinch but Pesci pushes him off.

Pesci clinches up against the cage.
CD is trying to drag Pesci to the mat but Pesci just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
The referee calls for Pesci to work.
CD misses with the head strike.
CD is trying to drag Pesci to the mat but Pesci just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matheus CD. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pesci scores with a shot to the side of CD's head.
Pesci stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
With the fighters up against the cage, CD throws an elbow but misses.
Pesci lands a nice knee to the body.
CD wants a takedown but no success here.
Pesci lands with a left to the head.

Pesci breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Pesci throws a right and a left that both miss.
Pesci circles away from the clinch attempt

and Pesci counters by moving into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
CD being controlled against the cage.

Pesci manages to break the clinch.
CD throws a body kick, spinning off balance

and Pesci moves into the clinch.
Pesci landing knees to the head.
CD has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Pesci is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
CD is breathing heavily.
Pesci blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Pesci is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Pesci with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Pesci scores a nice knee to the body.
Pesci keeps control of CD as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Pesci keeps control of CD as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Pesci turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Pesci controlling from side mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pesci stands up and beckons CD to his feet.

Pesci drives through and clinches with CD against the cage.
A nice right hand lands inside from CD.
CD fails to pull guard.

Pesci breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
CD takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

Pesci shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
CD wants to control but Pesci is keeping busy.
Pesci is looking to stand up but he'll have to free his leg first. Instead, CD manages to get to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pesci looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
CD has a closed guard, preventing Pesci from standing up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Pesci dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

CD with a poor takedown

and Pesci counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Pesci using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
A nice right hand lands inside from Pesci.
Pesci'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.

Pesci breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
CD misses with a takedown attempt

and Pesci counters by clinching up.
Pesci with a knee to the head.
CD has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Pesci avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matheus CD. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Pesci escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
CD is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Pesci.
CD tries for a takedown but Pesci circles away easily

and Pesci counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Pesci.

Pesci pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
CD has his takedown stuffed
and Pesci counters with a three punch combo that has CD backing up. CD nods at Pesci to acknowledge the strikes.
Pesci throws a right and a left that CD avoids nicely.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
CD has his takedown stuffed

and Pesci moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pesci stalls.
Pesci connects with a knee to the head.
Pesci connects with a knee to the head.
Pesci unloads a knee to the mid-section. CD lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Pesci stalling in the clinch.
Pesci with a knee to the head.
Pesci effectively controlling the action here.

Pesci's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Pesci rushes CD and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Come on Pesci - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Nice body punch from Pesci.

Pesci breaks from the clinch.
Matheus CD seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
CD throws a lazy head kick

and Pesci counters by clinching up.
CD tries to break the clinch but Pesci is controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pesci breaks from the clinch.
CD doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Pesci counters with a one-two to the body.
Matheus CD is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Pesci pushes CD up against the cage in a clinch.

Pesci manages to break the clinch.
CD misses with a takedown

and Pesci counters by moving into the clinch.
Pesci landing some nice looking knees to the body.

Pesci breaks from the clinch.
CD doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Pesci moves into the clinch.
Pesci landing knees to the head.
CD wants a takedown.
Pesci creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through CD's defenses.
Pesci gets underhooks to prevent CD's takedown attempt.
Pesci landing knees to the body.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pesci lands an elbow inside.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Pesci.
Pesci gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from CD.
CD is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Pesci pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Pesci prevents a body shot from CD.

Pesci manages to break the clinch.
CD clinches but Pesci breaks the clinch

and Pesci moves into the clinch.
Pesci with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Pesci is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Good body shot from CD.

CD successfully pulls guard.

CD had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Pesci is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. CD Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Pesci's back instead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

CD has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Pesci has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Pesci manages to get to his feet, escaping the difficult position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Pesci showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

CD swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Pesci holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Pesci with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Pesci tries to score a body lock takedown but CD shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
CD takes a knee right on the jaw!

Pesci breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Pesci pushes CD up against the cage in a clinch.
Pesci is pressed up against the cage. CD has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Pesci down to the mat. Pesci avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Pesci circles away from the clinch attempt

and Pesci counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Pesci.
Pesci stalling.
Pesci with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Pesci throws a blind hook that connects with the side of CDs head.
Pesci prevents CD from breaking the clinch.
CD changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Pesci fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Pesci lands a nice looking body shot.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
CD has his takedown stuffed

and Pesci holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matheus CD. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Pesci manages to break the clinch.
CD gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Pesci holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Pesci taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Pesci connects with a nasty looking knee right to CD's face.
Pesci landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
CD tries to score a body lock takedown but Pesci shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Knees in the clinch landing for Pesci.
Pesci stalling in the clinch.
CD is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Pesci pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Pesci creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through CD's defenses.
Pesci has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Pesci changes levels and goes for a takedown here. CD fights it off and pushes away nicely.
CD with a lazy takedown attempt
and Pesci counters with a two punch combo.

CD drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
CD throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Pesci works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Pesci really doesn't want to stay on the ground with CD. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

CD drops back looking for a leg! Pesci is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Pesci manages to kick CD off! CD jumps back into Pesci's guard.
Joe Pesci is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Pesci is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst CD is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
CD keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Pesci's head.

CD postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Pesci is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of CD, into his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Pesci gets to his feet - CD follows without any prompting.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joe Pesci comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Pesci 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joe Pesci!