PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Anthony Linwood (ranked 23323 p4p, 552 weight class) and Denzel Arcidiacono (ranked 23509 p4p, 571 weight class). Denzel Arcidiacono will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Linwood
vs
Arcidiacono

178 cm
27
155 lbs
9 - 13 - 1

191 cm
27
159 lbs
9 - 13 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 13 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Anthony Linwood!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Denzel Arcidiacono!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Chris Downing and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Linwood throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Arcidiacono was covering up waiting for the punch and Linwood finishes the takedown easily into guard.

Linwood avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Linwood has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Linwood throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Arcidiacono is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Linwood defends well.

Arcidiacono has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Linwood can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Linwood drops back, looking for a kneebar! Arcidiacono looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Arcidiacono looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Arcidiacono!

Linwood is looking to reverse the position.
Linwood dodges the ground and pound from Arcidiacono.
Linwood tries to improve position but can't.
The ground and pound from Arcidiacono seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Linwood knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Arcidiacono on the ground.
Linwood tries to improve position but can't.

Arcidiacono tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Linwood tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Linwood is working hard here to advance position.
Linwood is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Arcidiacono is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Linwood looking for submissions off his back.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Arcidiacono missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Linwood tries to get to full guard but Arcidiacono has control of the leg.

Arcidiacono decides to return to a standing position.
Arcidiacono shoots in but Linwood avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Nice sprawl there from Linwood as Arcidiacono shoots in.
Linwood shoots in and drives through. Arcidiacono sprawls well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arcidiacono goes for a double leg but Linwood avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Linwood continues to drive forward.
Anthony Linwood has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Denzel Arcidiacono.
Linwood has a takedown stuffed.
Linwood is breathing heavily.
Linwood shoots for a double leg takedown but Arcidiacono sprawls well. He's pushed Linwood's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Denzel Arcidiacono seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Arcidiacono stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Arcidiacono wants it to stay on the feet.
Arcidiacono appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Arcidiacono lands an overhand right.
Arcidiacono jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Linwood keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Arcidiacono closes the distance and clinches up with Linwood, looking for a takedown. Arcidiacono pushes Linwood against the cage but Linwood circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Arcidiacono tries to clinch but Linwood moves out of range.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Linwood on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Arcidiacono looks for a takedown but Linwood sprawls well.
Arcidiacono tries to bum rush Linwood with a series of wild strikes but Linwood uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Linwood fails to land the takedown.
Linwood defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Arcidiacono.

Linwood looking to score a takedown here. Arcidiacono is defending well but Linwood drives through and ends up in Arcidiacono's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Denzel Arcidiacono dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Linwood shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Arcidiacono manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

Arcidiacono wriggles free and stands up.
Linwood keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Arcidiacono has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Arcidiacono enables Linwood to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Arcidiacono manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Linwood accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Arcidiacono keeping moving, preventing Linwood from controlling successfully.

Linwood got a little sloppy there for a moment and Arcidiacono has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Linwood has managed to get both his arms back between Arcidiacono's legs - danger averted.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Linwood scoring with some ground and pound.
Linwood looking to pass the guard.

Linwood avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Linwood throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Arcidiacono works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Denzel Arcidiacono has got the better of the ground game so far.
Arcidiacono is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Linwood accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Linwood in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Linwood lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Arcidiacono utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Linwood lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Linwood pushing down on Arcidiacono's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
The fighters are battling for position here. Arcidiacono manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Linwood stops Arcidiacono from standing up.
Arcidiacono manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Linwood manages to get himself to full guard.

Linwood on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Linwood tries to get out of the position.
Arcidiacono throws a big right hand that misses.
Arcidiacono throwing strikes from guard but Linwood blocks nicely.
Arcidiacono advances to half guard.
Arcidiacono throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Linwood is trying to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Linwood looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Linwood is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Arcidiacono pulls his head out easily.
Arcidiacono has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Linwood tries to get to full guard but Arcidiacono has control of the leg.
Linwood blocking the ground and pound attempt from Arcidiacono.
Linwood blocking the ground and pound attempt from Arcidiacono.
Linwood is looking to improve his position.
Ground and pound from Arcidiacono.
Arcidiacono thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Arcidiacono throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Linwood landing small, sideways elbows.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Denzel Arcidiacono will probably get the nod - 10:9.
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!

Arcidiacono has a takedown stuffed.
Arcidiacono misses with a head kick.
Arcidiacono comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Linwood has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Arcidiacono finds it's way round the side to connect with Linwood's head.
Arcidiacono misses with a two punch combination.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Linwood.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Linwood.

Linwood looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Arcidiacono has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Linwood has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Arcidiacono is trying to break the clinch but Linwood is controlling him.
Linwood drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Anthony Linwood. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Linwood tries to score a body lock takedown but Arcidiacono shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Arcidiacono breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Arcidiacono stuffs the takedown.
Denzel Arcidiacono seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Arcidiacono is looking to clinch.
Linwood is looking to counter punch.
Arcidiacono looks for a takedown but Linwood sprawls well.
Linwood swats away the attempt to clinch by Arcidiacono.
An attempted straight right counter from Linwood misses the target.
Arcidiacono fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Arcidiacono tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Linwood is able to avoid easily.

Linwood shoots in and bounces Arcidiacono off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Arcidiacono is looking to stand up but Linwood isn't so interested in that idea.
Linwood lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Linwood with a flurry of punches that miss.

Arcidiacono has his feet on Linwood's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

Linwood dives in and scores a takedown into Arcidiacono's guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Linwood works over Arcidiacono with some ground and pound from guard.

Arcidiacono is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Linwood presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
Linwood is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Arcidiacono tries to break free but Linwood pushes him back against the cage.
Linwood is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Arcidiacono pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Arcidiacono manages to break the clinch.

Linwood tries to keep at a distance but Arcidiacono has taken the fight into the clinch.
Arcidiacono is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Linwood is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Arcidiacono gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Linwood tries for a takedown. No joy.
Anthony Linwood has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Denzel Arcidiacono is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Linwood prevents the takedown attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Denzel Arcidiacono comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Arcidiacono 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 27:30
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Denzel Arcidiacono!