PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dante Fiaschi (ranked 3475 p4p, 378 weight class) and Robert Bruce (ranked 4175 p4p, 437 weight class). Fiaschi comes to the cage accompanied by ZZ Top - Sharp Dressed Man. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Robert Bruce was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Fiaschi
vs
Bruce

187 cm
26
185 lbs
9 - 9 - 0

189 cm
25
202 lbs
7 - 6 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 9 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dante Fiaschi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Robert Bruce!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Jack Bonds and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bruce keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Decent striking displayed by Bruce there.
Bruce looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Sloppy strikes from Bruce. Those never looked like landing.
Fiaschi is looking for a counter combo.
Bruce misses with a lunging right hand
and Fiaschi counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Robert Bruce seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fiaschi tries to close the distance and clinch up but Bruce swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Fiaschi fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Bruce scores with a push kick.
Bruce throws out a loose jab but Fiaschi uses good head movement to avoid it.
Bruce throws a shot from downtown. Fiaschi moves away and avoids it.
Bruce throws a looping overhand right but Fiaschi ducks down to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bruce looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Bruce throws a right and a left that Fiaschi avoids nicely.
Fiaschi seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Bruce misses with a hook. Fiaschi ducked under it nicely.
Fiaschi swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Bruce avoids the head kick by Fiaschi.
Bruce now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
A telegraphed right hand from Bruce misses the target.
Fiaschi uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Bruce.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bruce feints and then cracks Fiaschi's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Fiaschi down.
Bruce doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Fiaschi closes the distance and clinches up with Bruce, looking for a takedown. Fiaschi pushes Bruce against the cage but Bruce circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dante Fiaschi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bruce keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Bruce throws out a counter right but Fiaschi avoids it with no problem.
Fiaschi checks the leg kick.
Bruce lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Fiaschi shoots in looking for a takedown. Bruce tries to sprawl out of it but Fiaschi keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Bruce manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
A little jabbing left from Bruce on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Bruce scores with a hook.
Fiaschi shoots in but no luck this time.
Bruce throws a looping overhand right but Fiaschi ducks down to avoid it.
Fiaschi darts in looking for a takedown but Bruce gets double underhooks and turns Fiaschi into the cage.
Bruce misses with a double jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bruce fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Fiaschi manages to avoid it.
Bruce looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Bruce tried to score with a low kick but Fiaschi checks it.
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!
Bruce stuns Fiaschi with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Bruce throws a right and a left that both miss.
Bruce misses the jab.
Fiaschi throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Bruce's waist but Bruce gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Fiaschi off to one side.
Fiaschi takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Bruce lands a nice shot to the body.
Fiaschi misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Bruce.
Bruce scores with a body shot.
Bruce throws a nice looking combination but Fiaschi bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Bruce shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Fiaschi misses with a takedown attempt - Bruce sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Bruce's coach down at JAG Battle Gym was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Bruce's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Fiaschi tries to clinch but Bruce moves out of range.
Fiaschi dives in for a single leg takedown but Bruce sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Fiaschi rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Bruce moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A countering left hand to the body from Bruce misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A decent looking cross lands there for Bruce.
Bruce throws out a powerful jab.
Bruce dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Fiaschi. That did some damage!
Fiaschi looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Fiaschi slips a jab and a cross from Bruce.
Fiaschi wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Bruce pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Bruce avoids the head kick by Fiaschi.
Bruce throws a push kick but Fiaschi slaps the foot to one side.
Bruce lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Bruce walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Fiaschi checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Fiaschi slips a jab from Bruce.
Bruce scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Fiaschi moves out of range as Bruce throws a body kick.
Fiaschi walks into a jab.
Bruce throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Fiaschi clinches up with Bruce and pushes him back against the cage.
Fiaschi is trying to pull guard but Bruce has him pressed against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bruce throws a punch but it's blocked by Fiaschi.
Bruce tries to work over Fiaschi's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Bruce pressing his opponent against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Fiaschi.
Fiaschi goes for a takedown attempt but Bruce pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Bruce misses with an attempted mid kick.
As Bruce tries to get set, Fiaschi tries to push him back and clinch up but Bruce manages to avoid the attempt.
Bruce stuffs the takedown attempt from Fiaschi. Fiaschi gets slowly back to his feet.
Bruce throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Bruce is looking to score with low kicks.
Fiaschi wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Fiaschi goes for a double leg but Bruce avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Bruce continues to drive forward.
Bruce throws a jab when Fiaschi was well out of range.

Fiaschi throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Bruce tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Fiaschi is in Bruce's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Fiaschi tries to clinch up.

Bruce tries to sprawl but Fiaschi drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Bruce tries to get to full guard but Fiaschi has control of the leg.

Fiaschi is looking for a kimura but Bruce is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Fiaschi to get the leverage.

Fiaschi is working for a submission of some sort.

Fiaschi is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bruce keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bruce is continuing to stall.

Bruce is defending against the submission attempts here by Fiaschi.
Bruce wants to control but Fiaschi is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Fiaschi in half guard on the top. He's looking for a kimura... He's got it locked and he's managed to free his trapped foot. Bruce tries to escape but it's on too tight and he has to tap! Great BJJ skills there from Fiaschi!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:21 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Dante Fiaschi!
A very excited looking Dante Fiaschi made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.