PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Frank Rizzo (ranked 1099 p4p, 62 weight class) and Oskar Friman (ranked 560 p4p, 34 weight class). Oskar Friman has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Frank Rizzo 's chin.

Rizzo
vs
Friman

175 cm
27
140 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

170 cm
30
135 lbs
14 - 9 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Perkele!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Frank Rizzo !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Oskar Friman!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Shigeki Fujiwara and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Friman lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Rizzo at a distance.
Rizzo throws a front kick aimed at Friman's knee but Friman avoids it well.
Rizzo misses with a body shot.
A little jabbing left from Friman on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Rizzo looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Rizzo on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Friman catches Rizzo with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Friman checks a leg kick nicely.
The fighters circling - Rizzo throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Friman throws out a counter right but Rizzo avoids it with no problem.
Frank Rizzo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rizzo misses with a kick to the body

and Friman counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
A right hook to the body lands for Rizzo .
Friman misses with a short punch on the inside.
Friman misses with a short punch on the inside.
Friman working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Rizzo lands a hook that snaps the head of Friman backwards.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Friman digs a right hand underneath Rizzo 's ribcage. Rizzo let out a lung full of air as it connected.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Friman.
Rizzo misses with a punch on the inside.
Friman has Rizzo pressed against the ropes, preventing Rizzo from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Friman lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the ropes.
Friman has a couple of punches blocked by Rizzo .

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rizzo lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Friman backwards.
A short uppercut from Rizzo .
Friman lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Friman misses with a short punch on the inside.
Rizzo works on Friman's body with a couple of short punches.
Rizzo misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Friman.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Friman creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Rizzo misses with a punch on the inside.
Rizzo struggles to land a body shot inside as Friman controls his hands.
A right hook to the body lands for Rizzo .

Rizzo breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Frank Rizzo is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Friman rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Rizzo counters with a right hand to the body.
Friman staying out of range there.

Friman instigates a clinch.

Rizzo breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Friman walks forward, straight into a front kick from Rizzo .
Friman ducks right into an uppercut from Rizzo .
Rizzo is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Friman.
Rizzo scores with a leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A low kick from Rizzo misses
and Friman connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Rizzo throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Friman wants to counter with a clinch but Rizzo pushes him away.
Friman throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rizzo tried to counter with a leg kick but Friman avoided it.
Rizzo thuds a left hand into Friman's body.
Friman ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Friman tries for a takedown but Rizzo sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Rizzo feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Friman's calf.
Rizzo misses with a wild body shot.
Friman tries to counter with a clinch but Rizzo shakes him off and moves away.
Rizzo throws an overhand right that lands on Friman's shoulder, as Friman tries to avoid the shot.
Friman scores with a jab to the head.
Rizzo fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Friman manages to avoid it.
Friman tries to bum rush Rizzo with a series of wild strikes but Rizzo uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A punch lands to the side of Rizzo 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Rizzo throws a body shot but no joy.
Friman avoids a low kick by using good footwork.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Friman stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Rizzo .
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Rizzo .
Rizzo throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Friman! But no joy.
Rizzo swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Friman connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Friman steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Rizzo .
A low kick from Rizzo misses
enabling Friman to counter with a crisp jab.
Friman waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Rizzo .
The fight stays on the outside here - Friman looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Friman swings widly with a right hand
and Rizzo counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Friman throws a big shot that misses.
Rizzo connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Friman's hands.
Rizzo lands a head kick. Friman smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rizzo throws a push kick but Friman slaps the foot to one side.
Rizzo connects with a single shot there.

Friman is rocked!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Friman takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Friman will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Friman has Rizzo up against the ropes in a clinch.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Rizzo .
Rizzo misses with a punch on the inside.
Friman blocks an uppercut.
Rizzo tries to throw a body punch but Friman avoids it by throwing Rizzo back against the ropes.
Rizzo tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Friman blocks an uppercut.
Friman blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Rizzo lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Rizzo breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nice defenses there by Rizzo .
Rizzo misses the shot to the body.
Friman uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Rizzo .
Friman tries to counter with a clinch but Rizzo shakes him off and moves away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Rizzo dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Rizzo swings away with a body shot that misses
and Friman counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Friman 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.
Friman throws an off balance right hand
and Rizzo counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Frank Rizzo is winning the standup battle so far.
Friman walks into a straight right hand from Rizzo .
Friman avoids a kick to the body.
Friman lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Friman thuds a left hand into Rizzo 's body.
Rizzo takes a swing at Friman's ribcage but misses.
Friman looks to throw the jab but Rizzo is out of range.

Friman moves into the clinch.
Rizzo lands with a short shot to the head.
Friman blocks an uppercut.
Friman prevents a body shot from Rizzo .
Rizzo swings wildly with an uppercut but Friman uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rizzo works on Friman's body with a couple of short punches.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rizzo misses with a short punch on the inside.

Friman has Rizzo pressed up against the ropes. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Friman pulls back from the ropes and twists to the side, sending Rizzo tumbling to the mat - Friman dives into Rizzo 's guard.
Friman wants to control from the top but Rizzo keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rizzo working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Friman doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Friman manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Friman pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rizzo is keeping the position for now.
Rizzo is trying to keep Friman in close.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Friman stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rizzo swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Friman trying to control but Rizzo is working from the bottom.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Friman waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Rizzo .
Rizzo throws an overhand right that lands on Friman's shoulder, as Friman tries to avoid the shot.
Friman tries to counter with a clinch but Rizzo shakes him off and moves away.
Rizzo ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Friman might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Rizzo ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Friman moves away.
Friman scores with a jab. Rizzo acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Rizzo tries to score with a low kick but Friman moves his leg out of the way.
Rizzo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rizzo slips under a jab from Friman.
Rizzo throws a body punch but Friman moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rizzo fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Friman has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
A slapping leg kick lands for Rizzo .
Friman's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.

Friman pushes Rizzo up against the ropes in a clinch.
Friman fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Friman misses with a punch to the body.
A short right from Rizzo on the inside.
Friman blocking some punches.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Rizzo misses with the head strike.
Friman lands a right hand that snaps the head of Rizzo backwards.
Friman fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Rizzo throws a punch but it's blocked by Friman.
Friman digs a right hand underneath Rizzo 's ribcage. Rizzo let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Rizzo misses with a hook from the clinch.
Rizzo blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Rizzo lands a left hand.
Friman working aggressively here.
Rizzo misses with a punch on the inside.

Rizzo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Friman throws a left and a right that both miss
and Rizzo counters with a nice body kick.
Rizzo misses with a lunging right hand
and Friman counters with a right hand to the body.
Friman lands a jab to Rizzo 's midsection.
Rizzo scores with a spinning back kick!
Rizzo is looking to wear down Friman with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Rizzo connects with a looping right hand.
Friman checks the leg kick.
Rizzo lands with a hook. Friman tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Friman throws a nice looking combination but Rizzo bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Friman checks a leg kick.
Friman connects with a crisp jab.
Friman lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Friman scores with a nice right hand.
A low kick from Rizzo is predictable there
and Rizzo takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Rizzo is rocked!
A left lands for Rizzo .
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Frank Rizzo will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Friman takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Rizzo thumps Friman with a low kick.
Rizzo throws a right hand that misses
and Friman counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Oooooh!!! Friman has knocked Rizzo down with a huge combo! Friman steps away and waves a wobbly Rizzo back to his feet! This one might not go much longer!
Oh Rizzo is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Friman pounces like a tiger and cracks Rizzo with a vicious hook! Rizzo is down but not out! Friman follows up with more strikes forcing the ref to jump in and stop it!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:22 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Oskar Friman!
A very excited looking Oskar Friman 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.