PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Joshua Alex (ranked 4651 p4p, 4640 weight class) and Mattia Muzio (ranked 474 p4p, 0 weight class). Muzio has chosen Pray for Me as his entrance music. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Alex
vs
Muzio

180 cm
19
160
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
18
165
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Tends to cut

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Joshua Alex!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Mattia Muzio!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Colin Fotheringham and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alex lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Alex.
Alex misses with a head kick.
Alex keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Alex throws a series of punches but Muzio avoids them all with ease.
Joshua Alex seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Alex pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Muzio back to the cage. Alex follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
A punch combination from Alex misses.
Alex stalks Muzio and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Muzio's face. Muzio staggers backwards, shaken.
Alex lands with a nice combination. Muzio backs away looking to recover.
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!
Muzio takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Alex scores with a three punch combo!
Alex swinging wildly here.
Alex throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Alex swinging wildly here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Muzio avoids a punch combination nicely.
Alex pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Muzio back to the cage. Alex follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Muzio shoots in for a takedown but Alex shows good takedown defense.
Alex misses with a combination

and Muzio counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Alex is breathing heavily.
Muzio lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Muzio keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Alex's head.
Muzio is in close to Alex's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Muzio stands up from Alex's guard - Muzio perhaps looking for a knockout.
Alex shoots in for a double leg but Muzio sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alex throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Muzio counters with a shoot takedown. Alex fights it but they end up in guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Muzio keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Alex's head.
Muzio is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Muzio wants to control from the top but Alex keeps moving.
Muzio content to stall in guard here.

Muzio gets to his feet. Alex looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Muzio shoots in for a takedown but Alex shows good takedown defense.
Joshua Alex has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mattia Muzio.
A nice combination there by Alex.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alex lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Alex throws a right and a left that both miss.
Alex misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Alex throws a series of punches but Muzio moves out of range.
Muzio with the counter takedown but Alex avoids it easily.
Alex shoots for a takedown but Muzio saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Muzio fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Alex throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Muzio counters with a nice double leg into side control. Alex won't be happy with that.
Alex wants to get back to his feet but Muzio is dominant here and he's now got Alex's back!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Muzio lands a shot to the head.
Alex is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Muzio connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Alex to escape the position.
Muzio lands a punch that was close to the back of the head but the ref thinks it's OK.
Muzio struggling to keep hold of the position.
Muzio lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by Muzio.

Alex defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Muzio connects with a big shot to the side of Alex's head.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Alex is trying to shake Muzio off. He's managed it and has hopped back to his feet! Muzio won't be happy about giving up the dominant position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Alex misses with a double jab.
Muzio throws a counter combo.
Muzio is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Alex.
Alex looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A right-left combo lands from Alex.
Alex fails with a takedown attempt.
Muzio is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Alex rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Muzio moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Alex misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Muzio tries to counter by closing the distance.
Alex scores with a one two! Muzio had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Some wild striking there from Alex.
Muzio throws a counter combo.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Alex swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Muzio changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Muzio shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Alex as he avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Muzio shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Alex pinned against the cage. Alex gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Alex scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Alex looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Muzio throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Alex was covering up waiting for the punch and Muzio finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Muzio working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Alex's head.
Alex is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Muzio can do to turn this around?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Muzio won't allow Alex to get back to his feet.
Alex has momentary wrist control but Muzio slips an elbow through the middle.
Muzio trying to control but Alex is working from the bottom.
Muzio works over Alex with some ground and pound from guard.
Muzio content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Muzio stands up over Alex, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Muzio keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Alex's head.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Muzio's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Alex wants to stand up but Muzio is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Muzio distracts Alex with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Alex wants to get back to his feet but Muzio is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Muzio lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Muzio with a nice head shot there.
Muzio working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Alex's head.
Muzio is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Alex is looking to stand up but Muzio isn't so interested in that idea.
Muzio is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Alex throws a left and a right that both miss

and Muzio decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Alex's guard.
Mattia Muzio has got the better of the ground game so far.
Muzio scoring with punches to the head and body.
Muzio lands a couple of elbows.
Muzio with a nice head shot there.
Alex keeping moving, preventing Muzio from controlling successfully.
Muzio is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Joshua Alex will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Alex misses with a few strikes there.
Joshua Alex is winning the standup battle so far.
Alex swinging wildly here.

Muzio closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Muzio seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Muzio drops an elbow to the side of Alex's head.
Alex is trying to stand back up but Muzio is controlling him
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Muzio is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Alex has managed to free his arm - good work.
Muzio prevents Alex from standing back up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Muzio landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Muzio trying to control the action but Alex is working from the bottom.

Muzio is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Alex defends it well.
Muzio drops an elbow to the side of Alex's head.
Alex tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Muzio manages to move to mount!
Muzio controlling his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alex really wants to buck Muzio off and get back to his feet.
Muzio has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
BOOM! Muzio connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Alex is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Muzio lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Muzio looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Muzio lands a big elbow.
Muzio unloading with bombs!
Muzio is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Muzio fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Muzio scoring with strikes but Alex is staying in there.
Muzio lands a big shot there that rocks Alex but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Muzio controlling from the full mount.
Muzio landing strikes from the mount.
Muzio pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Muzio looking to control but Alex is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Muzio looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Alex is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Muzio landing strikes from the mount.
Muzio is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Alex can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
BOOM! Muzio connects with a massive shot to the dome!

Muzio has hold of Alex's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Alex manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Alex squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mattia Muzio comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Alex has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 James Atkins scores the fight 29:28
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 29:28
Judge William Gold scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Joshua Alex!