PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Kobe Bryant (ranked 992 p4p, 1244 weight class) and Marco Battaglia (ranked 150 p4p, 185 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Bryant
vs
Battaglia

184 cm
24
195
8 - 8 - 0

190 cm
24
190
6 - 6 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Good low kicks
Granite chin

Conquer

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 8 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Marco Battaglia!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Emerson Jorge and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Battaglia fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Bryant sprawls well initially but Battaglia persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Battaglia is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Bryant defends it well.
Bryant pushes Battaglia off looking to stand but Battaglia dives back in and keeps control.
Bryant is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Battaglia throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Bryant tries to roll over but Battaglia keeps him under control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bryant regains full guard. Nicely done.
Battaglia content to stall in guard here.
Bryant wants to stand but Battaglia is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Battaglia wants to pass the guard but Bryant is keeping the position.

Bryant is looking for a triangle here but Battaglia uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Battaglia wants to lay and pray for a moment but Bryant keeps working.

Bryant bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Battaglia scores with a spinning back kick!
Left hook, right uppercut from Bryant.
Battaglia goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Bryant throws a right hand that Battaglia ducks under and follows up with a left that Battaglia also avoids with ease.
Battaglia throws a head kick but Bryant moves out of range.
Bryant appears to be looking for a big counter.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Battaglia on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Marco Battaglia seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Battaglia lands a front kick.
Battaglia shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Bryant as he jumps to the side.
Bryant misses with a double jab.
Bryant scores with the left hand. Battaglia knows he should have avoided that one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Battaglia uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Bryant.
Battaglia fails with a takedown attempt.
Bryant misses with a double jab

and Battaglia counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Bryant pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Battaglia avoids the head kick by Bryant.
A head kick from Bryant lands but Battaglia takes it in his stride.
Bryant's corner calls for a 1-2. Bryant obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Battaglia tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Bryant swivels and escapes.
Kobe Bryant has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Marco Battaglia.
Battaglia tries to clinch up but Bryant circles away and keeps his distance.
Nice sprawl there from Bryant as Battaglia shoots in.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bryant connects with a body shot.
Battaglia takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.

Bryant has taken the fight to the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Battaglia is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Bryant to keep the fight standing.
Battaglia is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Bryant to keep the fight standing.

Bryant's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Battaglia.
Bryant swinging wildly here.
Bryant throws a right hand that Battaglia ducks under and follows up with a left that Battaglia also avoids with ease.
Battaglia gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Bryant counters with a lovely straight right hand!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kobe Bryant dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Battaglia is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Bryant's half guard.
Bryant tries to kick Battaglia off in order to stand up. Battaglia Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Bryant can't do much from the bottom here.
Bryant seems a little lost for a moment, as Battaglia dominates the positioning.
Battaglia working away.

Bryant explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Bryant lands with a kick to the temple. Battaglia shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Bryant wants to land a leg kick but Battaglia is out of range.
Bryant missing with a left hand there. Battaglia was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
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!
Battaglia tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Bryant counters with a stiff right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bryant throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Battaglia.
A punch combination from Bryant misses.

Battaglia clinches with his opponent.
Our sources have told us that Bryant has been working on his elbows in the gym.
Bryant misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Battaglia tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Bryant misses with a hook to the ribs.
Bryant is trying to force a seperation but Battaglia has the dominant position.
Bryant misses with a punch to the body.

Bryant pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Battaglia looks for a takedown but Bryant sprawls well.
Bryant jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
Battaglia avoids the head kick by Bryant.
Battaglia takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Battaglia shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Bryant but Bryant pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Kobe Bryant has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Marco Battaglia.
Battaglia misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Bryant throws a wild body kick that Battaglia sees coming a mile off.
Bryant scores with a jab to the head.
Battaglia wants to clinch
and Bryant counters with a straight right hand.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Bryant drops Battaglia with a beautiful combination! Battaglia stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Bryant is looking for the KO!
Battaglia wants to clinch.
Battaglia tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Bryant manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Bryant is looking for a counter combo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Battaglia fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Bryant is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Battaglia can do to turn this around?
Battaglia tries to clinch but Bryant moves out of range.
Kobe Bryant is winning the standup battle so far.
Battaglia misses with a takedown
and Bryant counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Bryant throws a sloppy head kick and Battaglia moves out of range easily.
Bryant ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Battaglia moves away.
The fighters circle momentarily. Bryant darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Battaglia uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Bryant.
Bryant stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Bryant wants it to stay on the feet.
Bryant dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Bryant throws a series of strikes that have Battaglia backpedaling.
Battaglia is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Battaglia shoots for a takedown but Bryant saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Kobe Bryant is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Bryant lands a big head kick that sends Battaglia tumbling to the mat! Bryant takes a step backwards and waves Battaglia back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Battaglia is rocked!
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!
Battaglia tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Bryant counters with a series of strikes that practically lifts Battaglia off his feet! He tumbles backwards, his head bouncing off the mat - Bryant follows up with more strikes before the ref can step in but Battaglia was out before he hit the floor.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:21 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Kobe Bryant!
Our winner, Kobe Bryant, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.