PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between John danzig (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Renzo Rizzo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

danzig
vs
Rizzo

180 cm
20
185 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

190 cm
18
195 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, John danzig!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Renzo Rizzo!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Stewart Dunkirk and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
danzig is looking to clinch.
danzig looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Rizzo tries for a takedown but danzig sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
danzig moves out of range of the body kick from Rizzo.

danzig gets caught flat footed, as Rizzo shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
danzig is trying to keep Rizzo in close.
danzig is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because danzig is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Rizzo sitting in guard here, content to control.
Rizzo wants to pass the guard but danzig is keeping the position.
Rizzo works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Rizzo frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Rizzo controlling his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rizzo working for a submission but danzig is keeping him at bay.
Rizzo controlling his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Rizzo's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Despite being in the dominant position, Renzo Rizzo just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Rizzo fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with danzig, pushing him back against the cage.
Rizzo goes for a takedown attempt but danzig pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Rizzo fails in his attempt to clinch.

Rizzo instigates a clinch.
danzig lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Rizzo wants a takedown.
John danzig has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Renzo Rizzo.

Rizzo has dropped down and is working for a takedown. danzig is trying to keep an underhook but Rizzo manages to get the takedown into half guard.
danzig flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
danzig is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Rizzo's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Rizzo's back!
Rizzo breaks danzig's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
danzig trying to keep a closed guard but Rizzo is proving a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
danzig keeping moving, preventing Rizzo from controlling successfully.
Rizzo wanted to stand there but danzig had control of the position.
Rizzo postures up.
Rizzo looking to pass the guard.
Rizzo controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
I looks like Rizzo might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

danzig tries to clinch up but Rizzo circles away and keeps his distance.
Rizzo tries to clinch but danzig moves out of range.
danzig clinches but Rizzo breaks the clinch

and Rizzo counters by moving into the clinch.
The is referee keeping an eye on Rizzo - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Rizzo fails to pull guard.
Rizzo throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but danzig blocks it with crossed arms.
Rizzo landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Nice elbow from Rizzo.

It looks like John danzig has been cut.
Rizzo drops down looking for an ankle pick but danzig pulls his leg out and moves away.
Rizzo wants to clinch.

Rizzo gets a clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rizzo misses with a knee strike.
Rizzo lands an elbow that stopped danzig in his tracks for a moment.
Rizzo lands an elbow just above danzig 's eye.
danzig wants to break the clinch but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
danzig has had enough of the clinch but Rizzo keeps him there for the moment.
danzig avoiding damage as Rizzo throws knees to the body.
danzig avoiding damage as Rizzo throws knees to the body.
Rizzo misses with a knee strike.
danzig managing to block the knees to the body from Rizzo.
danzig drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Rizzo gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Rizzo tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
danzig dodges an elbow strike from Rizzo.
danzig prevents the takedown attempt.
John danzig has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Renzo Rizzo.
danzig with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Rizzo changes levels and goes for a takedown here. danzig fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Rizzo looks to clinch

and danzig counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Rizzo makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Rizzo.

Rizzo is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Rizzo pulls danzig in close to prevent any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
danzig wants to stand but Rizzo has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Rizzo is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
danzig tries to kick Rizzo off but Rizzo keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Rizzo is figuring out what he wants to do next.
danzig trying to control here.
danzig is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rizzo is figuring out what he wants to do next.
danzig trying to control but Rizzo postures up.
Rizzo controlling the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Despite being in the dominant position, Renzo Rizzo just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rizzo swats away the attempt to clinch by danzig.

danzig moves into the clinch successfully.
Rizzo throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but danzig blocks it with crossed arms.
danzig managing to block the knees to the body from Rizzo.
Rizzo using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

danzig successfully pulls guard.
Rizzo sitting in guard here, content to control.
Rizzo missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rizzo sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Renzo Rizzo has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rizzo wants to pass the guard but danzig is keeping the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Renzo Rizzo will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on John danzig's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

danzig wants to clinch.
Rizzo shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with danzig but danzig pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Rizzo tries to clinch but danzig moves out of range.
danzig circles away from the clinch attempt.
danzig clinches but Rizzo breaks the clinch

and Rizzo holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
danzig on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

danzig escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rizzo tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and danzig moves into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rizzo with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Rizzo throws an elbow but it misses.
danzig changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Rizzo fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

danzig has closed the distance and engaged Rizzo in a clinch.
danzig managing to block the knees to the body from Rizzo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rizzo tries to land a knee to the head but danzig blocks with his arms.
Rizzo misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from danzig.
Rizzo tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Rizzo throws an elbow but it's blocked.
danzig scores a nice knee to the body.
danzig lands an elbow inside that Rizzo shrugs off.

danzig escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

danzig darts in and clinches Rizzo up against the cage.
danzig wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
danzig tries for a takedown. No joy.
Rizzo tries a knee to the head but danzig blocks it.

danzig breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rizzo tries to clinch but danzig moves out of range.
danzig shoots in for a takedown but Rizzo shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John danzig. That's going to take a lot out of him.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
danzig takes an elbow to the temple.
Rizzo wants a takedown.
Rizzo throws an elbow but it misses.
Rizzo lands a damaging elbow.
Rizzo landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Rizzo tries a knee to the head but danzig blocks it.
danzig stops a takedown attempt from Rizzo.
danzig on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
danzig scores with a knee to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
danzig lands a nice elbow.
danzig goes for a takedown in the clinch but Rizzo prevents it.
Rizzo tries to land a knee to the head but danzig blocks with his arms.
Rizzo throws an elbow that misses.
Rizzo missing with knees to the body.
danzig looking for a takedown.
Rizzo landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Rizzo misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from danzig.
Rizzo misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from danzig.
Rizzo is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Rizzo.

danzig breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Rizzo instigates a clinch.
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!
Rizzo throws a knee to the head but misses.
Rizzo throws an elbow but it's blocked.

danzig breaks from the clinch.

danzig has Rizzo up against the cage in a clinch.
Rizzo lands an elbow inside.

Rizzo successfully pulls guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Rizzo holds on and takes a little breather.
danzig wanted to stand there but Rizzo had control of the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
danzig wants to control from the top but Rizzo keeps moving.
danzig wants to stand but Rizzo has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
John danzig has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rizzo looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Rizzo is pulling down on danzig's head to control his posture.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
danzig looks to clinch

and Rizzo counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in danzig's guard now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rizzo slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
danzig can't do much from the bottom here.
danzig tries to improve position but can't.
danzig being controlled for a moment.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

And that's the end of the fight!
Renzo Rizzo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Rizzo winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Renzo Rizzo!