PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Destin Craven (ranked 804 p4p, 2629 weight class) and Rocco Damato (ranked 75 p4p, 216 weight class). Damato has chosen Thunderstruck as his entrance music. Rocco Damato has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Craven
vs
Damato

172 cm
36
141
29 - 28 - 1

170 cm
34
150
18 - 39 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Brooklyn Apothecary

Conquest Nutritionâ„¢ (160Q) $97
Silverguard Outfitters ðŸ›¡

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 29 - 28 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Destin Craven!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 39 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rocco Damato!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Paul Aken and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Craven digs a good body shot into Damato's ribs.
Destin Craven seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Craven tests Damato's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Craven lands with a straight right. Damato didn't see that one coming.
Damato misses with a double jab.
Craven jabs Damato to the body, keeping him at a distance.
A big right from Damato misses.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Damato misses with a double jab.
A clash of legs there as Craven blocks the low kick.
We've been hearing reports that Craven has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Damato loads up on a big right hand but Craven slips the punch.
Damato doesn't manage to clinch there - Craven circles away.
Damato tries to land a leg kick but Craven saw it coming and moves away.
Damato throws a big shot that misses.
Craven lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Craven looks to land a combination but Damato avoids it well.
Damato moves into range and connects with a jab.
Damato swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Damato takes a jab right on the kisser.
Craven on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Damato looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Damato takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Damato throws a chopping leg kick but Craven manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Damato doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.

Damato drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Craven is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Craven escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Damato gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Damato passes into half guard.
Damato missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Ground and pound from Damato.
Craven gets full guard.
Damato loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Damato distracts Craven with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Craven wants to sweep but no luck.
Damato has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Damato working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Craven is looking for a triangle but Damato pushes his legs off easily.
Craven utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Damato trying to control but Craven is working from the bottom.
Damato advances to half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Damato thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Craven's head.
Craven tries to get to full guard but Damato has control of the leg.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Damato is looking for a kimura here.
Damato prevents Craven from standing back up.

Damato seems to be looking for submissions.
Damato passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Craven!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Damato wants to finish this one by submission but Craven is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Damato.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Craven can't escape the position.
Craven sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Craven is trying to stand back up but Damato is controlling him
Damato looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Craven looks like he's trying to stand up.

Damato is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Damato is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Craven defends it well.
Craven tries to roll over but Damato keeps him under control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Damato is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Craven tries to kick Damato off but Damato keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Craven is staying active underneath Damato, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Craven gets full guard.
Damato looking to pass the guard.
Craven trying to control the position.
Craven lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Craven scoring with some ground and pound.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Destin Craven will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Craven uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Damato.
Craven throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Damato's head.
Damato looks to land a combination but Craven avoids it well.
Craven with a nice cross.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Damato.
Craven throws a head kick that half lands.
Damato swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Craven misses with a few strikes there.
Craven connects with a crisp jab.
Damato avoids the body shot from Craven.
Damato misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Craven throws a series of punches but Damato avoids them all with ease.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Danga de danga de dang - Craven scores with a four punch combination!
Damato slaps away a takedown attempt from Craven, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Damato lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Craven. Damato does a little dance to reset his feet.
Damato throws a leg kick which misses Craven's front leg but catches the back leg as Craven tries to avoid it.
Craven cracks Damato with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Damato misses the shot to the body.
Damato missing with a left hand there. Craven was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Damato throws a hook but Craven blocks it.
A lazy left from Craven finds it's target.
Damato misses with a body kick.
Craven scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Craven lands a head shot.
Danga de danga de dang - Craven scores with a four punch combination!
Damato looks to land a combination but Craven avoids it well.
Craven drops down looking for a counter takedown but Damato sprawls and moves away.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Craven lands with a thumping leg kick.
Craven throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Destin Craven is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Craven with the inside leg kick.
The fighters circling - Craven throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Destin Craven is winning the standup battle so far.
Damato thows a left - swing and a miss!
Craven fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Damato.
Craven jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Damato defending well as Craven loads up on a big left hand.
And Damato tries to counter it with a takedown but Craven pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Damato pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Craven is looking to counter punch.
Damato lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Craven bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Craven is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Damato can do to turn this around?
Damato with a body punch. A glancing blow.

Damato drives through with a takedown into Craven's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Damato missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Craven tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Craven has a closed guard, preventing Damato from standing up.
Craven avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Craven is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Craven keeping moving, preventing Damato from controlling successfully.
Craven wants to stand and escape but Damato is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Damato scoring with punches to the head and body.
Craven avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Craven utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Damato throws a big right hand that misses.
Craven bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Damato's guard.

Craven lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Craven scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Damato throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Craven escapes and throws Damato's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Damato is trying to improve his position.
Craven lands a nice forearm strike.
Damato is trying to get back to half guard.
Damato struggling a bit here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Craven thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Craven in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Craven scoring with punches from side control.
Damato can't do much from the bottom here.
Damato is not content to let Craven control the position.
Craven working the head with strikes.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Destin Craven dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Craven fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Damato.
Craven displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Damato.
It appears Craven was looking to counter with a kick there.
Craven comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Craven lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
A jab from Craven does it's job there.

Damato gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Craven to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Our spies down at at Roosters Coop inform us that Damato has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?

Damato looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Destin Craven overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Craven cracks Damato with a solid left hand.

Craven is trying to tuck his arms in to keep them safe but Damato has managed to isolate one of them and has got a loose triangle. Craven is looking to defend but Damato has done well to lock his legs together - this could be big trouble for Craven! Damato pulls down on the head and a little smile comes across his face - he knows he's got it. Yep, Craven taps out and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Rocco Damato!
After winning the bout, Rocco Damato thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.