PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tony Danza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Guilherme Duarte (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Danza kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Who's the Boss. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Danza
vs
Duarte

180 cm
22
183 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

180 cm
25
175 lbs
6 - 3 - 1

Powerful takedowns
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Tony Danza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Guilherme Duarte!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Mauricio Rocha and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Duarte uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Danza.
Danza lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Duarte slips a jab from Danza.

Duarte gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Danza drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Danza jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Duarte wants to stand up but Danza is controlling him.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Duarte being controlled here, momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Danza won't allow Duarte to get back to his feet.
Danza wants to pass the guard but Duarte is keeping the position.
Duarte wants to get back to his feet but Danza is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Duarte keeping moving, preventing Danza from controlling successfully.
Duarte wants to get back to his feet but Danza is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

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

Duarte gets caught flat footed, as Danza shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Danza drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Danza jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Duarte is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Danza is controlling him.
Danza stays in close to Duarte's body and controls the position.

Duarte has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Danza off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Danza lands a nice shot that snaps Duarte's head back.
Danza loads up on a big right hand but Duarte slips the punch.
Duarte keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Danza.
A big right from Danza misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Duarte moves away from the strike by Danza.
Duarte takes one to the chin there.
Guilherme Duarte is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Danza throws a jab when Duarte was well out of range.
Duarte ducks under a wild hook from Danza.
Duarte blocks a leg kick.
Duarte keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Danza.
Duarte takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Danza missing with a left hand there. Duarte was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Danza throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Duarte slips under a jab.
Danza looks to land a right hand but Duarte moved out of range.
Duarte will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Duarte moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Duarte misses with a jab, cross combination.
Duarte uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Danza.
Danza is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Duarte uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Danza.
Danza scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Danza dives in and grabs Duarte's left leg, looking for a takedown. Duarte pushes down on Danza's head and hops out.
Duarte blocks a jab.
Danza falls off balance throwing a combination
and Duarte counters with a one-two to the body.
Danza throws a hook but Duarte blocks it.
Duarte leaves Danza with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Duarte ducks under a wild hook from Danza.
Danza throws a low kick but Duarte avoids it.
Duarte displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Danza throws out the jab.
Duarte lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Danza circles away quickly and effectively.
A punch lands to the side of Duarte 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Danza tries to bum rush Duarte with a series of wild strikes but Duarte uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Danza misses with a hook.
Danza misses with a looping left.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Danza jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Danza misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Duarte counters with a series of strikes. Danza will be more careful next time no doubt.
Danza jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Danza tries a head kick but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Duarte steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Danza.
Danza shoots for a double leg takedown but Duarte sprawls well. He's pushed Danza's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Duarte misses with a two punch combination.

Danza looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Duarte wants to stand but Danza is controlling the position.
Danza trying to control the position from guard on top but Duarte is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Duarte scrambles and gets back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Danza misses with a looping right.
Duarte misses with a combination
and Danza counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Danza scores with a decent looking hook.
A big left from Danza misses.
Tony Danza seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Danza misses with a hook. Duarte ducked under it nicely.
Duarte swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Duarte keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Danza.
Danza misses with a hook to the body
and Duarte counters with a left and a right that stings Danza.
Duarte keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Danza.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Duarte on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Duarte slips under a jab.
Danza lunges at Duarte with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Duarte's hand.
Danza misses with a low kick.
Danza swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Duarte counters with a two punch combo.
Danza throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Danza throws a hook but Duarte blocks it.
Duarte moves away from the strike by Danza.
Guilherme Duarte is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Danza lands a slapping body shot.
Duarte staying out of range there.
Danza thows a body shot but no joy.
Duarte moves away from the strike by Danza.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Danza swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Danza misses with a takedown attempt
and Duarte counters with a series of strikes. Danza will be more careful next time no doubt.
Duarte throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Danza.
Danza is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Duarte.
A telegraphed right hand from Danza misses the target.
Duarte lands with a nice combination. Danza backs away looking to recover.
Danza is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Duarte.
Danza throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Duarte sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Duarte defending well as Danza loads up on a big left hand.
A punch combination from Duarte misses.
Duarte uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Danza.
Danza throws a body punch but Duarte moves out of range.
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 Tony Danza will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Duarte lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Danza circles away quickly and effectively.

Danza shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Duarte is trying to defend but Danza finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Duarte wants to get back to his feet.

Duarte kicks off Danza and gets to his feet.
Duarte goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Danza misses with a straight left.
Duarte steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Danza.
Duarte moves out of range as Danza strikes.
Duarte defending well as Danza loads up on a big left hand.
Danza jabbing away but nothing is landing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Danza misses with a body shot
and Duarte counters with a series of strikes. Danza will be more careful next time no doubt.
Danza misses with a straight right.
Danza thows a left - swing and a miss!

Danza scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Danza prevents Duarte from standing back up.
Danza not doing much here.
Danza stops Duarte from getting back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Duarte kicks off Danza and gets to his feet.
Danza misses with a looping right.
Danza thows a left - swing and a miss!
Danza throws a predictable looking body shot
and Duarte counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
A big right from Danza misses.
Danza throws a jab but it's blocked by Duarte.
Duarte displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Danza.
Danza misses with a straight left.
Danza jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Duarte uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Danza.
Duarte drops his hands momentarily and Danza takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice shot lands for Danza.
Duarte moves away from the strike by Danza.
Danza tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Duarte was well out of range. Poor timing from Danza.
Danza swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Danza misses with a double jab
and Duarte counters with a series of strikes. Danza will be more careful next time no doubt.
Danza throws a big shot that misses.
Nice sprawl there from Duarte as Danza shoots in.
Duarte throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
The fighters circling - Danza throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A shot to the body from Danza misses
and Duarte counters with a series of strikes. Danza will be more careful next time no doubt.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Danza.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tony Danza. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Danza showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Duarte.
Danza misses the body punch
and Duarte counters with a series of strikes. Danza will be more careful next time no doubt.
Duarte throws a right and a left that Danza avoids nicely.
Guilherme Duarte has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Danza lands with a hook. Duarte tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
A big right from Danza misses.
Duarte keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Danza.
Duarte misses with a series of wild punches.
Danza lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Danza throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Tony Danza is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
A swing and a miss from Danza.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Guilherme Duarte.
Well Danza has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 29:28
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 29:28
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tony Danza!