PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dante Sparda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zack Gomez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gomez has chosen PAIN as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Sparda
vs
Gomez

189 cm
25
185 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

175 cm
21
185 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Dante Sparda!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Zack Gomez!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gomez cracks a nice hook into Sparda's ribs.
Sparda avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sparda tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Gomez swivels and escapes.

Sparda manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Gomez on his heels. He'll look to pass Gomez's guard now, I'm sure.
Sparda controls from within his opponent's guard.
Gomez looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Sparda got a little sloppy there for a moment and Gomez has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Sparda has managed to get both his arms back between Gomez's legs - danger averted.
Gomez can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Sparda controls the pace.
Sparda stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gomez swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sparda showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Dante Sparda wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Gomez misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Gomez fails with a takedown attempt.
Sparda displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Gomez.
Sparda moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

Sparda manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Gomez on his heels. He'll look to pass Gomez's guard now, I'm sure.
Sparda trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sparda wants to stand but Gomez has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Sparda controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Dante Sparda wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Gomez with a lazy takedown attempt

and Sparda counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Sparda.
Dante Sparda has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zack Gomez.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gomez tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Sparda smiles and moves away.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sparda working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Gomez is trying to get back to full guard.
Sparda controlling the action here.
Gomez trying to control here.
Well, if Sparda is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gomez is looking to control Sparda's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Gomez avoid being mounted?
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Sparda!

It looks like Zack Gomez has been cut.
Nice takedown defense from Sparda. No joy for Gomez on that attempt.
Gomez looks gassed!

Sparda forces Gomez back against the cage and clinches.
Gomez jumps guard but Sparda stands there with Gomez around his waist. Gomez gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Sparda gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Gomez.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Sparda has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Gomez regains guard immediately.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dante Sparda dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Zack Gomez's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Sparda scores with a takedown into Gomez's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gomez is trying to keep Sparda in close.
Sparda postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Gomez being controlled here, momentarily.
Sparda will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Dante Sparda overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Dante Sparda just wasn't active enough.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Gomez.

Sparda closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Gomez quickly recovers to half guard.
Gomez is trying to control but can't.
Gomez is looking for a sweep. Sparda is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Sparda controlling the action here.

Sparda stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Gomez to get to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Gomez is defended easily by Sparda.
Gomez darts in trying to clinch

and Sparda counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sparda is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Sparda would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Gomez trying to control the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Dante Sparda wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Sparda shoots in and bounces Gomez off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Gomez is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gomez is breathing heavily.

Sparda decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Gomez, up you get!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sparda has Gomez up against the cage in a clinch.
Sparda scores with a shot to the side of Gomez's head.
Sparda gets through Gomez's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

Sparda turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!

Sparda decides to stand back up. Sparda steps back and let's Gomez get back to his feet.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sparda scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gomez fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Gomez gets tackled into the cage by Sparda. Sparda maintains the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dante Sparda dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Zack Gomez's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Gomez drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Gomez tries to pull guard but Sparda holds him up against the cage and eventually Gomez drops back down to his feet.
Sparda lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Gomez backwards.
Sparda softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

Sparda pulls guard effortlessly.
Sparda on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Sparda tries to get out of the position.
Gomez stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sparda swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Sparda shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Sparda throws a big right hand that misses.
Gomez trying to keep a closed guard but Sparda is proving a slippery customer.
Sparda controlling from the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gomez looking to control.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Gomez being controlled here, momentarily.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Dante Sparda.
Sparda scores with a jab.
Sparda uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Gomez.

Sparda drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Gomez working a defensive guard here.
Gomez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sparda not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sparda's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Dante Sparda just wasn't active enough.

Sparda gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Gomez pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Sparda tries for a takedown but Gomez sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sparda keeps the fight on the outside.
Sparda stuffs the takedown.
Dante Sparda has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zack Gomez.
Gomez tries to clinch there but Sparda circles away.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Sparda.
Gomez misses with a looping left.

Sparda drives through with a takedown into Gomez's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Gomez tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gomez working a defensive guard here.
Sparda not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dante Sparda showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Sparda 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dante Sparda!