PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Patrick McGuire (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Al Rossi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rossi comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Fratelli d italia - ( Inno di Mameli ) kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Al Rossi is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

McGuire
vs
Rossi

168 cm
18
142 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

172 cm
28
113 lbs
15 - 10 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Good low kicks
Powerful

Milwaukee's Best 160 SALE $150

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Patrick McGuire!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 10 - 0, fighting out of New York, Al Rossi!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, Russell Pearce and David Schapiro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
McGuire looks for a takedown but Rossi sprawls well.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Rossi, right into the meat.
Al Rossi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rossi thumps McGuire with a low kick.
McGuire thows a left - swing and a miss!
Rossi lands with a kick to the ribs.
A nice inside leg kick there by Rossi. That's going to slow McGuire down.
Rossi lands a jab.
McGuire has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Rossi.
McGuire looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Rossi throws a nice head kick!
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!
Rossi is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rossi thumps McGuire with a low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rossi digs a good hook to McGuire's body.
McGuire takes a head kick and keeps coming.
A slapping leg kick lands for Rossi.
Rossi plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Rossi looks gassed!
Rossi moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
A solid leg kick lands there for Rossi.
Rossi scores with a jab to the body.

McGuire gets the takedown into side control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
McGuire misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
McGuire working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
McGuire throws an elbow but Rossi slips to the side and avoids it well.
McGuire is chipping away with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McGuire trying to control the position but Rossi is working away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

McGuire swings around for an armbar but Rossi sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into McGuire's guard.
McGuire looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Rossi puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McGuire has a hand on Rossi's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Rossi takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Rossi wants to stand but McGuire is holding on to him, trying to stop him posturing up.
McGuire is working to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rossi stands up from mount. Strange move.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Rossi.
McGuire stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Rossi.
Rossi connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed McGuire momentarily.
McGuire takes one on the button.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rossi buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Rossi scoring well with a low kick there.
Rossi bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps McGuire's head backwards.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
McGuire fails with a takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Al Rossi dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

McGuire takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Rossi lands a nice leg kick that just misses McGuire's sensitive parts.
McGuire swings for the body but Rossi moves out of range.
McGuire avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

McGuire bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
McGuire scores with punches from side control.
McGuire in side control lands a decent elbow.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Rossi. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
McGuire working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Rossi is breathing heavily.
You can see the frustration on Rossi's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McGuire taking a break here but Rossi is having none of it and regains half guard.
McGuire throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
McGuire has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
McGuire throwing shots but Rossi is blocking nicely.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. McGuire lands a nice short elbow.
McGuire not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rossi regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from McGuire.
McGuire postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
McGuire postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Rossi preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rossi keeping moving, preventing McGuire from controlling successfully.
McGuire missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McGuire postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
McGuire missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
McGuire throws an elbow that misses. Rossi uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in McGuire's guard. Nice move by Rossi!

McGuire looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

McGuire is looking for a triangle but Rossi pushes his legs off easily.
McGuire looking for a sweep. Not yet McGuire, not yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rossi would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

McGuire is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

McGuire had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Rossi defends it easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
McGuire is looking to sweep but instead, Rossi has passed into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Patrick McGuire dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. And we move into the final round!

McGuire looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rossi is fending him off so far but McGuire persists. Nope, Rossi circles away and we're back to standing.
McGuire shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Rossi but Rossi pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Rossi is looking to slow McGuire down with leg kicks.
McGuire gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Rossi lets loose with a powerful body kick. McGuire will feel that in the morning.
Crunch! Rossi slams his shin into McGuire's torso.
Rossi scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Rossi scores with a leg kick.
Rossi connects with a single shot there.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Rossi.
Rossi takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A good leg kick by Rossi.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rossi feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits McGuires jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Rossi throws a nice inside leg kick.
McGuire stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Rossi.
McGuire is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.

Rossi pushes McGuire up against the cage in a clinch.
McGuire tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A right handed body shot lands from Rossi.
Rossi lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Rossi lands a knee to the head.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
McGuire is working for takedown but Rossi is calmly controlling the position for now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Patrick McGuire. That's going to take a lot out of him.
McGuire misses with a body punch.
McGuire struggles to land a body shot inside as Rossi controls his hands.
Rossi is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McGuire goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Rossi landing knees to the body.
McGuire tries for a takedown. No joy.
Nice elbow from Rossi.
Rossi lands with a short shot to the head.
McGuire tries to throw a body punch but Rossi avoids it by throwing McGuire back against the cage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
McGuire trying to stall but Rossi improves his position.
McGuire misses with a shot to the kidneys.

McGuire lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
McGuire thows a huge punch but Rossi dodges it nicely.
McGuire throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Rossi to regain full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McGuire throws a big elbow that misses.
McGuire content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
McGuire wants to control from the top but Rossi keeps moving.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as McGuire accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Patrick McGuire overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
McGuire wants to control from the top but Rossi keeps moving.
Rossi wants to sweep here but McGuire controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McGuire wants to pass the guard but Rossi is keeping the position.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
McGuire wants to control from the top but Rossi keeps moving.

Patrick McGuire has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Rossi leaves McGuire with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rossi thuds his shin into the meat of McGuire's side.

And that's the end of the fight!
Al Rossi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Rossi has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Jorge Garcia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 28:29
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Al Rossi!
Al Rossi took to the mic after the fight and begged the organizational hierarchy for a shot at the title.