PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Daniel Switzer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Fario (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Switzer
vs
Fario

195 cm
22
230 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
22
225 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Inexperienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Daniel Switzer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Paul Fario!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Igor Prikhodko and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fario wants to clinch up but Switzer keeps it at a distance.
Switzer shoots in for a takedown but Fario shows good takedown defense.
Switzer moves out of range of the body kick from Fario.

Switzer moves into the clinch successfully.
Switzer goes for a takedown in the clinch but Fario prevents it.

Fario breaks the clinch.
Some wild striking there from Switzer.
Fario tries to close the distance and clinch up but Switzer swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Switzer shoots and misses

and Fario counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Switzer's guard now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Daniel Switzer. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Fario wants to pass the guard but Switzer is keeping the position.
Fario not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Switzer keeping moving, preventing Fario from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Paul Fario was stalling too much, according to the referee.
The fight stays on the outside here - Fario looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Fario misses with a few strikes there.

Fario closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Switzer to the mat! Switzer manages to get full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Fario accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Fario seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Fario trying to control but Switzer is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fario prevents Switzer from getting back to his feet.
Switzer will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Switzer is trying to control the position but Fario postures up.
Fario trying to move into half guard but instead Switzer has managed to sweep!
Switzer trying to control but Fario is working from the bottom.
Switzer tries to free his leg and advance position but Fario is retaining full guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Fario tries to clinch up.
Switzer with a poor takedown

and Fario counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Fario lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Fario is looking to take a break and control but Switzer is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Switzer looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Fario sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Switzer defending well though.
Switzer is refusing to be controlled, as Fario sits in half guard.
Fario controlling the action here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Paul Fario has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Fario is trying hard to land a takedown here. Switzer sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Switzer fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Fario looking to land some kicks to the body here.

Fario closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Fario wants to control but Switzer is keeping him busy.
Fario lands strikes from half guard.
Fario is trying to control the action in half guard but Switzer is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Fario might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Switzer kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Fario passes the guard and advances to mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Fario dominated that round.
That's time! Switzer's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Fario fails to land the takedown.
Fario is looking to clinch but Switzer is avoiding it.

Switzer forces Fario back against the cage and clinches.
Fario wants to break the clinch but can't.
Fario tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Switzer smiles and moves away.
Switzer defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Fario.
Daniel Switzer has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paul Fario.
A head kick misses from Fario.
Daniel Switzer is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Switzer throws a head kick that misses

and Fario counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Switzer keeping moving, preventing Fario from controlling successfully.
Switzer manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Switzer trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Switzer controlling from mount.
Paul Fario has got the better of the ground game so far.
Fario is trying desperately to improve position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fario wants to hold on but Switzer pushes him away.
Fario really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Switzer controlling the position easily from mount.
Fario wants to get back to his feet.
Switzer content just to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Switzer looking to control but Fario is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Fario throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Fario avoids a series of strikes thrown by Switzer.
Switzer takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fario is squirming around, avoiding Switzer's attempts to control the action.
Switzer sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Switzer prevents Fario from getting the reversal.

Switzer stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Switzer shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Fario pinned against the cage. Fario gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Fario feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
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 Daniel Switzer will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, 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.

Switzer fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Fario checks it well.
Switzer shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Fario sprawls well. Fario wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Switzer gets slowly back to his feet.
Fario fails to land the takedown.
Switzer thuds a left hand into Fario's body.
Fario shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Switzer sprawls well. Switzer wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Fario gets slowly back to his feet.
Fario shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Switzer pinned against the cage. Switzer gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Daniel Switzer has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paul Fario.
Fario stuffs the takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fario tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Switzer fails with a takedown attempt.

Fario gets a clinch.
Switzer has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Fario is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Fario is looking for a takedown.
Switzer goes for a takedown attempt but Fario pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Switzer tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Fario manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Switzer tries for a takedown but Fario sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Fario throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Switzer's waist but Switzer gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Fario off to one side.
Fario misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Switzer.
Fario is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Nice sprawl there from Switzer as Fario shoots in.
Fario swinging wildly here.
Fario shoots in for a takedown but Switzer shows good takedown defense.
Fario displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Switzer.
Fario slaps away a takedown attempt from Switzer, before circling back to the center of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Fario looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Fario trying to stand up but can't free himself from Switzer's guard.
Switzer avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Switzer tries to strike from the bottom.
Switzer wants to sweep here but Fario controlling him for the moment.
Fario slips nicely into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Switzer regains full guard. Nicely done.
Fario working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Switzer controls Fario momentarily but Fario frees himself.
Fario trying to control but Switzer is working from the bottom.
Fario throws a big elbow that misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Fario stands up from Switzer's guard - Fario perhaps looking for a knockout.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paul Fario comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Fario has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 28:30
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 28:29
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paul Fario!
After winning the bout, Paul Fario thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.