PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Salvatore Assante (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tristan McGrath (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). McGrath is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by "Out Of Control" - Broken Yoke. Assante has a slight injury, which hopefully won't affect the fight too much. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Assante
vs
McGrath

185 cm
18
205 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

178 cm
19
205 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Malicious Intent Fight Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Salvatore Assante!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tristan McGrath!
The judges for this bout are Eddie Farnsworth, Jorge Garcia and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Assante misses with a head kick.
Assante throws a half hearted mid kick.
Assante throws a head kick that McGrath semi-blocks.
A head kick misses from Assante.
Assante chopping away at his opponent's legs.

McGrath pushes Assante up against the cage in a clinch.
Assante can't break the clinch.
McGrath should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
McGrath keeps control of Assante as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
McGrath fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Assante wants to stall.
Assante is breathing heavily.

Assante breaks from the clinch.
Assante throws a head kick that half lands.

McGrath looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Assante!
McGrath lands a big elbow.
McGrath lands with some strikes.
Assante taking shots to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

McGrath working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.

McGrath working for a guillotine from mount but Assante is in no mood to give up.
Assante is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
McGrath trying to control but Assante is having none of it.

McGrath jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Assante is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Assante and McGrath has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Assante is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Assante tries to get to full guard but McGrath has control of the leg.
Assante is staying active underneath McGrath, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Assante trying to control from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
McGrath moves into side control, avoiding the strikes from Assante.

McGrath decides to stand back up. McGrath steps back and let's Assante get back to his feet.
McGrath shoots in and drives through. Assante sprawls well.

Assante drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Assante wants to get up but he can't break McGrath's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

McGrath scrambles and gets back to his feet.
McGrath fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Salvatore Assante will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Assante cracks McGrath with an open hand slap.
Assante misses the shot to the body.
McGrath fails to land the takedown.
Assante misses with a head kick.
Assante tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
McGrath fails with the takedown.

McGrath closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Assante sneaks back into half guard.
McGrath seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McGrath thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
McGrath missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
McGrath is thwarting Assante's attempts to control the position.
Assante controlling the position well.
Assante throws a strike from the bottom but McGrath passes into side control!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

McGrath decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Assante tries a head kick but it misses.
Assante tries a head kick but it misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice body kick there by Assante.
McGrath shoots in and drives through. Assante sprawls well.
Salvatore Assante has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tristan McGrath.
Assante throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Salvatore Assante seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Assante looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
McGrath misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Assante misses with a head kick.
McGrath shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Assante as he avoids it easily.
Assante lands a nice looking kick to the body. McGrath takes a step back to recover.
Assante lands with a shot to the body.
Assante throws a head kick that misses.
Assante looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
McGrath closes this distance looking for a takedown but Assante circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McGrath fails with an attempt to clinch.
Assante connects with a high kick.
Assante misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Assante looks to score with a jab to the body but McGrath is just out of range.
McGrath shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Assante as he avoids it easily.
McGrath moves out of range of the body kick.
McGrath moves out of range as Assante throws a body kick.
Assante throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
McGrath shoots in looking for a takedown. Assante tries to sprawl out of it but McGrath keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Assante manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
McGrath will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Tristan McGrath is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Assante looks to score with a jab to the body but McGrath is just out of range.
McGrath moves out of range of the body kick from Assante.
McGrath fails to land the takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Salvatore Assante dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

McGrath drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Assante wants to hit a switch here but McGrath passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Assante there!
Assante is wriggling around trying to escape.
Assante tries to lock up and control but McGrath gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, McGrath cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McGrath cracks Assante with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
McGrath wants to control the action but instead Assante gets a body lock and reverses into McGrath's guard! Nice work!
McGrath looking to control.
Assante trying to control the position from guard on top but McGrath is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

McGrath isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Assante stacks McGrath on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Assante!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Assante has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
McGrath avoids the head kick by Assante.

McGrath rushes Assante and presses him up against the cage.
McGrath prevents Assante from breaking the clinch.
Assante landing knees to the body.

McGrath ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. McGrath no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McGrath trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

McGrath is working an open guard so Assante takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
McGrath takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Assante pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Assante tries a head kick but it misses.
McGrath takes one to the side of the head.
Assante pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Salvatore Assante is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Assante swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Assante feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to McGrath's calf.
Assante throws a head kick that misses.
Assante misses with a kick to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Assante tries a head kick but it misses.
Assante misses with a kick to the body.
McGrath looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Assante lands a head kick!
Assante throws a head kick but McGrath moves out of range.
McGrath looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Assante is fending him off so far but McGrath persists. Nope, Assante circles away and we're back to standing.
Assante throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
McGrath fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Salvatore Assante has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tristan McGrath.
McGrath misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Tristan McGrath has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
McGrath shoots in and drives through. Assante sprawls well.
McGrath misses with a takedown attempt - Assante sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Salvatore Assante showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Assante, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Salvatore Assante!