PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Franco Micheli (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rigoberto Lamas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lamas is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Brazilian National Anthem. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Micheli
vs
Lamas

191 cm
29
192 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

170 cm
22
186 lbs
12 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Dangerous knees
Cardio machine

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
Powerful

KAISER Nutrition (160!/220$)
AnonymouS

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 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Franco Micheli!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Rigoberto Lamas!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, Alyssa Summers and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice defenses there by Micheli.
Micheli is looking to clinch but Lamas is avoiding it.
Lamas avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Lamas is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Lamas throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Rigoberto Lamas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Micheli wants to clinch.
Lamas throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Micheli moves out of range as Lamas strikes.
Lamas throws a jab but it's blocked by Micheli.
Micheli tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Good standup being displayed there by Lamas as he connects with a hook.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lamas swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Micheli tries to close the distance and clinch up but Lamas swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Micheli clinches up with Lamas and pushes him back against the cage.
Micheli looking to throw knees to the head but Lamas is blocking nicely.
Micheli prevents a takedown attempt there.
Micheli looking to throw knees to the head but Lamas is blocking nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lamas takes a knee to the side of the body.
Micheli tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Lamas has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Micheli lands a knee to the head.
Micheli lands a knee to the body.
Micheli lands a knee to the body.
Lamas looks winded!
Micheli lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Rigoberto Lamas has been cut.
Lamas wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Micheli has him pressed against the cage.
Micheli misses with a knee to the head.
Micheli tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Lamas is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Lamas pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Micheli is looking to clinch.
Lamas throws a big shot that misses.
Lamas swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Lamas misses with a straight right.
Lamas looks to throw the jab but Micheli is out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lamas circles away from the clinch attempt.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Lamas throws a body punch but Micheli moves out of range.
Lamas misses with a wild body shot.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Lamas.
Micheli tries to clinch up.
Micheli doesn't manage to clinch there - Lamas circles away.
Lamas fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Franco Micheli has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rigoberto Lamas.
Micheli wants to clinch up but Lamas keeps it at a distance.

Micheli moves into range and clinches up with Lamas.
Lamas is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Micheli looking to throw knees to the head but Lamas is blocking nicely.
Knees in the clinch landing for Micheli.
Micheli scores with a knee to the head.
Lamas takes an elbow to the forehead.
A knee to the head by Micheli.
Micheli unloads a knee to the mid-section. Lamas lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Micheli creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Lamas's defenses.
Micheli gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Micheli scores with a knee to the head.
Micheli landing knees to the head.
Lamas takes a knee to the side of the body.
Micheli putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Lamas in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Micheli lands a nice knee to the body.
Micheli with a knee to the head.
I was talking to Micheli's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Micheli landing knees to the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Lamas drops down looking for an ankle pick but Micheli pulls his leg out and moves away.
Micheli fails with an attempt to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Micheli looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Micheli forces Lamas back against the cage and clinches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Micheli working Lamas over with knees to the body.
Micheli with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Micheli connects with a nasty looking knee right to Lamas's face.
Micheli throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Lamas blocks it with crossed arms.
A frustrated look appears on Lamas's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Lamas drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Micheli dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Micheli lands a knee to the head.
Micheli scores with a knee to the head.
Knees to the body from Micheli.
Micheli lands a knee to the head.

That has opened up Rigoberto Lamas's cut even more.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Micheli misses with a knee to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Franco Micheli dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rigoberto Lamas's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Micheli tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Lamas manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Franco Micheli is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Micheli tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Lamas paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Micheli darts in and clinches Lamas up against the cage.
Micheli tries to land a knee to the head but Lamas blocks with his arms.
Lamas blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Micheli leaning against his opponent.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Micheli just misses with a elbow thrown towards Lamas's brow.
Lamas is trying to pull guard but Micheli has him pressed against the cage.
Micheli misses with a knee strike.
Micheli tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Lamas changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Micheli fights it off and pushes away nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Micheli wants to clinch.
Micheli moves in looking to clinch but Lamas pushes him off.
Micheli uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Lamas.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Micheli closes the distance and clinches.
Micheli looking to throw knees to the head but Lamas is blocking nicely.
Lamas tries to break the clinch but Micheli is controlling the position.
Micheli prevents a takedown attempt there.
Franco Micheli has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rigoberto Lamas.
Lamas is trying to break the clinch but Micheli is controlling him.
Micheli misses with a knee to the head.
Knees to the body from Micheli.
Micheli utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Lamas is breathing heavily.
Micheli lands an elbow that stopped Lamas in his tracks for a moment.
Micheli misses with a knee strike.
Knees to the body from Micheli.
Micheli connects with a nasty looking knee right to Lamas's face.
Micheli throws a knee to the head but misses.
Micheli scores a nice knee to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Micheli crunches a lovely knee into Lamas's ribcage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Micheli lands an elbow that stopped Lamas in his tracks for a moment.
Micheli slowing the pace effectively.
Lamas on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Lamas jumps guard but Micheli stands there with Lamas around his waist. Lamas gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Lamas is trying to break free.
Micheli with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Micheli connects with a knee to the head.
Micheli lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Micheli landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Micheli unloads a knee to the mid-section. Lamas lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Knees to the body from Micheli.
Micheli lands a good knee to the midsection. Lamas won't want to take too many of those.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Micheli connects with a nasty looking knee right to Lamas's face.
Micheli comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Micheli unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Micheli is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Lamas can do to turn this around?
A knee to the head by Micheli.
Micheli looking to throw knees to the head but Lamas is blocking nicely.
Lamas working hard to break the clinch.
Lamas takes an elbow to the temple.
Micheli with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Micheli lands a damaging elbow.
Lamas is trying to break the clinch but Micheli has him pressed against the cage.
Micheli lands an elbow that stopped Lamas in his tracks for a moment.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Lamas is trying to force a seperation but Micheli has the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Micheli misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Lamas.
Micheli lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Lamas is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Franco Micheli has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Micheli with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Micheli scores with a knee to the head.

The cut above Rigoberto Lamas's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Lamas is trying to pull guard but Micheli turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Lamas has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Micheli is trying to keep an underhook but Lamas manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Micheli wants to get back to his feet.
Micheli is not content to let Lamas control the position.

Lamas is looking for a kimura but Micheli is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Lamas to get the leverage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Franco Micheli dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Rigoberto Lamas's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Horrible takedown attempt by Lamas or perhaps it was just good defense by Micheli, which made it look bad.
Lamas keeps the fight on the outside.
Lamas misses the shot to the body.
Lamas misses the jab.
Micheli is looking to counter the offense by Lamas and move into the clinch.
Lamas throws out a loose jab but Micheli uses good head movement to avoid it.
Micheli ducks under a wild hook from Lamas.

Micheli clinches up with Lamas and pushes him back against the cage.
Micheli with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Lamas wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Lamas avoiding damage as Micheli throws knees to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lamas is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Lamas looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Micheli connects with a knee to the head.
Lamas is trying to break the clinch but Micheli is controlling him.
Lamas tries to break the clinch but Micheli is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Micheli landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Lamas takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Lamas wants a takedown but no success here.
Lamas takes an elbow to the temple.
Micheli scores with a knee to the head.

Micheli drops Lamas with a big knee straight up the middle! Lamas is covering up against the cage but manages to escape and gets back to his feet!

Lamas is rocked!
Micheli wants to clinch up but Lamas keeps it at a distance.
Lamas is still on wobbly legs! Can Micheli finish him?

Micheli clinches.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Micheli maintains plum control as Lamas tries to back straight out! Micheli connects with one knee! Two knees! Three, four, five, six...seven unasnwered knees! Lamas blocks the eight but eats the ninth - then collapses! Oh the brutality!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:35 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Knees). Franco Micheli!
Our winner, Franco Micheli, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.