PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Russell Bell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Salvatore Assante (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Assante has chosen Lose Yourself as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Bell
vs
Assante

185 cm
24
218 lbs
8 - 1 - 0

185 cm
19
212 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

CROWN
Tesla Apparel [Everything $15!]

Diamond Design Clothing

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 8 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Russell Bell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Salvatore Assante!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Assante avoids the body shot from Bell.
Assante throws a sloppy head kick and Bell moves out of range easily.
Assante throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Bell's head.
Bell misses with a wild body shot.
Assante lands a head kick!
Assante fails with an attempt to clinch.
Assante throws a head kick but Bell moves out of range.
Nice takedown defense from Assante. No joy for Bell on that attempt.
Assante throws a sloppy head kick and Bell moves out of range easily.
Assante slips under a jab.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Assante.

Assante instigates a clinch.
Assante gets underhooks to prevent Bell's takedown attempt.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Assante.

Bell breaks the clinch.
Assante throws a head kick that misses.
Assante tries to clinch there but Bell circles away.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Assante.
A combination from Bell does no damage.
Bell fails to land with a series of punches.
Assante lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Bell.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Assante avoids the body shot from Bell.
Bell throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Bell chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Assante can pounce on him.
Bell lands a nice shot that snaps Assante's head back.
Assante throws a head kick but Bell moves out of range.
Bell takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

It looks like Russell Bell has been cut.
Assante throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Assante lands with a slapping head kick.

Bell looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Assante!
Assante is trying to escape the mount.
Assante gets back to half guard.
Assante tries to roll over but Bell keeps him under control.
Assante wants to control but Bell is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Assante is positioning himself well to prevent Bell advancing to mount.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Bell wants to free his trapped foot but Assante is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Assante wants to control but Bell is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Bell is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Assante doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Bell.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Bell scores with a one two! Assante had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

It looks like Salvatore Assante has been cut.
Salvatore Assante seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Assante pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Bell on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Assante tries a head kick but it misses.
Assante goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Bell lands a really nice looking cross but Assante seems unphased.
Bell throws a looping overhand right but Assante ducks down to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bell has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Bell there as he acknowledges the shot.
Assante throws a head kick that misses.
Assante lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Bell blocks a head kick by Assante.
Bell throws a jab when Assante was well out of range.
A head kick misses from Assante.
Bell thows a body shot but no joy.
Assante avoids the head kick by Bell.
Assante misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Bell goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Assante throws a head kick but Bell moves out of range.
Assante goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Assante turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Bell is breathing heavily.
Assante lands with a kick to the temple. Bell shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Bell avoids the head kick by Assante.
The fight stays on the outside here - Assante looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Assante goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bell cracks Assante with an open hand slap.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bell walks into a jab.
Bell misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Assante throws a sloppy head kick and Bell moves out of range easily.
Assante lands a head kick. Bell smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

Bell is rocked!
Assante misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Bell counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Assante!
Oh Bell is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Assante tries to lock up and control but Bell gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Bell seems to have got his legs back now.
Assante is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Assante tries to lock up and control but Bell gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Bell with good strikes from the mount here!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Bell looking to control but Assante is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Assante tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Bell looking to finish Assante with some ground and pound. This is bad for Assante!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Salvatore Assante dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Bell on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Assante throws a sloppy head kick and Bell moves out of range easily.
Bell just misses with a punch to the body.
Assante throws out a loose jab but Bell uses good head movement to avoid it.
Bell fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Assante tries a head kick but it misses.
Assante throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Bell.
Assante swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Assante closes the distance and clinches.

Assante escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Bell goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

Assante clinches.
Assante lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Assante lands a knee to the body.
Assante prevents the takedown attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Assante stalling in the clinch.
Bell managing to block the knees to the body from Assante.
Bell tries to break the clinch but Assante is controlling the position.
Bell is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Assante lands an elbow just above Bell 's eye.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Assante connects with a nasty looking knee right to Bell's face.

Russell Bell's cut is getting worse.
Assante crunches a lovely knee into Bell's ribcage.
Bell tries to pull guard but Assante won't allow it.
Bell on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Assante lands a body punch in the clinch.
Assante creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Assante lands a nice shot to the body.
With the fighters up against the cage, Assante throws an elbow but misses.
Bell managing to block the knees to the body from Assante.
Bell takes an elbow to the temple.
Assante throws an elbow that misses.
Assante connects with a knee to the head.
Assante doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Assante.
Assante throws an elbow that misses.
Bell blocks an elbow strike.
Assante misses with a knee to the head.
Assante pushes off an throws an elbow but Bell leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Bell on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Assante creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Assante just misses with a elbow thrown towards Bell's brow.
Assante throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Bell blocks it with crossed arms.
Assante using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Bell has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Assante.
Bell drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Assante gets the underhooks and prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Russell Bell. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Assante lands an elbow that stopped Bell in his tracks for a moment.
Assante letting Bell take a breather here.
Assante gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Assante goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Bell managing to block the knees to the body from Assante.
Assante throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Bells head.
Assante blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Assante misses with an elbow strike.
Bell dodges an elbow strike from Assante.
The is referee keeping an eye on Bell - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Assante creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Bell's defenses.
Assante throws a head punch that misses.
Bell on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
A left hand lands to the body for Assante.
Bell wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Assante lands an elbow inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Assante tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Assante missing with knees to the body.
Assante is pressed up against the cage. Bell has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Assante down to the mat. Assante avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Assante throws a sloppy head kick and Bell moves out of range easily.
Bell scores with a hook.
Assante throws a head kick but Bell moves out of range.
Assante scoring well with a low kick there.
Bell throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Bell jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Assante lands a nice looking body kick.
Assante tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Assante misses with a head kick.
Assante wants to clinch but Bell slips to the side
and Bell connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Bell takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Bell throws an overhand right that lands on Assante's shoulder, as Assante tries to avoid the shot.
Assante throws a sloppy head kick and Bell moves out of range easily.
Bell pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Bell looks to score with a jab to the body but Assante is just out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bell on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Assante moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Assante throws a quick inside leg kick.
Assante lands a head kick. Bell smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Assante scores with a head kick.
Assante throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Bell.
Assante throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Bell's head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A thudding body kick lands there by Assante!
Assante lands with a kick to the temple. Bell shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Bell blocks a head kick by Assante.
Assante fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Assante scores with a head kick.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bell has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Assante.
Crunch! Assante slams his shin into Bell's torso.
A chopping leg kick lands by Assante.
Salvatore Assante is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Assante connects with a nice looking jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Salvatore Assante showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Assante throws a sloppy head kick and Bell moves out of range easily.
Assante pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Assante misses with a body kick.
A thudding body kick lands there by Assante!
Salvatore Assante seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Bell cracks a nice hook into Assante's ribs.
Assante misses with a head kick.
Bell tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Assante was well out of range. Poor timing from Bell.
Bell throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Assante clobbers Bell with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Assante turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Assante tries to clinch but Bell is having none of it.
Assante throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Assante fails to land the takedown.
Assante scores with a head kick.
Bell misses with a hook. Assante ducked under it nicely.
A head kick misses from Assante.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bell throws out a loose jab but Assante uses good head movement to avoid it.
Assante lands a high kick!
Assante throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Bell's head.
Bell will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Assante throws a head kick that Bell semi-blocks.
Assante throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Bell's head.
Bell throws out a loose jab but Assante uses good head movement to avoid it.
Assante throws a half hearted mid kick.
Assante lands with a thumping leg kick.
Bell stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Assante.
Bell scores with a body shot.
Bell misses with a looping left.
A head kick misses from Assante.
Assante works the jab nicely.
Bell throws a chopping leg kick but Assante manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Bell chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Assante can pounce on him.

Assante closes the distance and clinches.
Assante doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Russell Bell has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Assante unloads a knee to the mid-section. Bell lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Assante crunches a lovely knee into Bell's ribcage.

Assante breaks the clinch.
Assante throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Assante connects with a solid leg kick.
Assante cracks the inside of Bell's front leg.
Bell avoids the head kick by Assante.
Bell blocks a head kick by Assante.
Assante lands a glancing blow to the side of Bell's head.
Assante bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Assante throws a head kick that Bell semi-blocks.
Bell blocks a head kick by Assante.
Bell scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Assante keeps Bell at a distance using the push kick.
Assante throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Bell's head.
Assante throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Bell counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Assante misses with a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Assante wants to clinch
and Bell counters with a nice uppercut.
Assante lands with a kick to the temple. Bell shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Bell with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Assante to score with a decent uppercut.
Assante throws a nice outside leg kick.
The fighters circling - Bell throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Assante pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Assante lets loose with a powerful body kick. Bell will feel that in the morning.
Bell takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Bell swats away the attempt to clinch by Assante.
Assante throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Bell is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Assante throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Assante dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Bell. That did some damage!
Assante misses with an uppercut.
Nice body kick from Assante.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bell uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Assante.
Assante doesn't manage to clinch there - Bell circles away.
Assante lands a slapping body shot.
A swing and a miss from Assante.
Assante lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
A telegraphed right hand from Bell misses the target.
A telegraphed right hand from Bell misses the target.
Assante throws a wild body kick that Bell sees coming a mile off.
Bell tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Bell keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Assante.
Assante has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Bell sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Assante misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Assante throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
No joy there for Bell, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Assante throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Assante fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Bell looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Assante throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

And that's the end of the fight!
Salvatore Assante comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Assante winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30

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