PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Aaron Roller (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sammy Depolito (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Roller
vs
Depolito

180 cm
19
220 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

178 cm
20
250 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Likes ground

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Aaron Roller!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Sammy Depolito!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Depolito fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Depolito closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Roller escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Depolito closes this distance looking for a takedown but Roller circles away.

Roller gets caught flat footed, as Depolito shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Roller looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Roller is pulling down on Depolito's head. It's preventing any offense from Depolito, at least for the moment.
Depolito preventing the sweep.

Depolito gets to his feet - Roller follows without any prompting.
Depolito looks gassed!
Roller shoots for a takedown but Depolito saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
No joy there for Roller, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Roller swinging wilding here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Depolito tries to close the distance and clinch but Roller swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Depolito has eaten all the pies!
Depolito shoots for a takedown but Roller saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Aaron Roller has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sammy Depolito.
Depolito wants to clinch.
Roller misses with a two punch combination.
Roller tries a head kick but it misses.
Roller circles away from the clinch attempt.
Depolito tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Roller paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Depolito doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Roller with a lazy takedown attempt

and Depolito decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Roller's guard.
Depolito wanted to stand there but Roller had control of the position.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Roller is on top in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Roller 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.
Depolito looking to hit a scissor sweep but Roller is one step ahead there.
Roller is working Depolito over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Depolito is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Roller is stalling in the full guard.
Roller trying to control the position from guard on top but Depolito is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Roller stands up and waves to Depolito to follow him.
Depolito keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Roller tries to close the distance and clinch but Depolito swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Roller tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Depolito paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Depolito clinches up against the cage.
Roller is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Depolito is keeping busy.

Depolito pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Roller closes the distance but Depolito moves to the side

and Depolito counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Depolito.
Depolito just leaning against Roller, taking a breather.
Roller landing knees to the body.

Depolito breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Roller closes the distance looking to clinch
and Depolito cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Roller keeps the fight on the outside.
Roller throws a right and a left that both miss.
Roller misses with a takedown attempt - Depolito sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Depolito scores with a takedown into Roller's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sammy Depolito dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Roller wants to clinch up but Depolito keeps it at a distance.

Depolito clinches up against the cage.
Depolito is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Roller breaks from the clinch.
Aaron Roller is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Roller throws a head kick that misses.

Depolito looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Roller not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Roller looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Depolito working some strikes from top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Roller pushes Depolito off and scrambles back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Roller tries to clinch but Depolito moves out of range.
Depolito circles away from the clinch attempt.

Depolito has managed to clinch.
A body shot lands from Roller.

Depolito breaks from the clinch.
Left hook, right uppercut from Roller.
Depolito keeps the fight on the outside.
Roller tries to clinch up

and Depolito counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Roller wants to get back to full guard but Depolito has mounted him!
Roller takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Depolito content just to control the position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Roller wants to hold on but Depolito pushes him away.
Roller wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Roller can't escape the position.
Depolito can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Roller is looking to escape.
Roller is trying to escape the mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by Depolito.
Roller tries to hold on but Depolito pushes him away.
Roller is trying to stand up.
Roller tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Roller is working hard here to advance position.
Roller is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Depolito breaks from Roller's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Roller tries to hold on but Depolito postures up.
Roller is trying to stand.

Depolito working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Roller tries to get back to half guard but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sammy Depolito showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Roller tries to keep at a distance but Depolito has taken the fight into the clinch.
Roller stops a takedown attempt from Depolito.

Roller breaks from the clinch.
Roller shoots in for a double leg but Depolito sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Depolito connects with a single shot there.
Roller swats away the attempt to clinch by Depolito.
Depolito wants to clinch.
Roller tries for a takedown but Depolito circles away easily

and Depolito holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Depolito stops a takedown attempt from Roller.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aaron Roller. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Roller misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Depolito.
Depolito creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Roller's defenses.

Depolito breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Depolito has managed to clinch.

Depolito breaks from the clinch.
Roller circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
No luck for Roller with that takedown attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Roller misses with a head kick.
Depolito tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Roller paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Roller shoots in but Depolito avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Depolito throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Roller's waist but Roller gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Depolito off to one side.
Roller swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Depolito tries to clinch up.
Depolito closes the distance looking to clinch

and Roller moves into the clinch.
Roller missing with knees to the body.

Depolito pulls Roller into guard.
Depolito lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Roller!
Depolito landing strikes from the mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Roller can't escape the position.
Roller tries to hold on but Depolito pushes him away.
Depolito is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Roller working to try and regain half guard.
Roller regains half guard.
Roller is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Depolito's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Depolito's back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Depolito tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Depolito throwing hammer fists to the chest of Roller. What's that going to do exactly?
Roller sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Roller throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Roller punching from mount but Depolito doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Depolito really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Roller misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Depolito is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Sammy Depolito is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Depolito is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Roller is staying active.
Roller working Depolito over with strikes here.
Roller misses with a head shot.
Roller lands a nice shot to the head.
Roller working Depolito over with strikes here.
Depolito wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Depolito is wriggling around trying to escape.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sammy Depolito comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Depolito 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sammy Depolito!