PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Nicola Cardinale (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Salvatore Corozzo (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!

Cardinale
vs
Corozzo

182 cm
28
180 lbs
9 - 7 - 0

190 cm
35
185 lbs
24 - 2 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

KAISER Nutrition - Q160/$250

Spartan Nutrition
Perkele!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nicola Cardinale!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Salvatore Corozzo!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Cecil Peabody and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Corozzo is looking to slow Cardinale down with leg kicks.
Corozzo misses with a left hand
and Cardinale connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Corozzo drops his hands momentarily and Cardinale takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Corozzo misses with an uppercut. Cardinale saw that one coming.
It looked like Cardinale wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Cardinale takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
A telegraphed right hand from Corozzo misses the target.
Corozzo misses with a wild body shot.
Corozzo misses the shot to the body.
Corozzo throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Salvatore Corozzo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cardinale blocks a leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Corozzo connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Corozzo checks a leg kick.
Corozzo has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Corozzo throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Cardinale sees it coming and avoids it easily.
The fighters circling - Cardinale throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Cardinale takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cardinale shoots and misses
enabling Corozzo to counter with a crisp jab.
Corozzo throws a hook but Cardinale avoids it easily.
Cardinale takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

Corozzo has managed to clinch.
Cardinale blocks an uppercut.
Cardinale blocks an uppercut.
Cardinale tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Corozzo misses with a short punch on the inside.
Corozzo trying to stall but Cardinale improves his position.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Corozzo tries to work over Cardinale's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Corozzo.
Corozzo tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Corozzo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Corozzo misses with a punch on the inside.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Cardinale.
Corozzo throws a head punch that misses.
Corozzo misses with a punch to the body.
Corozzo lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Cardinale backwards.
Cardinale is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Corozzo is defending well.
Corozzo swings wildly with an uppercut but Cardinale uses good head movement to avoid it.

Cardinale breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cardinale takes one on the button.
Cardinale dives in for a single leg takedown but Corozzo sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the ropes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nicola Cardinale. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cardinale looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Corozzo misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Corozzo thuds a left hand into Cardinale's body.
Corozzo throws an overhand right that lands on Cardinale's shoulder, as Cardinale tries to avoid the shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
That kick from Cardinale tenderised Corozzo's leg. Corozzo is trying to keep his angry face on.
Jab, jab by Corozzo - just one landing.
A slapping leg kick lands for Corozzo.
A big right from Corozzo misses.
Corozzo throws a jab when Cardinale was well out of range.
A head kick misses from Cardinale.
A slapping leg kick lands for Corozzo.
Cardinale slips under a jab.
Corozzo lands with a thumping leg kick.
Corozzo lands with a nice body punch.
Cardinale misses the jab.
Cardinale on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Corozzo. Corozzo obviously looking to wear him down.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Corozzo comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Cardinale slips a jab from Corozzo.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cardinale on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Cardinale defending well as Corozzo loads up on a big left hand.
An attempted straight right counter from Cardinale misses the target.

Corozzo tries to keep at a distance but Cardinale has taken the fight into the clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Cardinale as Corozzo tries to tie him up.
Cardinale doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Corozzo digs a right hand into Cardinale's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Cardinale's gas tank.
Cardinale blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Corozzo goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Corozzo.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Salvatore Corozzo dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Corozzo chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Cardinale can pounce on him.

Cardinale closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Corozzo's guard.

Cardinale drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Corozzo manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Cardinale has Corozzo in his guard.

Cardinale striking off his back but it's not causing Corozzo any problems.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cardinale trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Cardinale throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Cardinale wants to hit a switch here but Corozzo passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Cardinale there!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cardinale wants to control but Corozzo is having none of it.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Corozzo can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Cardinale is looking to escape.
Cardinale working to try and regain half guard.

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.

Corozzo gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
A decent looking cross lands there for Corozzo.
Corozzo wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Corozzo lands a jab to the head.
Cardinale takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Salvatore Corozzo is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Corozzo displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Cardinale.
Cardinale takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Corozzo throws a low kick but Cardinale moves out of range easily.
A quick step to the side and Cardinale tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Cardinale throws a low kick but Corozzo moves out of range easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Corozzo misses with a shot to the body
and Cardinale counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Cardinale cracks Corozzo with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Corozzo looks to throw the jab but Cardinale is out of range.
Cardinale tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Corozzo swivels and escapes.
Corozzo throws a big shot that misses.
Cardinale swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Cardinale lands with a nice body punch.
A nice inside leg kick there by Corozzo. That's going to slow Cardinale down.
Cardinale ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Cardinale has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Cardinale there as he acknowledges the shot.
Cardinale scores with a hook.
Cardinale lands with a good body shot.
Cardinale is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nice defenses there by Cardinale.
As Corozzo backs away, Cardinale returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cardinale shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Corozzo sprawls well. Corozzo wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Cardinale gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nicola Cardinale. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Cardinale checks a leg kick.
Donk. Corozzo catches Cardinale right on the button with a cross.
Corozzo scores with a jab to the body.

Corozzo clinches up with Cardinale and pushes him back against the ropes.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Corozzo as Cardinale tries to tie him up.
Cardinale has Corozzo pressed up against the ropes and is working for takedown. Corozzo manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Corozzo has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Cardinale looking for a takedown.
Corozzo throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Cardinales head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Salvatore Corozzo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Cardinale gets the takedown into side control.
Cardinale wants to control but Corozzo is keeping him busy.
Corozzo is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Cardinale is controlling him well.
Cardinale tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cardinale throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Cardinale tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Cardinale trying to control the position but Corozzo is working away.
Salvatore Corozzo has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Corozzo regains half guard there - taking advantage of Cardinale's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Cardinale working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Cardinale works his way into side control.
Nicola Cardinale has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Cardinale trying to control the action but Corozzo is working from the bottom.

Cardinale is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Corozzo has escaped the position, nice work there.
Corozzo avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Cardinale.
The ground and pound from Cardinale seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cardinale wants to control for a moment but Corozzo uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.

Cardinale is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Cardinale not landing any meaningful shots this time.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Cardinale misses with an uppercut
and Corozzo counters with a right hand to the body.
Cardinale lands with a thumping leg kick.
Corozzo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Cardinale gets a double leg takedown into Corozzo's guard.
Corozzo wants to get back to his feet but Cardinale is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Corozzo avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cardinale lands a couple of digs.
Cardinale stops Corozzo from standing up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nicola Cardinale showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Corozzo has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 28:29
Judge George Francis scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Salvatore Corozzo!
A victorious Salvatore Corozzo thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.