PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Mikel Cardenas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tommaso Veloce (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Cardenas
vs
Veloce

160 cm
18
140 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

180 cm
18
134 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Mikel Cardenas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Tommaso Veloce!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, Paul Tew and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cardenas scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Veloce is looking to control Cardenas's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Veloce avoid being mounted?
Veloce has his hands clasped together around Cardenas's back. He's all about the action.
Cardenas lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

Cardenas is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Veloce sees it coming and defends easily.
Veloce slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Veloce is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Cardenas is aware though and is defending well.
Veloce is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Veloce is trying to keep Cardenas in close.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Cardenas accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Veloce pulls Cardenas in to control the position.
Cardenas scoring with punches to the head and body.
Cardenas working some strikes from top position.
Cardenas with a nice head shot there.

Veloce looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Veloce escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Cardenas gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Veloce preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Veloce pulls Cardenas in close to his closed guard and prevents Cardenas from doing any damage or advancing position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cardenas won't allow Veloce to sweep him here.
Cardenas has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Cardenas with a flurry of punches that miss.
Cardenas won't allow Veloce to get back to his feet.
Cardenas throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Cardenas is working Veloce over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Cardenas lands a couple of digs.
Veloce looking to control.
Veloce lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Veloce trying to control but Cardenas is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Veloce lands a couple of elbows.
Veloce trying to control the position from guard on top but Cardenas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Veloce looking to sit in guard and control but Cardenas gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Veloce tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Cardenas distracts Veloce with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Cardenas preventing the sweep.
Cardenas postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Veloce looks winded!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cardenas working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Veloce's head.
Cardenas throws a big right hand that misses.
Cardenas postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Cardenas throwing strikes from guard but Veloce blocks nicely.
Cardenas lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Veloce lands a decent punch to the body there.
Cardenas scoring with some ground and pound.
Veloce manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Cardenas manages to get himself to full guard.

Cardenas has a closed guard, preventing Veloce from standing up.
Veloce trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cardenas wants to sweep but no luck.
Veloce throwing strikes but missing.

Veloce got a little sloppy there for a moment and Cardenas has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Veloce has managed to get both his arms back between Cardenas's legs - danger averted.
Veloce lands a couple of digs.
Veloce engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Cardenas working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Veloce has passed into half guard!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mikel Cardenas dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Veloce tries for a takedown but Cardenas circles away easily
and Cardenas counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
A slow jab from Cardenas misses its intended target.
Cardenas pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Veloce moves out of range as Cardenas strikes.
Veloce tries to counter with a clinch but Cardenas shakes him off and moves away.
Cardenas connects with a body shot.
Veloce takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Tommaso Veloce is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The fight stays on the outside here - Veloce looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Veloce fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Cardenas keeps the fight on the outside.
Veloce shoots and misses
and Cardenas counters with a big head kick but Veloce shrugs it off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cardenas shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Veloce sprawls well. Veloce wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Cardenas gets slowly back to his feet.
Cardenas avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Veloce is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
A quick step to the side and Cardenas tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.

Veloce shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Cardenas is trying to defend but Veloce finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Veloce is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Veloce looking to control and managing it successfully.
Veloce trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Veloce landing strikes, looking to finish!
Cardenas is looking to get to half guard.
Cardenas taking shots to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cardenas tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Cardenas prevents Veloce from taking his back.
Mikel Cardenas overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Cardenas is bucking up trying to escape but Veloce cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Veloce manages to capitalize on a mistake by Cardenas to take his back!
Cardenas is trying to remain composed but Veloce is hammering down strikes to the side of his head.
Cardenas breaks Veloce's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Veloce preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Veloce is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Veloce is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Veloce is adopting a defensive guard.
Cardenas trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Cardenas throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Veloce can do anything to dispel that myth.
Cardenas working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Cardenas with a nice head shot there.
Cardenas postures up in Veloce's guard and throws a big left but Veloce blocks it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Veloce has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Cardenas can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Cardenas content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Mikel Cardenas will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Veloce looks for a takedown but Cardenas sprawls well.
Veloce scores with a hook to the body. Cardenas takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Veloce fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Cardenas avoids it really well and circles away.
Veloce stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Veloce wants it to stay on the feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Veloce shoots in for a double leg but Cardenas sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Mikel Cardenas has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tommaso Veloce.
Veloce swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Cardenas pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Veloce takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Cardenas wants to land a leg kick but Veloce is out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cardenas throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Cardenas pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Veloce blocks a head kick by Cardenas.

Veloce manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Cardenas on his heels. He'll look to pass Cardenas's guard now, I'm sure.
Veloce is looking to work some ground and pound but Cardenas has wrist control.
Veloce 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.
Cardenas keeping moving, preventing Veloce from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Veloce sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Veloce is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Cardenas is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Cardenas has escaped and now he's on top!

Cardenas stands up over Veloce, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Veloce working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Cardenas.
Cardenas loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Cardenas might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Veloce preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Veloce working for a triangle but Cardenas defends it easily.
Veloce utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Veloce looking for a sweep. Not yet Veloce, not yet.

Veloce working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Cardenas doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Cardenas manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Veloce wants to stand up but Cardenas is controlling him.

That's four 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.

Veloce looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Cardenas lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Cardenas throwing strikes but missing.
Cardenas postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Cardenas with a nice head shot there.
Veloce wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Cardenas working some strikes from top position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cardenas with a nice head shot there.
Tommaso Veloce has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mikel Cardenas is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Cardenas is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Veloce can do to turn this around?
Cardenas working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mikel Cardenas showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Cardenas has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Sam Margolis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 30:27
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mikel Cardenas!