PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Michael D Amato (ranked 2423 p4p, 318 weight class) and Troy Anselmo (ranked 1318 p4p, 181 weight class). D Amato comes to the cage accompanied by Machine Gun - Hated. Troy Anselmo has the eye of the tiger tonight.

D Amato
vs
Anselmo

178 cm
39
197 lbs
36 - 13 - 0

182 cm
31
188 lbs
11 - 4 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

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 36 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Michael D Amato!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Troy Anselmo!
The judges for this bout are Wagner Zegers, Paulsen Ambrosius and Albert Achterberg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
D Amato wants to clinch.
A slapping leg kick lands for D Amato.
D Amato looks to land a combination but Anselmo avoids it well.
D Amato throws a leg kick which misses Anselmo's front leg but catches the back leg as Anselmo tries to avoid it.
D Amato tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Anselmo takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Anselmo scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Anselmo loads up on a big right hand but D Amato slips the punch.
D Amato misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Anselmo.
Michael D Amato seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Anselmo checks a low kick from D Amato.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
A right hook to the body lands for Anselmo.
D Amato manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
D Amato is working for takedown but Anselmo is calmly controlling the position for now.
Anselmo throws a punch but it's blocked by D Amato.
A head punch blocked on the inside by D Amato.
D Amato blocking some punches.
Anselmo throws a head punch that misses.
A head punch blocked on the inside by D Amato.
Anselmo has a couple of punches blocked by D Amato.
Anselmo lands with a right to the head.
D Amato takes a shot to the head.
Anselmo lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

D Amato pulls guard.
D Amato controlling Anselmo's posture.
Anselmo wants to stand but D Amato is controlling his posture from full guard.
Anselmo is stalling in the full guard.
D Amato is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Anselmo is controlling him.
Anselmo controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anselmo wants to stand but D Amato has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
D Amato keeping full guard, as Anselmo tries to pass.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Anselmo ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from D Amato is defended easily by Anselmo.
D Amato fails with the takedown
and Anselmo counters with a nice uppercut.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Michael D Amato. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
D Amato fails with an attempt to clinch.
Anselmo looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Anselmo delivers a nice body kick.
D Amato closes this distance looking for a takedown but Anselmo circles away.
D Amato is looking light on his feet compared to last time was saw him fight.
Anselmo lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Anselmo takes a swing at D Amato's ribcage but misses.
Anselmo moves out of range of the body kick.
Anselmo only half commits to the counter leg kick.
D Amato throws a right and a left that both miss.
D Amato tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Anselmo thuds a left hand into D Amato's body.
D Amato throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Anselmo's waist but Anselmo gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing D Amato off to one side.
D Amato is breathing heavily.
D Amato throws a front kick aimed at Anselmo's knee but Anselmo avoids it well.
Anselmo replies with a solid counter kick to the body but D Amato blocks it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Troy Anselmo dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

D Amato misses with a wild body shot.
Anselmo wants to slow D Amato down by chopping away at his legs.
Anselmo lunges at D Amato with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by D Amato's hand.
Troy Anselmo seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A lazy body kick from Anselmo

so D Amato counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
D Amato won't allow Anselmo to sweep him here.
D Amato working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

D Amato thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Anselmo is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
D Amato keeping hold of Anselmo's head, controlling as best he can.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Anselmo controlling the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Anselmo wants to stand up but D Amato is controlling the position.
Anselmo has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Anselmo keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
D Amato looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's two 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.
D Amato keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Anselmo content to control rather than advance.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
D Amato tries a head kick but it misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anselmo stuffs the takedown attempt from D Amato. D Amato gets slowly back to his feet.
D Amato misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
D Amato shoots in for a takedown but Anselmo shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
D Amato backing away here, and Anselmo unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
D Amato checks a low kick from Anselmo.
D Amato fails with the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Michael D Amato. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Anselmo lands a head shot.
Anselmo throws a body shot but no joy.
D Amato seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Michael D Amato is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
D Amato on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Anselmo. Anselmo obviously looking to wear him down.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
D Amato looks to land a combination but Anselmo avoids it well.
D Amato moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromAnselmo.
Nice sprawl there from Anselmo as D Amato shoots in.
Anselmo flicks out a counter leg kick but D Amato steps away.
Anselmo cracks D Amato with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
D Amato shoots in looking for a takedown. Anselmo tries to sprawl out of it but D Amato keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Anselmo manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
D Amato changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Anselmo tries to avoid it but D Amato manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Anselmo to the ground. Anselmo escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Anselmo throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

D Amato gets in close and instigates a clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A hook to the body from Anselmo.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Anselmo misses with a punch to the body.
D Amato fails to pull the fight into his guard.
D Amato prevents a body shot from Anselmo.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Troy Anselmo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. And we move into the final round!

D Amato throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Anselmo's waist but Anselmo gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing D Amato off to one side.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Anselmo! But no joy.
Anselmo connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
D Amato gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and D Amato takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
D Amato moves out of range of the body kick.
Anselmo lands a nice looking body shot.
Anselmo scores with a leg kick.
Anselmo tests D Amato's chin there with a solid looking shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
D Amato moves to clinch but Anselmo breaks away
and Anselmo counters with a nice body shot.
Anselmo fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
D Amato throws a head kick that misses
and Anselmo counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Anselmo tries to land a leg kick but D Amato saw it coming and moves away.
Anselmo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Anselmo looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
D Amato swings away with a leg kick that misses.
D Amato dives in and grabs Anselmo's left leg, looking for a takedown. Anselmo pushes down on D Amato's head and hops out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Michael D Amato. That's going to take a lot out of him.
D Amato shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Anselmo pivots, looking for a leg kick but D Amato is out of range and Anselmo settles back down.
An attempted straight right counter from D Amato misses the target.
D Amato has a takedown stuffed.
Anselmo tries a quick counter leg kick but D Amato is wise to it.
A jab lands there for Anselmo.
D Amato shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Anselmo defends it nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Anselmo has D Amato up against the cage in a clinch.
Anselmo lands with a light punch inside.
A head punch on the inside from Anselmo fails to land.
Anselmo goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

D Amato breaks the clinch.
D Amato moves out of range of the body kick.
D Amato throws a counter high kick but Anselmo was just alert enough to avoid it.
Anselmo's corner calls for a 1-2. Anselmo obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
D Amato has his takedown stuffed
and Anselmo counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anselmo lands a nice looking body shot.
A solid leg kick lands there for Anselmo.
D Amato throws a head kick that Anselmo semi-blocks.
Sloppy strikes from D Amato. Those never looked like landing.
D Amato takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Michael D Amato has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Anselmo walks into a stiff left hand from D Amato.
Nice sprawl there from Anselmo as D Amato shoots in.
D Amato swats away the attempt to clinch by Anselmo.
D Amato fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Anselmo jabs D Amato to the body, keeping him at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
D Amato looks for a takedown but Anselmo sprawls well.
Anselmo darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Anselmo lands with an uppercut that bounces D Amato off the cage and back into range.
D Amato throws a body kick that misses
and Anselmo counters with a nice low kick that buckles D Amato's knee momentarily.
Anselmo lands an overhand right.

D Amato is rocked!
Anselmo misses with a body shot.
Anselmo connects with an inside leg kick.
Anselmo misses with a body shot.
D Amato takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.

And that's the end of the fight!
Troy Anselmo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Anselmo has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Wagner Zegers scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 27:30
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Troy Anselmo!
In his post fight interview, Troy Anselmo started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.
The defeated Michael D Amato had this to say: 'Fuck you'.