PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Johnny Bunny (ranked 4419 p4p, 0 weight class) and Levi Rowan (ranked 4448 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Bunny
vs
Rowan

175 cm
25
144 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

165 cm
18
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Johnny Bunny!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Levi Rowan!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, Steve Erwin and Summer Carpenter.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bunny fails with the takedown
and Rowan counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Bunny thinking.

Bunny gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Bunny tries for a takedown. No joy.
Bunny is working for takedown but Rowan is calmly controlling the position for now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Johnny Bunny. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bunny jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Rowan walks away with a smile on his face. Bunny gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Bunny will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Rowan moves in looking to clinch but Bunny pushes him off.
Rowan connects with a right hand. Bunny shakes it off.

Bunny takes the fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rowan tries to throw a body punch but Bunny avoids it by throwing Rowan back against the cage.
Bunny trying to control the position but instead, Rowan has worked for underhooks and has pushed Bunny into the cage.
Bunny looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rowan misses with some punches.
Rowan can't find room to land a body shot as Bunny controls the action.
A left hand lands to the body for Rowan.
A right hand to the body from Rowan.
Bunny prevents a body shot from Rowan.

Bunny's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Bunny prevents a body shot from Rowan.
Rowan swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Bunny throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Rowan blocks it with crossed arms.
Rowan prevents a takedown attempt there.
Rowan lands a left hand.
Rowan throws a head punch that misses.
Rowan makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rowan struggles to land a body shot inside as Bunny controls his hands.
Rowan misses with the head strike.
Bunny letting Rowan take a breather here.
A short body shot lands from Rowan as the two fighters clinch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Rowan taking a breather.
Rowan misses with a punch on the inside.
Rowan lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Rowan misses with a hook from the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rowan swings wildly with an uppercut but Bunny uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rowan tries to throw a body punch but Bunny avoids it by throwing Rowan back against the cage.
Bunny stalls.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rowan stalling.
Rowan lands a nice uppercut.
Bunny scores with a hook to the body.
Bunny pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Bunny is trying to pull guard but Rowan turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Rowan throws a head punch that misses.
Rowan misses with some punches.
A right hand to the body from Rowan.
Rowan fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Rowan taking a breather.
Bunny jumps guard but Rowan stands there with Bunny around his waist. Bunny gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Rowan is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Bunny wants a takedown but no success here.
Bunny jumps guard but Rowan turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rowan tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Rowan can't find room to land a body shot as Bunny controls the action.
Rowan tries a body shot but Bunny blocks it.
Rowan throws a head punch that misses.
Bunny controlling the action here for a moment.
Rowan misses with a punch on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Bunny.

Bunny drags the fight down to the ground.
Rowan trying to control the position from guard on top but Bunny is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bunny manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Rowan manages to get himself to full guard.

Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rowan wants to sweep here but Bunny controlling him for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Levi Rowan 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.

Bunny gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Rowan counters by moving into the clinch.
Bunny has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Rowan working aggressively here.
Rowan lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Bunny backwards.
Levi Rowan seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Rowan swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Bunny jumps into guard, dragging Rowan to the mat.
Bunny keeping moving, preventing Rowan from controlling successfully.
Rowan looking to sit in guard and control but Bunny gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rowan trying to keep a closed guard but Bunny is proving a slippery customer.
Rowan has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Bunny controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rowan not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Bunny pushes down on Rowan's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Rowan avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Bunny.

Bunny is trying to work for a kimura but Rowan is defending well.
Bunny seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Bunny is looking for a kimura here.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Rowan can do anything to dispel that myth.
Rowan tries to get to full guard but Bunny has control of the leg.
Bunny perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Rowan tries to roll over but Bunny keeps him under control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Bunny connects with a nice short shot to Rowan's temple.
Bunny content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Rowan is trying to stand up here but Bunny is controlling him well.
Bunny takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Bunny moves into the clinch successfully.
Bunny blocks a body shot from Rowan.
Bunny is trying to pull guard but Rowan turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Rowan gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Bunny.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Johnny Bunny. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bunny has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Rowan after a bit of a struggle.
Bunny has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Rowan goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Bunny fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Bunny wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Bunny tries to pull guard but Rowan forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Bunny wants to break the clinch but can't.
Bunny looking for a takedown.
Bunny is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Rowan gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rowan can't find room to land a body shot as Bunny controls the action.
Bunny prevents a body shot from Rowan.
Rowan swings wildly with an uppercut but Bunny uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rowan misses with the head strike.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johnny Bunny dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Rowan forces Bunny back against the cage and clinches.
Bunny is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Rowan pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Bunny is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Rowan is keeping busy.
Rowan lands with a light punch inside.
Rowan makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Bunny is looking to break free of the clinch but Rowan has double underhooks.
Rowan misses with a punch on the inside.
Rowan working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Bunny takes a shot to the head.
Rowan tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Bunny's elbow.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bunny looking to stall.
A right handed body shot lands from Rowan.
Bunny jumps guard but Rowan turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Bunny trying to stall but Rowan improves his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Rowan.
Rowan misses with a punch on the inside.
Bunny tries to pull guard but Rowan holds him up against the cage and eventually Bunny drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Johnny Bunny. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rowan throws a punch but it's blocked by Bunny.
Rowan throws a head punch that misses.
Rowan cracks Bunny with a nice body shot.
Bunny can't get the takedown.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bunny is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Rowan has Bunny pressed against the cage.
Bunny is trying to pull guard but Rowan has him pressed against the cage.
Bunny blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Still in the clinch, Rowan scores with a nice short uppercut.
A right handed body shot lands from Rowan.
Rowan working aggressively here.
Bunny drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Bunny prevents a body shot from Rowan.
Bunny jumps guard but Rowan turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Rowan swings wildly with an uppercut but Bunny uses good head movement to avoid it.
A head punch on the inside from Rowan fails to land.
Bunny blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Rowan lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Bunny is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Rowan goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bunny is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Rowan to keep the fight standing.
Bunny jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Rowan walks away with a smile on his face. Bunny gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Johnny Bunny is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Rowan gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Rowan holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Rowan lands a shoulder strike.
Rowan misses with some punches.
Rowan lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Rowan lands a left hand that snaps the head of Bunny backwards.
Bunny blocking some punches.
Rowan lands a hook that snaps the head of Bunny backwards.
Rowan slowing the pace effectively.
Bunny blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Rowan tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Rowan tries to work over Bunny's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bunny drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rowan digs a right hand underneath Bunny's ribcage. Bunny let out a lung full of air as it connected.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Rowan.
Rowan throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Bunnys head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Bunny tries to pull guard but Rowan won't allow it.
Rowan lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Rowan lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Bunny backwards.
Rowan misses with a punch to the body.
Rowan misses with a body punch.
Rowan lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Rowan throws a head punch that misses.
Rowan has a couple of punches blocked by Bunny.
Bunny fails to pull guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Levi Rowan comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Rowan 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 Skip Squint scores the fight 27:29
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 27:29
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Levi Rowan!