PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ellis Rowards (ranked 5515 p4p, 4522 weight class) and Grif Oscar (ranked 580 p4p, 533 weight class). Grif Oscar has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Ellis Rowards's chin.

Rowards
vs
Oscar

195 cm
25
190
1 - 2 - 0

188 cm
24
185
3 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Ellis Rowards!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Grif Oscar!
The judges for this bout are Santiago Holmes, David Hoff and Peter Branson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Oscar fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rowards appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Oscar wants to clinch up but Rowards keeps it at a distance.

Rowards moves into the clinch successfully.
Oscar looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Oscar wants to get back to striking at distance but Rowards won't allow it.
Rowards trying to land knees to the body.

Rowards has picked Oscar up - he's going for a ride! Rowards dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Oscar wants to control the action here but instead Rowards manages to pass to full mount!
Rowards lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Rowards controlling his opponent.
Rowards 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.
Oscar wants to hold on but Rowards pushes him away.
Rowards controlling his opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rowards working Oscar over with strikes here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rowards tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Rowards avoids the attempt from Oscar to control.

Rowards is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Oscar is surviving well by controlling Rowards's body position as best he can.
Rowards punishing his opponent with strikes.
Rowards working the ground and pound effectively.
Oscar holds of for dear life.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rowards controlling the position easily from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rowards's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

Rowards jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Oscar manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Oscar is trying to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rowards wants to stand but Oscar has his arm trapped.
Oscar wants to control but Rowards postures up.
Oscar looks winded!
Rowards remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Rowards working the ground and pound from side control.
Rowards controls the position.

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.
Rowards landing a few strikes.

Rowards swings around for an armbar but Oscar sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Rowards's guard.
Oscar trying to control the position from guard on top but Rowards is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Rowards looking for a guillotine here but Oscar defends easily.

Rowards throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Oscar must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rowards pulls Oscar in close to prevent any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ellis Rowards dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Rowards closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Rowards lands in his opponent's guard.
Oscar trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Rowards won't allow Oscar to get back to his feet.

Oscar is looking for a triangle here but Rowards uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Rowards has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Oscar is breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
BOOM! Rowards connects with a massive shot to the dome!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rowards controlling the position easily from mount.
Rowards is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Oscar can do to turn this around?
Oscar tries to control Rowards's body but Rowards pushes him off. Oscar squirms to his side and now Rowards has his back!
Rowards controls the position.

Oscar is trying to defend against the choke here but Rowards has an arm under his chin. This one might not last much longer. Rowards Tightens the hold and Oscar taps out furiously! Rowards displays superior BJJ to win the fight.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:57 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Ellis Rowards!