PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between George Rogers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steve Caplin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). On his way into the cage it seems that George Rogers has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily George Rogers seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Rogers
vs
Caplin

187 cm
19
210 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

195 cm
22
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, George Rogers!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Steve Caplin!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Caplin instigates a clinch.

Rogers's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rogers looks to land a left hand but Caplin moved out of range nicely.
Caplin tries to close the distance and clinch but Rogers swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Caplin keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Rogers feints and as Caplin raises his hands in defense, Rogers changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Rogers looking to pass the guard.
Rogers won't allow Caplin to sweep him here.
Rogers thows a big elbow that misses.
Rogers tries to free his leg and advance position but Caplin is retaining full guard.
Caplin preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rogers stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Caplin swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Rogers postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Caplin is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Rogers, into his guard.
Caplin tries to stand but Rogers is controlling from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Caplin not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Rogers wants to sweep but no luck.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Caplin slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Rogers is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Rogers doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Caplin showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Caplin pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rogers is keeping the position for now.
Rogers wants to sweep here but Caplin controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Caplin thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Rogers throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
George Rogers seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rogers connects with a right hand. Caplin shakes it off.
Rogers lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Rogers tries to land a leg kick but Caplin saw it coming and moves away.
Caplin misses with a takedown

and Rogers counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Caplin avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Rogers.
Rogers thows a huge punch but Caplin dodges it nicely.
Rogers throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Rogers looks to land a strike but Caplin avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Rogers throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Caplin works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Caplin looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Caplin looks gassed!
Caplin trying to keep a closed guard but Rogers is proving a slippery customer.
Caplin utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Rogers with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rogers postures up in Caplin's guard and throws a big left but Caplin blocks it.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rogers accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Rogers has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Caplin doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Rogers throws a front kick aimed at Caplin's knee but Caplin avoids it well.

Rogers looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Caplin avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Rogers.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rogers not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Caplin is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Rogers looks to land a strike but Caplin avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Rogers working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Rogers trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rogers looking to pass the guard.
Caplin wants to sweep here but Rogers controlling him for the moment.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Rogers throws a leg kick but Caplin sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Rogers throws a big shot that misses.
Rogers scoring well with a low kick there.
Rogers throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

George Rogers dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Caplin checks a low kick from Rogers.
Rogers finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Rogers showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Caplin.
Rogers throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Caplin shoots and misses
and Rogers counters with a nice leg kick.
Caplin tries to clinch but Rogers moves out of range.

Rogers scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Rogers throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Rogers is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Caplin is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Rogers thows a huge punch but Caplin dodges it nicely.
Caplin is breathing heavily.
Rogers throwing shots but Caplin is blocking nicely.
Rogers landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Caplin avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Rogers.
Rogers not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Caplin is trying to maintain the position but Rogers is very close to passing his half guard.
Rogers not landing any meaningful shots this time.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rogers is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Caplin.
Rogers scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Caplin uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Rogers.
A clash of legs there as Caplin blocks the low kick.
Caplin tries for a takedown but Rogers circles away easily
letting Rogers counter with a right hand.
Rogers is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.

Rogers closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Rogers lands in his opponent's guard.
Rogers passes Caplin's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rogers throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Caplin avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Rogers.
Rogers missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Rogers looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Caplin with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Caplin keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Rogers lands with a punch from half guard.
Rogers lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Caplin is trying to control but can't.
Caplin blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rogers.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Caplin trying to control but Rogers postures up.
Rogers winds up and cracks Caplin with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Caplin on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Caplin is looking to control Rogers's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Caplin avoid being mounted?
Caplin keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Rogers takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Caplin is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Caplin blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rogers.
Rogers missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

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.
Caplin trying to control but Rogers postures up.
Caplin blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rogers.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Rogers shoots in and bounces Caplin off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Caplin controls Rogers momentarily but Rogers frees himself.
Caplin is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Rogers in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Caplin preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

George Rogers dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Caplin defending well as Rogers loads up on a big left hand.

Rogers shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Caplin's guard.
Caplin throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Caplin pulls Rogers in close to his closed guard and prevents Rogers from doing any damage or advancing position.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Rogers's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Rogers forces his way into half guard.
Caplin is trying to stand back up but Rogers is controlling him
Rogers thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Rogers is thwarting Caplin's attempts to control the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Caplin wants to improve his position but Rogers is controlling well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Caplin is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Rogers scores with a couple of nice shots.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Caplin is trying to maintain the position but Rogers is very close to passing his half guard.
Rogers throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Rogers throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Rogers throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Caplin tries to get to full guard but Rogers has control of the leg.
Rogers throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Rogers seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Caplin wants to control but Rogers is keeping busy.

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

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Caplin staying out of range there.
Rogers looks to land a right hand but Caplin moved out of range.
Caplin avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Caplin looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Rogers gets the takedown into side control.
Rogers scores with punches from side control.

Rogers is trying to get an arm triangle but Caplin is defending well.
Caplin is trying to control Rogers's posture but Rogers avoids it.
George Rogers is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Caplin tries to buck Rogers off but Rogers is having none of it.
Rogers controls the position from side control.
Caplin tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Rogers wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Rogers wants to control but Caplin is keeping him busy.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
An inside leg kick lands from Rogers.
Caplin moves out of range of the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Rogers attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.

Caplin gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Caplin wants to get back to his feet but Rogers is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Rogers sitting in guard here, content to control.
George Rogers overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rogers pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Caplin is keeping the position for now.
Rogers is stalling in the full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
George Rogers showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Rogers, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Suge Night scores the fight 30:27
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... George Rogers!