PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Panda Four (ranked 1576 p4p, 2977 weight class) and James Rocksteady (ranked 216 p4p, 396 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Rocksteady's choice of entrance music: Red Right Hand. James Rocksteady has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Four
vs
Rocksteady

150 cm
24
205
9 - 6 - 0

170 cm
24
205
9 - 6 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

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 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Panda Four!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, James Rocksteady!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Colin Fotheringham and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Four decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Four is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Rocksteady has managed to free his arm - good work.
Four trying to pass the guard but Rocksteady defending well.
Rocksteady is trying to control but can't.

Four is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Rocksteady doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Four.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rocksteady tries to get to full guard but Four has control of the leg.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Four is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Rocksteady has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rocksteady wants to control but Four is keeping busy.
Four prevents Rocksteady from improving his position.

Four is trying to work for a kimura but Rocksteady is defending well.

Rocksteady looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Four is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Rocksteady has managed to free his arm - good work.

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.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Four is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Rocksteady doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Four.

Four is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Rocksteady sees it coming and defends easily.
Rocksteady is looking to improve his position.

Four seems to be working for a kimura but Rocksteady defends the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Four seems to be working for a kimura but Rocksteady defends the submission attempt.
Rocksteady is looking to control Four's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Rocksteady avoid being mounted?
Four prevents Rocksteady from improving his position.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Four is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Rocksteady doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Four.

Four is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Rocksteady sees it coming and defends easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Four is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Rocksteady is just riding it out for now. Four eventually gives up the hold.
Rocksteady is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Four's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Four's back!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rocksteady landing with strikes.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Four shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Rocksteady as he avoids it easily.

Four moves into the clinch.
Four tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Rocksteady smiles and moves away.

Four moves into the clinch.
Rocksteady goes for a takedown in the clinch but Four prevents it.
Rocksteady tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Four's elbow.
Rocksteady drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Rocksteady turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Four tries to bench press Rocksteady off him but Rocksteady keeps the position.
Panda Four overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Four is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Rocksteady off and has taken his back!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Four is looking for the choke from the back position but Rocksteady is controlling his hands well.

Four is persistently looking for the submission but Rocksteady is defending it well.

Four is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Rocksteady trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.

Four is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Rocksteady is defending well though. Four let's go of the attempt for now.

Four is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Rocksteady knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Rocksteady for a finish.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rocksteady is really stuck here.

Four has got his arm under Rocksteady's chin working for the choke… has he got it? It looks pretty tight! Oh! Rocksteady has spun round into Four's guard beautifully! Well done that man!
Rocksteady scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Rocksteady trying to control but Four is working from the bottom.

Rocksteady got a little sloppy there for a moment and Four has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Rocksteady has managed to get both his arms back between Four's legs - danger averted.

Four looking for subs off his back but Rocksteady has passed one foot through into half guard.
Four might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Four looking for submissions off his back.
Rocksteady wants to control but Four is keeping him busy.
Rocksteady is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Four reverses the position - he's now on top in Rocksteady's guard.
Four passes Rocksteady's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Rocksteady wants to control but Four is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Four is pressing down on Rocksteady's thigh, looking to free his foot. Rocksteady is holding on for now.
Rocksteady wants to improve his position but Four is controlling well.

Four is looking for a kimura here.
Rocksteady trying to control from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Four is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Rocksteady has managed to free his arm - good work.
Rocksteady wants to control but Four passes into side.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Panda Four dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Rocksteady shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Rocksteady showed some decent athleticism there.
Rocksteady trying to pass the guard but Four defending well.
Four regains full guard. Nicely done.

Four has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Rocksteady is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Four.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rocksteady controls the position from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Four is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Rocksteady's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

Four looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Four is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Rocksteady pulls his head out easily.
Rocksteady wants to control but Four is keeping him busy.
Rocksteady is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Rocksteady prevents Four from improving his position.
James Rocksteady has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Four on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

Four looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Rocksteady looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Four with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Four tries to get to full guard but Rocksteady has control of the leg.
Rocksteady working Four over with strikes.
Rocksteady takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Four looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Four on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Rocksteady lands a nice short elbow.

Four looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Rocksteady wants to lay and pray for a moment but Four keeps working.
Rocksteady working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

Four looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Four is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at Crapollas Gym, so we'll see if he gets out of it.
Rocksteady 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 four minutes gone in the round.
Rocksteady working over Four with some ground and pound. Four looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Rocksteady takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Rocksteady is pressing down on Four's thigh, looking to free his foot. Four is holding on for now.
Rocksteady stalling away here and it's allowed Four to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Four keeping moving, preventing Rocksteady from controlling successfully.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rocksteady lands a couple of decent looking shots.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Rocksteady comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Four has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 William Gold scores the fight 29:28
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Panda Four!