PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Markos Belca (ranked 5146 p4p, 5117 weight class) and Brendan Rowen (ranked 530 p4p, 527 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.

Belca
vs
Rowen

181 cm
22
155
0 - 0 - 0

179 cm
18
164
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Markos Belca!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Brendan Rowen!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, Alyssa Summers and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Belca moves out of range of the body kick.
Belca misses with a wild combination.
Rowen doesn't manage to clinch there - Belca circles away.
Rowen misses with a wild body shot.
Belca throws a series of punches but Rowen avoids them all with ease.
Belca is trying hard to land a takedown here. Rowen sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Rowen avoids a kick to the body.
Belca looks for a takedown but Rowen sprawls well.
Rowen doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Belca shoots for a takedown but Rowen saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Markos Belca. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Belca lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

It looks like Brendan Rowen has been cut.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Rowen.
Belca is looking to counter punch.
Rowen with a lazy takedown attempt
and Belca counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rowen throws a right and a left that both miss.
Belca is looking to counter with a shot to the body.

Belca has Rowen up against the cage in a clinch.

Belca successfully pulls guard.
Rowen wants to control from the top but Belca keeps moving.
Belca is pulling down on Rowen's head. It's preventing any offense from Rowen, at least for the moment.
Rowen wants to pass the guard but Belca is keeping the position.
Rowen wanted to stand there but Belca had control of the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rowen trying to control the position from guard on top but Belca is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rowen looking to sit in guard and control but Belca gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Belca engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Rowen trying to keep a closed guard but Belca is proving a slippery customer.
Belca slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rowen escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Belca gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Rowen wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Belca is now in half guard.
Belca content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Rowen is trying to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Rowen tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Belca missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Belca sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Rowen defending well though.
Still in half guard, Belca seems content to control.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Belca connects with an inside leg kick.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Belca misses with a double jab.
Belca sets himself, and Rowen steps forward looking for the clinch! Belca avoids it this time.
Belca slaps away a takedown attempt from Rowen, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Rowen blocks a head kick by Belca.
Rowen wants to counter the offense by Belca and move into the clinch position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Markos Belca dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Brendan Rowen's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Belca shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Rowen but Rowen pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Horrible takedown attempt by Belca or perhaps it was just good defense by Rowen, which made it look bad.
Rowen shoots in but Belca avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Belca stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Belca wants it to stay on the feet.
Rowen displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Belca.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Markos Belca. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Belca shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Rowen as he jumps to the side.
Belca displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Rowen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Rowen.
Markos Belca is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Belca blocks a jab.

Belca has taken the fight to the clinch.
Rowen on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Belca goes for a takedown attempt but Rowen pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Belca is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Rowen can do to turn this around?

Rowen clinches up against the cage.
Rowen drops down looking for an ankle pick but Belca pulls his leg out and moves away.
Belca avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rowen displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Belca.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rowen shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Belca as he avoids it easily.
Belca tries to clinch but Rowen is having none of it.
Rowen gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Belca counters with a leg kick.
Rowen looks for a takedown but Belca sprawls well.
Rowen fails with a takedown attempt.
Rowen shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Belca pinned against the cage. Belca gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Rowen is breathing heavily.
Rowen fails with the takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Belca shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Rowen as he avoids it easily.

Belca moves into the clinch.
Belca stalling.
Rowen trying to stall but Belca improves his position.

Belca manages to break the clinch.

Belca has managed to clinch.

Belca pulls guard successfully.
Rowen stopping the sweep attempt from Belca.
Rowen trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Belca has a closed guard, preventing Rowen from standing up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rowen tries to free his leg and advance position but Belca is retaining full guard.

Belca uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Belca shoots in and drives through. Rowen sprawls well.
Rowen with the counter takedown but Belca avoids it easily.
Rowen misses with a few strikes there.
Rowen looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Belca is fending him off so far but Rowen persists. Nope, Belca circles away and we're back to standing.

Belca clinches up with Rowen and pushes him back against the cage.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Belca tries to pull guard but Rowen won't allow it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Belca.
Belca tries to pull guard but Rowen holds him up against the cage and eventually Belca drops back down to his feet.

Belca's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Markos Belca dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Brendan Rowen's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Belca fails with a takedown attempt.
Belca jabs Rowen right on the nose. Rowen blinks but takes it well.
Rowen dives in and grabs Belca's left leg, looking for a takedown. Belca pushes down on Rowen's head and hops out.

Belca gets a takedown into half guard.
Belca missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rowen tries to get to full guard but Belca has control of the leg.
Belca is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Belca looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Rowen has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Belca is working away from the top position though.
Rowen is looking to improve his position.
Rowen keeps trying to improve his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Belca stalling.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Rowen is trying to control but Belca manages to pass to mount!
Rowen wants to control but Belca is having none of it.
Belca pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Belca controlling from the full mount.
Rowen taking shots to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Belca working for a submission but Rowen is keeping him at bay.
Belca controlling the position easily from mount.
Markos Belca overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rowen wants to hold on but Belca pushes him away.
Rowen flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Rowen tries to hold on but Belca postures up.

That's four 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.
Rowen is really trying hard to get back to his feet.

Belca is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Rowen has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Belca with good strikes from the mount here!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Belca controlling from the full mount.
Belca working the ground and pound effectively.

And that's the end of the fight!
Markos Belca showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Belca has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Dean Styles scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 30:27
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Markos Belca!