PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Billy Bancroft (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and anthony rollo (ranked 0 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.

Bancroft
vs
rollo

174 cm
18
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

199 cm
22
166 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

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 Sydney, Billy Bancroft!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, anthony rollo!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, Hugh Johnson and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bancroft fails with a takedown attempt.
Bancroft has a takedown stuffed.
rollo tries for a takedown but Bancroft sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
rollo with a poor takedown

and Bancroft counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Bancroft.
rollo tries to land a sweep but no joy.
rollo bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Bancroft's guard.
rollo postures up.

Bancroft is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Bancroft is trying to keep rollo in close.
rollo stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Bancroft swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bancroft is looking to stand up but rollo isn't so interested in that idea.
rollo passes Bancroft's left leg - he's now in half guard.
rollo controlling the action here.
Bancroft wants to get back to his feet.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with rollo in particular looking to stall.

That's two 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.
Bancroft wants to get back to full guard.
rollo controlling the action here.
rollo tries to pass the half guard into mount. Bancroft knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Bancroft has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. rollo is working away from the top position though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
rollo working over Bancroft with some ground and pound. Bancroft looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
rollo is looking to advance position but Bancroft won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bancroft wants to control the action here but instead rollo manages to pass to full mount!
rollo controlling his opponent.
The referee warns Bancroft that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Bancroft is breathing heavily.
rollo controlling from the full mount.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, rollo cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
rollo prevents Bancroft from getting the reversal.
Bancroft tries to hold on but rollo pushes him away.
rollo tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Bancroft working to try and regain half guard.
rollo looking to control and managing it successfully.
rollo tries to control but Bancroft wriggling away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but anthony rollo will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

rollo goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

It looks like Billy Bancroft has been cut.

rollo drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
rollo trying to control but Bancroft is working from the bottom.
Bancroft wants to control the position but rollo says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
rollo keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Bancroft wants to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
rollo controlling the pace.
rollo trying to control the action but Bancroft is working from the bottom.
rollo is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's one minute gone in the round.
rollo is taking a breather. Bancroft says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

Despite being in the dominant position, anthony rollo just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Bancroft closes the distance and clinches up with rollo, looking for a takedown. Bancroft pushes rollo against the cage but rollo circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Bancroft falls off balance throwing a combination

and rollo moves into the clinch.

rollo breaks the clinch.
Bancroft stuffs the takedown attempt from rollo. rollo gets slowly back to his feet.
rollo shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Bancroft as he jumps to the side.

Bancroft looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bancroft controlling from the top position.
rollo seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
rollo manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Bancroft might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
The referee warns Bancroft that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bancroft tries to improve his position but instead rollo has taken his back!
Bancroft tries to roll but rollo sticks to his back.
rollo gets his hands free as Bancroft looks to control.
I would not like to be Bancroft right now.

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

rollo is working on the RNC. He looks like he's got it but Bancroft won't tap... Oh, he's out! The ref rips rollo off his unconscious opponent!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:33 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). anthony rollo!