PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Deon Du Plessis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Robert Roberts (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Du Plessis comes to the cage accompanied by Fort Minor - Remember the name. Roberts has chosen Vet as his entrance music. Deon Du Plessis could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Robert Roberts's chin.

Du Plessis
vs
Roberts

175 cm
23
167 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

178 cm
23
155 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Determined

Valhalla War Gear

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 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Deon Du Plessis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Robert Roberts!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, John Mangel and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Roberts closes the distance and clinches up with Du Plessis, looking for a takedown. Roberts pushes Du Plessis against the cage but Du Plessis circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Du Plessis throws a good cross that connects.
A slow jab from Roberts misses its intended target.
Du Plessis tries to clinch up.
Roberts circles away from the clinch attempt.
Du Plessis throws an overhand right that lands on Roberts's shoulder, as Roberts tries to avoid the shot.
Du Plessis throws a right and a left that Roberts avoids nicely.
Roberts slips a jab and a cross from Du Plessis.
Du Plessis tries to close the distance and clinch but Roberts swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Du Plessis scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Du Plessis wants to clinch.
Du Plessis thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Roberts if he has to take too many more of those.
Du Plessis does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Roberts swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Roberts changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Du Plessis looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Roberts is working Du Plessis over with some ground and pound from side control.
Du Plessis is not content to let Roberts control the position.
Roberts working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Du Plessis can't do much from the bottom here.
Roberts working the ground and pound but Du Plessis is defending the strikes.
Du Plessis wants to control but Roberts postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Du Plessis regains half guard, as Roberts was trying to land strikes.
Roberts missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Du Plessis is looking to control Roberts's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Du Plessis avoid being mounted?

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

Roberts drives through with a takedown into guard.
Du Plessis is trying to keep Roberts in close.
Roberts looking to pass the guard.
Du Plessis wants to control the position but Roberts says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roberts thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Roberts throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Du Plessis blocking the ground and pound attempt from Roberts.
Roberts thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Du Plessis's head.
Du Plessis trying to control here.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Du Plessis looks to land a right hand but Roberts moved out of range.
Du Plessis tries to close the distance and clinch up but Roberts swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Roberts missing with a left hand there. Du Plessis was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Du Plessis throws a leg kick but Roberts sees it coming and moves out of range.

That's four 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.
Roberts slips under a jab from Du Plessis.
Du Plessis tries to clinch up but Roberts circles away and keeps his distance.
Du Plessis misses with a double jab.
Roberts shoots for a double leg takedown but Du Plessis sprawls well. He's pushed Roberts's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Roberts throws a hook but Du Plessis blocks it.
Roberts misses with a looping left.

Du Plessis has taken the fight to the clinch.
Roberts blocks the elbow strike.
Du Plessis looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Roberts tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Du Plessis smiles and moves away.
Deon Du Plessis has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Robert Roberts.
Du Plessis swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Roberts swings and misses with a hook to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Deon Du Plessis dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Du Plessis scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Deon Du Plessis seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Roberts connects with a right hand. Du Plessis shakes it off.
Du Plessis throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Roberts's head.
Roberts closes this distance looking for a takedown but Du Plessis circles away.
Roberts shoots in and drives through. Du Plessis sprawls well.

Du Plessis closes the distance and clinches.
Du Plessis landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Roberts takes an elbow to the temple.
Du Plessis with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Roberts blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Du Plessis lands an elbow inside.
Roberts blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Roberts takes an elbow to the forehead.
Roberts blocks an uppercut.
Du Plessis lands a nice knee to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Roberts is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Du Plessis gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Deon Du Plessis has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Robert Roberts.
Du Plessis prevents the takedown attempt.
Roberts is breathing heavily.
Du Plessis lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Du Plessis misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Roberts.
Du Plessis lands a knee to the head.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Du Plessis.
Du Plessis tries a knee to the head but Roberts blocks it.
Du Plessis trying to stall but Roberts improves his position.
Roberts blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Du Plessis trying to control the position but instead, Roberts has worked for underhooks and has pushed Du Plessis into the cage.
Du Plessis creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Roberts's defenses.
Du Plessis lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Roberts avoiding damage as Du Plessis throws knees to the body.
Du Plessis tries to stall but Roberts uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Du Plessis throws a knee to the head but misses.
Du Plessis throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Du Plessis lands a knee to the body.
Roberts is looking to break free of the clinch but Du Plessis has double underhooks.
Roberts wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
A right hook to the body lands for Du Plessis.
Du Plessis is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Du Plessis misses with a knee to the head.
Du Plessis misses with a knee to the head.
Du Plessis looking to throw knees to the head but Roberts is blocking nicely.
Roberts managing to block the knees to the body from Du Plessis.
Roberts drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Du Plessis trying to stall but Roberts improves his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Du Plessis prevents Roberts from breaking the clinch.
Du Plessis misses with an elbow strike.
Du Plessis misses with a knee to the head.

Roberts works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.

Roberts drops back looking for a leg! Du Plessis is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Du Plessis manages to kick Roberts off! Roberts jumps back into Du Plessis's guard.
Roberts throwing strikes from guard but Du Plessis blocks nicely.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Roberts in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Roberts throwing strikes but missing.
Roberts missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Roberts throwing strikes from guard but Du Plessis blocks nicely.
Du Plessis preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Roberts postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Du Plessis tries to clinch there but Roberts circles away.
Roberts fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Du Plessis manages to avoid it.
Du Plessis throws a head kick but Roberts moves out of range.
A slow jab from Du Plessis misses its intended target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

No luck for Roberts with that takedown attempt.
Du Plessis lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Du Plessis tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Du Plessis staying out of range there.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Roberts.
Du Plessis tries to close the distance and clinch but Roberts swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Du Plessis throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Du Plessis lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Du Plessis fails in his attempt to clinch.
Du Plessis uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Roberts.
Du Plessis does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Du Plessis throws a series of punches but Roberts moves out of range.
Roberts tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Du Plessis fails in his attempt to clinch.
Du Plessis tries to clinch but Roberts is having none of it.
Roberts checks a leg kick nicely.
A shot to de liver by Du Plessis. Beautiful body shot.
Roberts circles away from the clinch attempt.
Deon Du Plessis is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Du Plessis looks to land a left hand but Roberts moved out of range nicely.
Du Plessis throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Roberts ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Du Plessis moves away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Du Plessis looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Roberts slips a straight right by Du Plessis.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Roberts moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Du Plessis missing with a left hand there. Roberts was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Du Plessis throws a wild body kick that Roberts sees coming a mile off.
Roberts circles away from the clinch attempt.
Du Plessis tries to clinch but Roberts moves out of range.
Du Plessis uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Roberts.

Roberts darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Du Plessis is defending against the submission attempts here by Roberts.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Du Plessis blocking the ground and pound attempt from Roberts.
Du Plessis trying to control here.
Roberts takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Du Plessis avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Roberts.
Roberts throws a strike but Du Plessis avoids it easily and moves to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Roberts is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Du Plessis wants to sweep here but Roberts controlling him for the moment.
Roberts wants to control from the top but Du Plessis keeps moving.
Roberts throwing strikes but missing.
Roberts works over Du Plessis with some ground and pound from guard.
Roberts stays in close to Du Plessis's body and controls the position.
Robert Roberts has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Deon Du Plessis is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Roberts throws a big right hand that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Robert Roberts.
I think Du Plessis 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 Winston Howard scores the fight 30:27
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 30:28
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Deon Du Plessis!