PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Xavier Rush (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bobo Plata (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Plata is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Master of Puppets. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rush
vs
Plata

183 cm
24
140 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

180 cm
21
142 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Xavier Rush!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Bobo Plata!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Shigeki Fujiwara and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Plata blocks a jab.
Rush lands a lovely overhand right.
Rush thows a left - swing and a miss!

Plata fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Rush, pushing him back against the ropes.

Rush escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Plata looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Plata prevents Rush from improving his position.
Plata working Rush over with strikes.

Plata wants to work for an arm triangle but Rush is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Plata is looking for a kimura but Rush is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Plata to get the leverage.
Plata thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rush's head.
Plata thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Plata is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Rush is just riding it out for now. Plata eventually gives up the hold.
Rush is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rush is looking to control Plata's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Rush avoid being mounted?
Plata not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Rush is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Plata.
Plata slips a straight right by Rush.
Rush misses with a straight left.
Plata throws a series of punches but Rush moves out of range.
Rush jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Rush pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Rush is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Plata.
Xavier Rush seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rush waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Plata.
Rush throws a nice looking combination but Plata bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Plata uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Rush.

Plata shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Rush manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Plata throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Plata trying to control the position from guard on top but Rush is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Plata has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Plata drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Rush manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Plata has Rush in his guard.
Rush is looking to work some ground and pound but Plata has wrist control.

Rush gets to his feet - Plata follows without any prompting.
Rush really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Rush defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Plata.
Plata slips a straight right by Rush.
Rush misses with a wild body shot.
Rush pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Plata looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Plata ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
No joy there for Rush, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Rush throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rush falls off balance throwing a combination
and Plata counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Plata moves out of range of the strikes.
Rush jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Plata uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Rush.
Plata shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Rush pinned against the cage. Rush gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Xavier Rush has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bobo Plata.

Rush gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Plata to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Plata looks gassed!
Plata won't allow Rush to sweep him here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rush is looking to stand up but Plata isn't so interested in that idea.
Plata stopping the sweep attempt from Rush.
Plata looking to sit in guard and control but Rush gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Plata throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Rush lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Plata is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Plata had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Rush is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Plata Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Rush's back instead.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Bobo Plata 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.

Rush throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Rush uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Plata.
Rush waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Plata.
Plata tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Rush swivels and escapes.
Plata blocks a jab.
Plata moves out of range of the strikes.
Plata slips a jab from Rush.

Plata scores with a takedown into Rush's guard.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

Plata postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Rush is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Plata, into his guard.
Rush wanted to stand there but Plata had control of the position.

Plata looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Plata is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rush trying to control but Plata is working from the bottom.

Plata is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Rush defends well.
Rush with a nice head shot there.
Rush keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Plata's head.

Rush gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Bobo Plata is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rush scores with a shot to the body.
Plata on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Rush lands a jab followed by a vicious hook that sends Plata sprawling to the canvas. Rush follows him down, looking for the kill. Can Plata hang on?

Plata is rocked!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rush slips a nice elbow through Plata's hands, connecting with Plata's forehead.
Plata is still in real trouble! Can Rush finish him?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rush takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Rush takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Plata is trying to control but can't.
Rush looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Rush takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Plata seems to have recovered his senses.
Plata trying to control from the bottom.
Plata has hold of Rush's hands but Rush slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Plata missing with punches from the bottom.
Rush throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Plata looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rush scores with a hook.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rush connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Rush loads up on a big right hand but Plata slips the punch.
Rush misses with a double jab

and Plata counters with a single leg into guard. Rush didn't expect that.
Plata looking to pass the guard.

Plata drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Rush manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Plata has Rush in his guard.
Rush wants to get up but he can't break Plata's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Rush looking to pass the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Plata avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Plata has an active guard here but Rush has managed to pass into half guard.
Rush not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Bobo Plata has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rush slips a nice elbow through Plata's hands, connecting with Plata's forehead.
Plata is not content to let Rush control the position.
Plata works his way to full guard. Good work.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rush preventing the sweep.
Plata not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Xavier Rush dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Rush misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Plata throws a combination. Rush tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Rush throws a combination that misses

and Plata decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Rush's guard.

Plata has gone for a leg lock! Rush slips out almost immediately though and dives into Plata's guard.
Rush stands and throws Plata's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Plata regains half guard.
Rush seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Rush tries to pass to full mount but Plata defends it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rush trying to control from half guard but Plata is working away.
Plata missing with punches from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Plata is trying to maintain the position but Rush is very close to passing his half guard.

Plata actively working from the bottom here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A jab from Rush misses.
Plata throws a combination. Rush tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Rush lands a two punch combo.
Plata uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Rush.
Rush throws a hook but Plata avoids it easily.
Plata moves out of range of the strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Plata keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Rush.
Plata slips a straight right by Rush.
Rush misses with a hook to the body

and Plata counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Plata missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rush will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Rush utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Rush doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Plata throws and elbow that misses. Rush uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Plata's guard. Nice move by Rush!
Plata throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Plata keeping full guard, as Rush tries to pass.
Rush postures up and lands a big shot to Plata's brow.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Rush throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Plata misses with a series of wild punches.
A telegraphed right hand from Rush misses the target.
A shot to the body from Rush misses

so Plata counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Plata in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Rush throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

Rush has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Plata off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Rush is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Plata fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Rush connects with the punch.
Rush throws out a loose jab but Plata uses good head movement to avoid it.
Plata slips under a jab.
A cross from Rush lands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Plata scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Rush loads up on a big right hand but Plata slips the punch.
Rush misses the jab.

Plata scores with a takedown into Rush's guard.

Plata drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Rush manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Plata has Rush in his guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rush trying to control but Plata is working from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rush would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Plata keeping moving, preventing Rush from controlling successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bobo Plata comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Plata has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bobo Plata!