PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bench Press (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eric Rowler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Eric Rowler has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Press
vs
Rowler

165 cm
23
200 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

187 cm
24
213 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

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 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Bench Press!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Eric Rowler!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Yukihiro Shimada and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rowler throws out a loose jab but Press uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rowler misses with a straight right.
Press slips under a jab.
Rowler throws a hook to the side of Press's head but Press sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Rowler ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Press moves away.
Press doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Rowler fails with a takedown attempt.
Rowler looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Rowler shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Press wants to get back to full guard.
Press slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Press lands with a heel strike from the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rowler scoring with some ground and pound.

Rowler thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Press on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Press tries to get out of the position.
Rowler slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Press sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rowler prevents Press from improving his position.
Press is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Rowler's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Rowler's back!
Rowler has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Rowler is trying to break free.
Rowler turns into Press and is now in his guard.
Rowler postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Rowler won't allow Press to sweep him here.

Rowler drops back looking for a leg! Press is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Press manages to kick Rowler off! Rowler jumps back into Press's guard.
Rowler won't allow Press to sweep him here.
Press is working hard here to advance position.
Press bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rowler's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Press scoring with some ground and pound.
Press scoring with some ground and pound.
Press is fighting to break Rowler's control of his arms but Rowler is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Press working some strikes from top position.
Press postures up in Rowler's guard and throws a big left but Rowler blocks it.
Rowler bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Press's guard.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Press scores with a nice shot.
Press looking to hit a scissor sweep but Rowler is one step ahead there.
Rowler stands up out of Press's guard for a moment - Press manages to land a nice upkick.
Rowler cracks Press with a solid left hand.
Press wants to sweep but no luck.
Rowler advances to half guard.
Press is breathing heavily.
Rowler not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Rowler winds up and cracks Press with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Press wants to get back to full guard.
Rowler lands strikes from half guard.
Press is trying to get back to full guard.

Rowler seems to be working for a kimura but Press defends the submission attempt.
Press tries to roll over but Rowler keeps him under control.
Rowler is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Rowler thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Press's head.
Press avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Rowler.
Rowler prevents Press from improving his position.
Press might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Rowler thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Press works his way to full guard. Good work.

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.
Press keeping full guard, as Rowler tries to pass.
Rowler postures up in Press's guard and throws a big left but Press blocks it.

Rowler drops back looking for a leg! Press is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Press manages to kick Rowler off! Rowler jumps back into Press's guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Rowler misses with a straight left.
Press uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Rowler.
Press tries for a takedown but Rowler circles away easily

and Rowler counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Press slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Press is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Rowler dominated that 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.

Rowler scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Rowler throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Press is trying to get back to half guard.
Press sneaks back into half guard.
Rowler slips a nice elbow through Press's hands, connecting with Press's forehead.
Press misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Rowler is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Rowler thows a huge punch but Press dodges it nicely.
Rowler working over Press with some ground and pound. Press looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Rowler passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Press!
Press can't escape the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Press regains half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Rowler is looking for a kimura here.
Press is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Rowler's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Rowler's back!
Press scores with strikes from the back.
Rowler breaks Press's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Rowler missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rowler is working Press over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Rowler won't allow Press to sweep him here.
Rowler working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rowler throwing strikes from guard but Press blocks nicely.
Rowler working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Press knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Rowler on the ground.
Rowler won't allow Press to sweep him here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Press uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Rowler.
Rowler scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Press doesn't seem bothered though.
Rowler throws a lazy right hand but Press sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

Rowler scores with a takedown into Press's guard.
Rowler pushing down on Press's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Press is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Press wants to sweep but Rowler has passed to side control!
Rowler is chipping away with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Press gets back to half guard.
Press is trying to get back to full guard.
Rowler scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

Rowler is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Press doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Rowler.
Rowler scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Rowler drops an elbow to the side of Press's head.
Press is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Rowler's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Rowler's back!
Press lands punches and elbows.
Press is trying to stick to Rowler's back but Rowler is turning into Press. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Press's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Rowler.
Rowler is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Press tries to strike from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rowler postures up and lands a big shot to Press's brow.
Press throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Press looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Rowler is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Rowler with a lazy takedown attempt

and Press counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Rowler's guard now.
Press works a leg free and moves into half guard.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Press connects with a nice short shot to Rowler's temple.
Rowler trying to control but Press postures up.
Press working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Rowler's thigh. Rowler counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Rowler is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Eric Rowler will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Press avoids the body shot from Rowler.
A big right from Rowler misses.
Rowler thows a body shot but no joy.
Rowler comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Rowler throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Press gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Rowler to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Rowler stands up over Press, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Rowler with a nice head shot there.
Rowler postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Rowler takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rowler preventing the sweep.
Rowler loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Rowler slips nicely into half guard.
Press avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Rowler.
Press avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Rowler.
Rowler missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Press keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

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

Rowler shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Rowler showed some decent athleticism there.
Press slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Press has momentary wrist control but Rowler slips an elbow through the middle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rowler throwing strikes from guard but Press blocks nicely.
Press is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Press working over Rowler with some ground and pound. Rowler looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Rowler gets back to full guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Press's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Press with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Press has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Press won't allow Rowler to sweep him here.
Press lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Press looking to pass the guard.
Press throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Rowler works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Rowler wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rowler is looking for a triangle but Press pushes his legs off easily.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Press shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Rowler is trying to defend but Press finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Rowler tries to roll over but Press keeps him under control.
Press scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Press is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Eric Rowler has got the better of the ground game so far.
Press is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Press wants to free his trapped foot but Rowler is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rowler makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Rowler.

Press avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Rowler tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Rowler looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Press scoring with some ground and pound.
Press stands and throws Rowler's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Press in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Rowler tries to buck Press off but Press is having none of it.
Press lands a few punches from side control.
Bench Press has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Press lands an elbow.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Bench Press.
Well Rowler has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 28:30
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eric Rowler!