PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ron Paul (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shah Rokhan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ron Paul has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Paul
vs
Rokhan

172 cm
21
182 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

185 cm
25
180 lbs
8 - 7 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ron Paul!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Shah Rokhan!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Daniel Franklin and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rokhan shoots in and drives through. Paul sprawls well.
Paul misses with a two punch combination.
Paul doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Rokhan moves into the clinch.

Rokhan pulls guard successfully.
Paul throwing strikes from guard but Rokhan blocks nicely.
Paul slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Paul with a flurry of punches that miss.
Paul looking to pass the guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rokhan controls Paul momentarily but Paul frees himself.
Rokhan wants to stand and escape but Paul is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rokhan has a closed guard, preventing Paul from standing up.
Paul stops Rokhan from standing up.
Paul has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Rokhan fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Paul is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Paul feints and as Rokhan raises his hands in defense, Paul changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Paul postures up in Rokhan's guard and throws a big left but Rokhan blocks it.
Paul might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Rokhan preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rokhan avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Paul thows a big elbow that misses.
Paul working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Paul missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Paul landing with the ground and pound.
Paul makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Paul with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rokhan is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Rokhan is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Paul is aware though and is defending well.
Paul has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Rokhan is proving hard to escape from.
Paul keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Rokhan's head.
Paul with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paul pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rokhan is keeping the position for now.
Rokhan trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Paul not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Paul looking to pass the guard.
Rokhan not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Paul lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Paul working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Rokhan utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

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.
Paul has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Rokhan is proving hard to escape from.
Paul postures up in Rokhan's guard and throws a big left but Rokhan blocks it.
Paul throws and elbow that misses. Rokhan uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Paul's guard. Nice move by Rokhan!
Rokhan throws a strike but Paul rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Paul stays in close to Rokhan's body and controls the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ron Paul dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Rokhan tries to score a power double leg takedown but Paul sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Rokhan somewhat.

Rokhan scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Rokhan tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Rokhan has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Paul wants to get back to his feet but Rokhan drags him back down.
Paul tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Rokhan wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paul wants to control but Rokhan postures up.
Paul sneaks back into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rokhan missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Rokhan wants to advance to full mount but Paul doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Paul looking to hit a scissor sweep but Rokhan is one step ahead there.
Rokhan controls from within his opponent's guard.
Rokhan trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

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.

Paul uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Rokhan wants to clinch but Paul slips to the side
and Rokhan takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

It looks like Shah Rokhan has been cut.

Rokhan fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Paul, pushing him back against the cage.
Rokhan tries for a takedown. No joy.
Rokhan changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Paul fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Ron Paul has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shah Rokhan.
Rokhan is breathing heavily.
Paul tries to score with a low kick but Rokhan moves his leg out of the way.
Paul throws a combination that misses

and Rokhan decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Paul's guard.
Rokhan stopping the sweep attempt from Paul.
Paul lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Rokhan!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rokhan blocking the ground and pound.
Paul trying to control but Rokhan is having none of it.
Paul lands a nice shot to the head.
Paul controlling his opponent.
Poor strikes thrown by Paul there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Paul with shots to the head and body - Rokhan looks very uncomfortable down there.
BOOM! Paul connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Paul wants to control the pace but Rokhan is squirming around nicely.
Rokhan is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Rokhan blocking the ground and pound.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rokhan tries to reverse the position but Paul maintains control.
Rokhan is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Paul connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ron Paul dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Shah Rokhan's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Rokhan tries to close the distance and clinch up but Paul swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Paul throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Rokhan counters with a big head kick but Paul shrugs it off.

Paul shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Paul decides to return to a standing position.
Paul shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Rokhan as he jumps to the side.
Good standup being displayed there by Rokhan as he connects with a hook.
Paul missing with a left hand there. Rokhan was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Paul takes a kick to the side of the head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick by Paul misses
and Rokhan makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

Rokhan scores a takedown into full mount!
Paul regains half guard.
Paul is not content to let Rokhan control the position.

Paul pushes Rokhan off and gets back to his feet.

Rokhan drives through with a takedown into guard.
Paul keeping full guard, as Rokhan tries to pass.
Rokhan advances position into side control!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rokhan trying to control the action but Paul is working from the bottom.
Paul trying to control but Rokhan flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!
Shah Rokhan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rokhan throws a big right hand but he misses and hits the mat. Ouch.
Rokhan lands a shot to the head.

Rokhan working for the choke.
Ron Paul overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paul tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Rokhan throws a sloppy strike and Paul uses the opportunity to reverse the position! A bit of a scramble here and Paul has ended up in Rokhan's guard.
Paul controlling from the top position.
Paul throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Paul in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Paul scoring with some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rokhan can't keep his opponent in guard - Paul advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Rokhan tries to kick Paul off but Paul keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Rokhan on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Paul keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Rokhan looks like he's trying to stand up.
Paul throwing shots but Rokhan is blocking nicely.
Ron Paul is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
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. Paul connects with a nice short shot to Rokhan's temple.
Paul is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Rokhan!

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 Ron Paul.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Paul, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 George Francis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ron Paul!