PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between AJ Robles (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Frank Madden (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for AJ Robles has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Robles
vs
Madden

187 cm
20
185 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

187 cm
21
197 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Enjoys gardening

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, AJ Robles!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Frank Madden!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Jack Bonds and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A slapping leg kick lands for Robles.
Madden takes a swing at Robles's ribcage but misses.
No luck for Robles with that takedown attempt.

Madden gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Madden is trying to keep Robles in close.
Madden controlling the position.

Madden escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Robles gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Robles trying to control the position from guard on top but Madden is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Madden looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Robles pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Madden is keeping the position for now.
Robles preventing the sweep.
Robles trying to control but Madden is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Robles looks to score with a jab to the body but Madden is just out of range.
Madden looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Robles is fending him off so far but Madden persists. Nope, Robles circles away and we're back to standing.
Madden tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Robles paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Robles tries for a takedown but Madden circles away easily

so Madden counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Madden looks gassed!

Robles is working an open guard so Madden takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Madden feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Robles wants to stand up but Madden is controlling him.
Robles doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Robles is pulling down on Madden's head to control his posture.
Madden pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Robles is keeping the position for now.
Robles wants to sweep but no luck.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Robles holds on and takes a little breather.

Madden decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Robles, up you get!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Robles swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Madden counters with a nice body kick.
Madden tries to clinch but Robles is having none of it.
Madden defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Robles.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for AJ Robles. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Madden fails with the takedown

and Robles counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Robles trying to stand up but can't free himself from Madden's guard.

Madden throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Madden trying to keep a closed guard but Robles is proving a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Robles looking to sit in guard and control but Madden gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Madden is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Frank Madden will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Madden drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Madden wants to get up but he can't break Robles's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Madden pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Robles is keeping the position for now.
Madden wants to stand but Robles is controlling his posture from full guard.
Madden looking to pass the guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Robles keeping moving, preventing Madden from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Madden won't allow Robles to get back to his feet.
Madden wants to stand and escape but instead Robles has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Madden wants to get back to his feet but Robles is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Robles has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

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

Robles closes the distance and pushes Madden back into the cage.
Madden dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Madden fails to pull the fight into his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Robles successfully pulls guard.
Robles wants to get back to his feet but Madden is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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

Robles working for a triangle but Madden defends it easily.
Madden content to stall in guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Madden stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Robles swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Madden with a flurry of punches that miss.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Madden trying to control but Robles is working from the bottom.
Madden prevents Robles from getting back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Robles throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Robles dodges the punch combination from Madden.
Madden shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Robles defends it nicely.
Robles shoots and misses

and Madden counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Madden.

Madden gets to his feet. Robles looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Madden looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Robles!
Robles tries to lock up and control but Madden gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Robles is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Madden is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Madden showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Madden misses with a takedown attempt
and Robles counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Madden circles away from the clinch attempt
and Madden counters with a nice leg kick.
Madden keeps the fight on the outside.

Madden drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Madden stands and steps away. Robles gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Madden blocks a head kick by Robles.

Madden rushes Robles and presses him up against the cage.

Robles manages to break the clinch.
Madden shoots in for a double leg but Robles sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Madden wants to clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Robles tries to clinch but Madden moves out of range.
Robles shoots and misses

and Madden counters by moving into the clinch.
Madden is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Robles gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
AJ Robles has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Frank Madden.

Robles breaks from the clinch.
Robles throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Robles tries to clinch up

and Madden counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Robles!
Madden controlling the pace for now.
Madden dominating with strikes here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee warns Robles that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Robles is trying to escape the mount.
Madden controlling from mount.
Madden prevents Robles from getting the reversal.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Madden cracks Robles with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Madden controlling from mount.
Robles tries to hold on but Madden pushes him away.

Madden goes for an armbar but Robles turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Robles.
Madden trying to keep a closed guard but Robles is proving a slippery customer.
Robles missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

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.
Robles trying to control the position from guard on top but Madden is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Madden controls Robles momentarily but Robles frees himself.
Madden wants to stand and escape but Robles is having none of it.
Madden doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

Robles decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
AJ Robles has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Frank Madden is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Madden closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Madden lands in his opponent's guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Frank Madden comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Madden winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Frank Madden!