PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Sagat Maokhamphiou (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Julius Rock III (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Maokhamphiou might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Lil Wayne Right Above It. This should be fireworks!

Maokhamphiou
vs
Rock III

173 cm
25
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
25
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
KO power

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Sagat Maokhamphiou!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Julius Rock III!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rock III shoots in and bounces Maokhamphiou off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Rock III wants to control from the top but Maokhamphiou keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rock III throws a big right hand that misses.
Rock III looking to pass the guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rock III accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Rock III has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rock III content to stall in guard here.
Rock III tries to free his leg and advance position but Maokhamphiou is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rock III drops back looking for a leg! Maokhamphiou is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Maokhamphiou manages to kick Rock III off! Rock III jumps back into Maokhamphiou's guard.
Rock III wants to pass the guard but Maokhamphiou is keeping the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Maokhamphiou tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rock III paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rock III looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Maokhamphiou is fending him off so far but Rock III persists. Nope, Maokhamphiou circles away and we're back to standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Maokhamphiou tries to clinch there but Rock III circles away.
Left hook, right uppercut from Maokhamphiou.
Rock III avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Horrible takedown by Rock III or perhaps it was just good defense by Maokhamphiou which made him look bad.
Maokhamphiou moves in looking to clinch but Rock III pushes him off.
Some wild striking there from Maokhamphiou.
Rock III shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Maokhamphiou as he jumps to the side.
Sagat Maokhamphiou has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Julius Rock III.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Maokhamphiou.
Rock III shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Maokhamphiou defends it nicely.
Rock III avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Maokhamphiou fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Rock III circles away from the clinch attempt.
Maokhamphiou tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rock III walks into a stiff left hand from Maokhamphiou.
Rock III swats away the attempt to clinch by Maokhamphiou.
Maokhamphiou is looking to clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Maokhamphiou tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rock III paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rock III avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Maokhamphiou wants to clinch up but Rock III keeps it at a distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sagat Maokhamphiou dominated that round.
That's time! Maokhamphiou's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Rock III swats away the attempt to clinch by Maokhamphiou.
The fight stays on the outside here - Maokhamphiou looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Maokhamphiou instigates a clinch.
Maokhamphiou lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Rock III goes for a takedown attempt but Maokhamphiou pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Maokhamphiou is looking to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maokhamphiou tries to clinch but Rock III is having none of it.
Maokhamphiou doesn't manage to clinch there - Rock III circles away.
Rock III shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Maokhamphiou but Maokhamphiou pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Maokhamphiou moves in looking to clinch but Rock III pushes him off.
Maokhamphiou throws a right and a left that both miss.
Rock III blocks a head kick by Maokhamphiou.
Maokhamphiou with a nice cross.
The fight stays on the outside here - Maokhamphiou looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Maokhamphiou throws a right and a left that Rock III avoids nicely.
Maokhamphiou fails in his attempt to clinch.
Maokhamphiou tries to clinch but Rock III moves out of range.
Maokhamphiou jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Maokhamphiou doesn't manage to clinch there - Rock III circles away.
Maokhamphiou tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Maokhamphiou tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rock III swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maokhamphiou wants to clinch.
Nice sprawl there from Maokhamphiou as Rock III shoots in.
Sagat Maokhamphiou has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Julius Rock III.
Maokhamphiou throws a half hearted mid kick.
Sagat Maokhamphiou is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Maokhamphiou doesn't manage to clinch there - Rock III circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Maokhamphiou looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rock III avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

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.
Maokhamphiou wants to clinch.
Maokhamphiou fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rock III fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Maokhamphiou lands with a nice combination. Rock III backs away looking to recover.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Maokhamphiou throws a wild body kick that Rock III sees coming a mile off.
Rock III shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Maokhamphiou defends it nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sagat Maokhamphiou dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Rock III looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Maokhamphiou is fending him off so far but Rock III persists. Nope, Maokhamphiou circles away and we're back to standing.
The fight stays on the outside here - Maokhamphiou looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rock III closes the distance and clinches up with Maokhamphiou, looking for a takedown. Rock III pushes Maokhamphiou against the cage but Maokhamphiou circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rock III avoids the head kick by Maokhamphiou.
Maokhamphiou is looking to clinch but Rock III is avoiding it.
Maokhamphiou wants to clinch up but Rock III keeps it at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maokhamphiou is looking to clinch but Rock III is avoiding it.
Maokhamphiou misses with a double jab.
Maokhamphiou slaps away a takedown attempt from Rock III, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Sagat Maokhamphiou has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Julius Rock III.
Maokhamphiou doesn't manage to clinch there - Rock III circles away.
Maokhamphiou is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Maokhamphiou is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Sagat Maokhamphiou seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Maokhamphiou tries to clinch but Rock III is having none of it.
Maokhamphiou tries to clinch but Rock III moves out of range.
Maokhamphiou wants to clinch.
Maokhamphiou fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rock III swats away the attempt to clinch by Maokhamphiou.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rock III swats away the attempt to clinch by Maokhamphiou.
Maokhamphiou lands a head kick. Rock III smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Julius Rock III has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Maokhamphiou tries a head kick but it misses.
Sagat Maokhamphiou is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Maokhamphiou tries to clinch but Rock III moves out of range.
Maokhamphiou connects with a high kick.
Maokhamphiou is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Maokhamphiou tries to clinch but Rock III is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maokhamphiou is looking to clinch but Rock III is avoiding it.
Maokhamphiou is looking to clinch.
Rock III throws a solid leg kick but Maokhamphiou takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Rock III.
Maokhamphiou tries to close the distance and clinch but Rock III swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Maokhamphiou swinging wildly here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Maokhamphiou misses with a wild combination.
Maokhamphiou doesn't manage to clinch there - Rock III circles away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sagat Maokhamphiou showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Maokhamphiou, 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sagat Maokhamphiou!