PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Robert York (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marco Vera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Robert York could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Marco Vera's chin.

York
vs
Vera

178 cm
22
170 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

185 cm
25
175 lbs
11 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Powerful

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Robert York!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Marco Vera!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Hogan, Summer Carpenter and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
York misses with a two punch combination.
Vera dodges the punch combination from York.
York misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Vera closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
York misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
York does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Vera staying out of range there.
York goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
York throws a right and a left that both miss.
York with a nice cross.
Vera throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
York swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
York misses with a few strikes there.

Vera closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Vera lands in his opponent's guard.
York avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
York working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Vera.
Vera is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
York wants to stand up but Vera is controlling him.
Vera is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Vera trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
York not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Vera has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
York misses with a wild combination.
Vera walks into a stiff left hand from York.
York swings and misses with a hook to the body.
York misses with a series of wild punches.
Vera slips under a jab from York.
York throws a body punch but Vera moves out of range.
Robert York is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
York looks to score with a jab to the body but Vera is just out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vera slips a jab and a cross from York.

York lands a left and a right that send Vera crashing to the mat, dazed. York thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!
York throws a right and a left that Vera avoids nicely.
York looks to land a left hand but Vera moved out of range nicely.
A punch combination from York misses.
York fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Vera closes this distance looking for a takedown but York circles away.
York throws a right and a left that both miss.
A looping hook to the body misses from York. Vera does a little dance to reset his feet.
York throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
York throws a jab when Vera was well out of range.
York throws a leg kick but Vera checks it.
Robert York seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Vera dodges the punch combination from York.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Vera.
York scores with a one two! Vera had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
York tries to bum rush Vera with a series of wild strikes but Vera uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
York rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Vera moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
York rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Vera moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
York throws a series of strikes that have Vera backpedaling.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
York tries to bum rush Vera with a series of wild strikes but Vera uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Robert York dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Vera shoots for a double leg takedown but York sprawls well. He's pushed Vera's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Sloppy strikes from York. Those never looked like landing.
Robert York is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
York misses with a wild combination.
York misses with a two punch combination.
York comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Vera slips a jab and a cross from York.
York misses with a wild body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
York throws a series of punches but Vera moves out of range.
York throws a sloppy head kick and Vera moves out of range easily.
York looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from York.
York uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Vera.
York misses with a series of wild punches.
Some wild striking there from York.
York throws a right and a left that Vera avoids nicely.
Vera avoids the head kick by York.
Vera is on the wrong end of a nice combination from York.
Vera avoids the body shot from York.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
York throws a series of punches but Vera avoids them all with ease.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
York looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
York will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
York misses with a straight right.

Vera feints and as York raises his hands in defense, Vera changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Vera trying to control the position from guard on top but York is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Vera trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
York trying to control the position.
York 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 ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Vera wants to control from the top but York keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
York wants to stand up but Vera is controlling him.
Vera stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. York swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
York utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Vera postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Vera postures up.
Vera working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Vera stopping the sweep attempt from York.
Vera throwing strikes but missing.

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.
York trying to control the position.
Vera throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as York works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
York looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
York is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
York wants to take a breather but Vera is having none of it.
York is just content to waste time from the top position. Vera takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Yorkis looking to pass into half guard but Vera pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Vera is in guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Vera postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Robert York will probably get the nod.
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.

York pulls out of a head kick attempt.
York just misses with a punch to the body.
York throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
York misses with a double jab.
York misses with a double jab.

Vera shoots in and bounces York off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Vera prevents York from getting back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
York trying to keep a closed guard but Vera is proving a slippery customer.
York preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Vera working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of York's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
York 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.
York keeping moving, preventing Vera from controlling successfully.
Vera keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of York's head.
Vera keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of York's head.
York is trying to keep Vera in close.
Vera is looking to work some ground and pound but York has wrist control.
York on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if York tries to get out of the position.
Vera won't allow York to get back to his feet.
Vera content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Vera cracks York with a solid left hand.

York scrambles and gets back to his feet.
York throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from York.
Vera avoids a punch combination nicely.
A right-left combo lands from York.
Robert York is winning the standup battle so far.
York throws a series of strikes that have Vera backpedaling.
Vera looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? York is fending him off so far but Vera persists. Nope, York circles away and we're back to standing.
York throws a looping overhand right but Vera ducks down to avoid it.
York scores with a nice right hand.
A punch combination from York misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vera shoots in but York avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Vera avoids the head kick by York.
York throws a combination. Vera tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

Vera gets a takedown into half guard.
Vera missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
York is trying to stand up here but Vera is controlling him well.
Vera slips a nice elbow through York's hands, connecting with York's forehead.

York pushes Vera off and gets back to his feet.
York defending well as Vera loads up on a big left hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
York throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Vera is defended easily by York.
Robert York has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Marco Vera.
York misses with a head kick.
York tried to score with a low kick but Vera checks it.
Vera is on the wrong end of a nice combination from York.
York pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
York throws a right hand that Vera ducks under and follows up with a left that Vera also avoids with ease.
Marco Vera has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Robert York is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
York swinging wildly here.

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 Robert York.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for York, 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 Bruno Hogan scores the fight 30:28
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 30:27
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Robert York!