PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Takumi Naoki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Rogan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Rogan's choice of entrance music: Wiz Khalifa - Black And Yellow. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Naoki
vs
Rogan

180 cm
27
185 lbs
8 - 4 - 1

185 cm
19
195 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

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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 8 - 4 - 1, fighting out of London, Takumi Naoki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Joe Rogan!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, William Gold and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Naoki doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Rogan counters with a shoot takedown. Naoki fights it but they end up in guard.

Rogan drops back, looking for a kneebar! Naoki looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Naoki looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Naoki!
Rogan manages to get back to half guard.
Naoki trying to control from half guard but Rogan is working away.

Rogan kicks Naoki off and gets back to his feet.

Naoki looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Rogan!
Naoki with a couple of short strikes.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Naoki wants to control the action but instead Rogan gets a body lock and reverses into Naoki's guard! Nice work!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rogan postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Naoki is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Rogan, into his guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Rogan can do anything to dispel that myth.
Rogan utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Naoki would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Naoki stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rogan swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Rogan is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

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.
Naoki tries to stand but Rogan is controlling from the bottom.
Rogan is pulling down on Naoki's head to control his posture.
Naoki is looking to advance position but Rogan has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Rogan trying to control but Naoki is having none of it.
Rogan raining down shots from the mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rogan lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Naoki hang on?
Naoki is in all sorts of trouble here.

Rogan is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Naoki has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Naoki!
Naoki would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Rogan is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Naoki defends well.
Naoki throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Rogan works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Naoki trying to control the position from guard on top but Rogan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rogan is pulling down on Naoki's head. It's preventing any offense from Naoki, at least for the moment.
Rogan working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Naoki.
Naoki stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rogan swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Naoki drops back, looking for a kneebar! Rogan looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Rogan looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Rogan!
Rogan wants to lay and pray for a moment but Naoki keeps working.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Rogan 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.

Rogan feints and as Naoki raises his hands in defense, Rogan changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Rogan is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Naoki is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Naoki has escaped and now he's on top!
Rogan working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Naoki.
Rogan is pulling down on Naoki's head. It's preventing any offense from Naoki, at least for the moment.
Naokiis looking to pass into half guard but Rogan pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Rogan is in guard.

Rogan drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Naoki dives on top into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Naoki tries to free his leg and advance position but Rogan is retaining full guard.
Rogan trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Naoki loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Naoki postures up in Rogan's guard and throws a big left but Rogan blocks it.
Naoki tries to free his leg and advance position but Rogan is retaining full 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.
Naoki tries to stand but Rogan is controlling from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rogan has his hands on Naoki's head, controlling the position.
Naoki looking to sit in guard and control but Rogan gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Rogan passes into half guard.

Rogan is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Naoki regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rogan stops Naoki from standing up.
Rogan stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Naoki swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Naoki being controlled here, momentarily.
Rogan with a nice head shot there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rogan chips away with some ground and pound.
Rogan working some strikes from top position.
Rogan must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Naoki keeping moving, preventing Rogan from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Naoki throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Rogan chips away with some ground and pound.

Rogan drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Rogan jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Rogan working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Naoki's head.
Naoki can't keep his opponent in guard - Rogan advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Rogan is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Rogan slips a nice elbow through Naoki's hands, connecting with Naoki's forehead.

Rogan is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Naoki is just riding it out for now. Rogan eventually gives up the hold.
Naoki is looking to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Rogan showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Rogan drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Rogan wants to control from the top but Naoki keeps moving.

Rogan drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Naoki dives on top into guard.
Naoki preventing the sweep.
Naoki trying to control the position from guard on top but Rogan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Naoki postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Naoki drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Rogan manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Naoki has Rogan in his guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rogan with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rogan has gone for a leg lock! Naoki slips out almost immediately though and dives into Rogan's guard.
Naoki trying to control the position from guard on top but Rogan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Rogan is on top in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Rogan trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Rogan stands up and waves to Naoki to follow him.

Rogan shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Rogan winds up and cracks Naoki with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rogan looks to land a strike but Naoki avoids it nicely and regains full guard.

Rogan thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Rogan has gone for a leg lock! Naoki slips out almost immediately though and dives into Rogan's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rogan looking to try and escape his hips here, looking for a submission. It looks like he's going for a triangle but Naoki is defending well. Rogan quickly switches to an armbar and extends the arm! Naoki has no choice but to tap, to a very quick submission! Wow, that was lightning fast! Rogan celebrates on the cage, with the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:27 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Joe Rogan!