PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Braxton Darius (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jake Roberts (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Roberts has chosen The Legion of Doom Theme as his entrance music. Braxton Darius has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Darius
vs
Roberts

191 cm
23
198 lbs
12 - 2 - 0

193 cm
24
195 lbs
10 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
KO power

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 12 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Braxton Darius!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jake Roberts!
The judges for this bout are Steve Montenegro, Anthony Taglia and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Roberts shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Darius defends it nicely.
Darius throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Roberts counters with a takedown into side control.
Roberts trying to control the position but Darius is working away.
Darius on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Darius tries to get out of the position.
Roberts moves into full mount!

Roberts is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Darius misses with the combination.
A jab from Roberts does it's job there.
Darius scores with a sloppy right hand. Roberts should have avoided that one.
Darius avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Roberts shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Darius but Darius pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Roberts takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Roberts lunges at Darius with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Darius's hand.
Roberts is looking to chop away at Darius's legs.
Darius throws a right hand that misses
and Roberts counters with a stiff right hand.
Darius thows a left - swing and a miss!
Roberts misses with a low kick.
Darius fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Roberts manages to avoid it.
Roberts misses with a low kick.
Darius throws a hook but Roberts blocks it.
Darius throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Roberts misses with a leg kick.
Darius clobbers Roberts with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Roberts throws a leg kick but Darius checks it.
Roberts fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Darius is out of range.
Darius swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Darius changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Darius bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Roberts's head backwards.
Roberts scores with a nice right hand.
Roberts thows a leg kick but Darius checks it
and Darius counters with a two punch combo.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A slow jab from Darius misses its intended target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darius throws a left and a right that both miss
and Roberts cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Darius throws a head kick but Roberts moves out of range.
Roberts misses with a straight right.
Roberts connects with a solid leg kick.
Roberts moves out of range of the body kick from Darius.
Darius throws a hook to the side of Roberts's head but Roberts sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Roberts throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Darius counters with a stiff right hand.
Braxton Darius seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Darius throws a leg kick
and Roberts counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Darius throws a predictable looking body shot
and Roberts counters with a stiff right hand.
Roberts on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Nice takedown defense from Darius. No joy for Roberts on that attempt.
Braxton Darius has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jake Roberts.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Darius connects with a crisp jab.
Darius throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Darius throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Roberts sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Darius thows a left - swing and a miss!
Roberts stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Darius swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Roberts counters with a nice uppercut.
Roberts looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Darius dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Nice defenses there by Roberts.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Braxton Darius dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Roberts throws a lazy right hand but Darius sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Darius looks to score with a jab to the body but Roberts is just out of range.
Darius wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Darius steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Roberts.
Darius throws a big shot that misses.
Darius throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Darius throws a nice looking combination but Roberts bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Darius fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Roberts.
Roberts throws a looping overhand right but Darius ducks down to avoid it.
Some wild striking there from Roberts.
Darius misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darius fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Roberts manages to avoid it.
Darius throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Roberts counters with a single leg into guard. Darius didn't expect that.
Roberts looking to pass the guard.
Roberts wants to control from the top but Darius keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Roberts stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Darius swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Roberts wants to control from the top but Darius keeps moving.
Roberts pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Darius is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Jake Roberts was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Roberts misses with a leg kick.
Darius thuds a left hand into Roberts's body.
Roberts will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Darius misses with a two punch combination.
Darius throws a sloppy body shot
and Roberts cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
A slapping leg kick lands for Roberts.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darius lands with a cross.
Darius takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Roberts misses with a wild combination.
Darius cracks Roberts with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Darius with a nice cross.
Braxton Darius is winning the standup battle so far.
Darius throws a hook but Roberts blocks it.
Roberts throws a leg kick
and Darius counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Darius misses with a jab, cross combination.
Darius swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Roberts counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Darius's guard now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Roberts trying to control the position from guard on top but Darius is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Darius keeping full guard, as Roberts tries to pass.
Roberts wants to control from the top but Darius keeps moving.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Roberts trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Jake Roberts.
A jab from Darius finds it's way through Roberts's defenses.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Darius slaps away a takedown attempt from Roberts, before circling back to the center of the mat.
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 Braxton Darius will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Darius motions for Roberts to come forward. Darius throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Roberts shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Roberts bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Roberts pivots, looking for a leg kick but Darius is out of range and Roberts settles back down.
Roberts lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.

Roberts gets the takedown into side control.
Darius sneaks back into half guard.
Darius is looking to control Roberts's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Darius avoid being mounted?
Roberts wants to free his trapped foot but Darius is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Roberts is looking for a kimura here.
Roberts tries to pass to full mount but Darius defends it.
Roberts prevents Darius from improving his position.
Roberts is looking to advance position but Darius won't allow it.

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.
Roberts stalling away here and it's allowed Darius to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Roberts stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Darius swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Roberts gets to his feet. Darius looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Darius cracks Roberts with a good jab.
Darius thows a body shot but no joy.
Darius misses with the combination.
Darius takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Braxton Darius is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darius lands with a nice body punch.
Darius swings widly with a right hand
and Roberts counters with a big head kick but Darius shrugs it off.
Roberts lands a really nice looking cross but Darius seems unphased.
Roberts with a poor takedown
and Darius counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Darius lands with a nice body punch.
Roberts shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Darius pinned against the cage. Darius gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
A looping hook to the body misses from Darius. Roberts does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Roberts pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Darius misses with an uppercut
and Darius takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Darius throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Roberts manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Darius on his heels. He'll look to pass Darius's guard now, I'm sure.
Darius keeping moving, preventing Roberts from controlling successfully.
Jake Roberts has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Darius keeping full guard, as Roberts tries to pass.
Roberts is looking to stand up but Darius won't let him.
Roberts scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jake Roberts comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Darius has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Steve Montenegro scores the fight 29:29
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 29:28
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a draw!