PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Steve Rogers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ister Band (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rogers comes to the cage accompanied by I Am A Real American. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Rogers
vs
Band

188 cm
32
222 lbs
24 - 12 - 1

184 cm
31
205 lbs
20 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 24 - 12 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Steve Rogers!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 10 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ister Band!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Illya Tyunina and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rogers moves into the clinch successfully.
Band tries to break free but Rogers pushes him back against the cage.
Band is trying to push Rogers away but Rogers has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Rogers manages to break the clinch.
Band fails with the takedown.
Rogers misses with a combination

and Band counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rogers won't be happy with that.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Band throwing strikes but Rogers manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Band is trying to get back to his feet.
Band manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Band manages to get to full guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Band has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Rogers can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Band looking for a sweep. Not yet Band, not yet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Band has an active guard here but Rogers has managed to pass into half guard.

Band looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Band is trying to stand.
Band is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Rogers's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Rogers's back!
Rogers is trying to get back to his feet but Band has full control of the position and if anything, Rogers has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Rogers covering up well and avoiding damage.
Rogers covers up after that shot from Band.

Band is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Rogers is defending well though. Band let's go of the attempt for now.
Rogers looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Band punches the canvas rather than the man.

Band is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Rogers has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Rogers is trying to stand back up.
Band missing with punches from the back.

Band looking for the RNC.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rogers covering up well and avoiding damage.
Band throwing wild punches that miss their target.

Rogers preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Band.

Band working for a choke but Rogers reverses nicely into Band 's guard.
Band has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Band looking to hit a scissor sweep but Rogers is one step ahead there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ister Band 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.

Rogers darts in trying to clinch

and Band counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Band looking to sit in guard and control but Rogers gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Band throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Rogers escapes and throws Band's legs to the side, diving into side control!

Rogers decides to stand up, so the ref orders Band to his feet.
Steve Rogers is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rogers fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Band manages to avoid it.
Band shoots in but no luck this time.
Band shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Rogers as he avoids it easily.

Rogers clinches up with Band and pushes him back against the cage.

Rogers pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Band fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Steve Rogers has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ister Band.

Rogers drives through and clinches with Band against the cage.

Rogers pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Band tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Rogers swivels and escapes.
Band shoots for a takedown but Rogers saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Rogers getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Rogers is looking to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Good leg kick by Rogers there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Band fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Band is breathing heavily.

Rogers clinches.

Rogers manages to break the clinch.
Rogers throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Band.
Rogers tries to close the distance and clinch up but Band swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Steve Rogers is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rogers misses with a double jab.
Rogers wants to clinch up but Band keeps it at a distance.
Band shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Rogers defends it nicely.
Rogers is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A combination from Rogers does no damage.
Rogers connects with a right hand. Band shakes it off.
Band fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Rogers avoids it really well and circles away.
Rogers lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

It looks like Ister Band has been cut.
Steve Rogers seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rogers wants to clinch.
Rogers throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Rogers misses with a head kick.
Rogers tries to close the distance and clinch but Band swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rogers tries to clinch up.

Band gets a takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Band sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Rogers defending well though.
Band seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Rogers does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Ister Band has got the better of the ground game so far.

Band is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Rogers doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Band.
Band thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rogers's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Rogers dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Ister Band's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Rogers misses with a right hand

and Band counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Band.
Band has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Rogers is proving hard to escape from.
Band throwing strikes from guard but Rogers blocks nicely.

Rogers is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Rogers stalling the fight.
Band looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Rogers breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rogers connects with a nice looking jab.
Band will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rogers throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.

Rogers gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Band wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Rogers's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Band avoids a punch combination nicely.
Rogers is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Band has a takedown stuffed.
Rogers tries to clinch up but Band circles away and keeps his distance.
A head kick misses from Rogers.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rogers misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rogers misses with a jab, cross combination.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A telegraphed right hand from Rogers misses the target.
Rogers misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rogers tries to clinch but Band moves out of range.
Band changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Rogers tries to avoid it but Band manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Rogers to the ground. Rogers escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Steve Rogers has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ister Band.
Rogers wants to clinch.
Band shoots in for a double leg but Rogers sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Rogers tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Band moves out of range as Rogers strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rogers misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Nice sprawl there from Rogers as Band shoots in.
Steve Rogers is winning the standup battle so far.
Band walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Rogers is looking to clinch.
Band shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Rogers pinned against the cage. Rogers gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Band takes one to the chin there.
Rogers misses with a hook.
Rogers throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Rogers wants to clinch up but Band keeps it at a distance.
Rogers comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rogers tries to close the distance and clinch up but Band swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rogers stuffs the takedown.
Band shoots in but Rogers avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Rogers looks to land a combination but Band avoids it well.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rogers. Band does a little dance to reset his feet.
Band dives in and grabs Rogers's left leg, looking for a takedown. Rogers pushes down on Band's head and hops out.
Rogers swinging wildly here.
Band dives in and grabs Rogers's left leg, looking for a takedown. Rogers pushes down on Band's head and hops out.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Band swats away the attempt to clinch by Rogers.

Rogers fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Band, pushing him back against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Steve Rogers showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Rogers 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 29:28
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 29:28
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steve Rogers!