PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jeremy Voda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ilan Rotberg (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Voda comes to the cage accompanied by Lamb of God - Walk With Me In Hell. Ilan Rotberg has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Voda
vs
Rotberg

179 cm
23
193 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

183 cm
35
202 lbs
22 - 20 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jeremy Voda!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 20 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ilan Rotberg!
The judges for this bout are Steve Montenegro, Anthony Taglia and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Voda takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Voda displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Rotberg.
Rotberg connects with a single shot there.
Voda throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rotberg keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Rotberg scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Voda takes a shot right to the bread basket.

Voda closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Rotberg quickly recovers to half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Voda seems to be working for a kimura but Rotberg defends the submission attempt.
Voda not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Rotberg gets back to full guard.
Voda postures up in Rotberg's guard and throws a big left but Rotberg blocks it.
Voda stopping the sweep attempt from Rotberg.
Rotberg looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Voda wants to pass the guard but Rotberg is keeping the position.
Rotberg is pulling down on Voda's head. It's preventing any offense from Voda, at least for the moment.
Voda stands up over Rotberg, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Rotberg is trying to control the position but Voda postures up.
Voda makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

Voda drops back looking for a leg! Rotberg is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Rotberg manages to kick Voda off! Voda jumps back into Rotberg's guard.
Rotberg wants to sweep but no luck.
Rotberg is pulling down on Voda's head to control his posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Voda forces his way into half guard.
Voda wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rotberg keeps working.

Voda is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Rotberg doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Voda.

Voda is working for a kimura but Rotberg is defending it quite comfortably.
Rotberg is pressing down on Voda's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Voda landing some decent shots from guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rotberg tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Rotberg manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Voda manages to get himself to full guard.
Rotberg tries to free his leg and advance position but Voda is retaining full guard.
Voda keeping moving, preventing Rotberg from controlling successfully.
Rotberg missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rotberg wants to control from the top but Voda keeps moving.
Voda wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Rotberg is now in half guard.
Rotberg wants to take a breather but Voda is having none of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Rotberg is looking for a kimura but Voda is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Rotberg to get the leverage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Voda trying to hold on to Rotberg's head to control him but Rotberg postures up.
Voda works his way to full guard. Good work.
Rotberg pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Voda is keeping the position for now.
Rotberg trying to control the position from guard on top but Voda is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Voda working a defensive guard here.
Rotberg must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Voda is trying to hold Rotberg in close to prevent damage but Rotberg has managed to pass into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Voda is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Rotberg pulls his head out easily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Voda is refusing to be controlled, as Rotberg sits in half guard.
Voda regains full guard. Nicely done.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ilan Rotberg 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.

Voda ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Voda throws a right and a left that both miss.
Voda fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Jeremy Voda seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Voda fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rotberg manages to avoid it.
Rotberg slips a straight right by Voda.
Voda lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Rotberg shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Voda as he avoids it easily.
Voda misses with a straight left.
Voda throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Voda throws a shot from downtown. Rotberg moves away and avoids it.
Rotberg shoots in but Voda avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Voda darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Rotberg tries to get to full guard but Voda has control of the leg.

Voda is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Rotberg sees it coming and defends easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Voda wants to work for an arm triangle but Rotberg is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Rotberg is looking to improve his position.

Voda is working for a submission of some sort.

Voda is working for a kimura but Rotberg is defending it quite comfortably.
Voda is looking to take a break and control but Rotberg is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rotberg gets back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Voda throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Rotberg works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Voda is looking to work some ground and pound but Rotberg has wrist control.
Voda looking to pass the guard.
Rotberg bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Voda's guard.
Voda 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.
Rotberg in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Rotberg pushing down on Voda's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Voda tries to roll over but Rotberg keeps him under control.

Rotberg is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Voda is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Rotberg pulls his head out easily.
Rotberg passes into side control, despite Voda's attempt to control the position.
Rotberg is looking to take a break and control but Voda is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Voda stops Rotberg from passing to mount.
Rotberg wants to lay and pray for a moment but Voda keeps working.
Rotberg landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Voda is looking to reverse the position.
Voda struggling a bit here.
Rotberg controlling the position from side mount.
Voda throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
Voda gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Rotberg avoids the attempt from Voda to control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rotberg trying to control but Voda is having none of it.
Rotberg unloads with some shots from mount but Voda bucks and avoids them well.
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 Jeremy Voda will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Voda throws a lazy uppercut
and Rotberg counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Rotberg uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Voda.
Rotberg throws the left hand but Voda avoids the punch easily.
Voda scores with a punch to the head.
Voda is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Rotberg.
Voda throws a jab but it's blocked by Rotberg.
Voda takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Rotberg throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Voda swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Rotberg is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Voda.
Rotberg scores with the left hand. Voda knows he should have avoided that one.
Voda takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Rotberg lands with a cross.
Voda tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rotberg was well out of range. Poor timing from Voda.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A big right from Rotberg misses.
Voda pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Rotberg shoots in but no luck this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rotberg throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Rotberg gets caught napping as Voda dives in and scores a takedown. Rotberg manages to retain guard.
Voda wants to control from the top but Rotberg keeps moving.
Rotberg working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Voda.
Voda trying to control but Rotberg is working from the bottom.
Voda postures up.
Rotberg keeping full guard, as Voda tries to pass.
Rotberg working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Voda.
Rotberg pulls Voda in to control the position.
Voda wants to control from the top but Rotberg keeps moving.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Rotberg throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Voda misses with a wild body shot.
Rotberg gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Voda.
Voda lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
A jab from Voda finds it's way through Rotberg's defenses.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Voda throws a shot from downtown. Rotberg moves away and avoids it.
Voda slaps away a takedown attempt from Rotberg, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Voda throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rotberg misses with a few strikes there.
Rotberg takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Rotberg punishes Voda's body with a nice straight punch.
Rotberg avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Rotberg throws a hook to the side of Voda's head but Voda sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Voda takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rotberg defending well as Voda loads up on a big left hand.
Rotberg takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Rotberg throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Voda looks to land a combination but Rotberg avoids it well.
Voda throws a body punch but Rotberg moves out of range.
Rotberg pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Voda back to the cage. Rotberg follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.

Voda shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Voda looking to pass the guard.
Rotberg is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Voda throws a big right hand that misses.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Voda's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Rotberg manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Voda wants to hold on but Rotberg pushes him away.
Rotberg can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Voda is looking to escape.
Voda tries to get back to half guard but can't.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A nice elbow there by Rotberg.
Rotberg working the ground and pound effectively.
Voda wants to control but Rotberg is having none of it.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ilan Rotberg.
Well Rotberg has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 27:30
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ilan Rotberg!
A pretty intense looking Ilan Rotberg took the opportunity post-fight to ask for a shot at the title.