PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ross Hardy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marcho Rocha (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Hardy
vs
Rocha

172 cm
18
156 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

174 cm
18
154 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
Inexperienced

BJJ White Belt
Counter fighter
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Ross Hardy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Marcho Rocha!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, Phil Schofield and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hardy ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rocha moves away.
Rocha wants to clinch.
Rocha tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hardy paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rocha tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hardy swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Rocha closes the distance and clinches.
Rocha lands an elbow just above Hardy 's eye.
Rocha misses with an elbow strike.
Rocha trying to land knees to the body.
Rocha stalling the fight.
Hardy blocks an elbow strike.
Rocha is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Hardy is defending well for now.
Nice elbow from Rocha.
Hardy on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Hardy avoids the elbow strike from Rocha, against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rocha gets underhooks to prevent Hardy's takedown attempt.
Rocha misses with an elbow strike.
Rocha misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Hardy.
Hardy is trying to break the clinch but Rocha has him pressed against the cage.
Rocha utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Rocha trying to land knees to the body.
Rocha tries to land knees in the clinch but Hardy avoids the damage to the body.
Rocha lands an elbow just above Hardy 's eye.
Rocha looking to throw knees to the head but Hardy is blocking nicely.
Hardy on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Nice elbow from Rocha.
Hardy managing to block the knees to the body from Rocha.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rocha crunches a lovely knee into Hardy's ribcage.
Rocha throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Rocha throws an elbow that misses.
Hardy blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Rocha tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Hardy avoids it.
Rocha is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Hardy is defending well for now.
Rocha lands a damaging elbow.
Rocha missing with knees to the body.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Rocha just misses with a elbow thrown towards Hardy's brow.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rocha misses with an elbow strike.
Rocha missing with knees to the body.
Hardy is trying to maintain a safe position but Rocha gets an underhook and turns Hardy into the cage.
Hardy dodges an elbow strike from Rocha.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rocha looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Hardy drops down looking for an ankle pick but Rocha pulls his leg out and moves away.
Hardy uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Rocha.
Hardy looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rocha is fending him off so far but Hardy persists. Nope, Rocha circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ross Hardy. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Rocha forces Hardy back against the cage and clinches.
Hardy is trying to drag Rocha to the mat but Rocha just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Rocha tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Hardy avoids it.
Rocha putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Hardy in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Rocha looks to throw an elbow but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rocha unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Hardy is trying to maintain a safe position but Rocha gets an underhook and turns Hardy into the cage.
Rocha trying to land knees to the body.
Hardy takes a knee to the side of the body.
Hardy is trying to break the clinch but Rocha has him pressed against the cage.
Hardy tries to break the clinch but Rocha is controlling the position.
Rocha trying to land knees to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rocha tries a knee to the head but Hardy blocks it.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Rocha.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rocha stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Rocha trying to land knees to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcho Rocha dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Rocha tries to close the distance and clinch but Hardy swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ross Hardy seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hardy throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Rocha's waist but Rocha gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Hardy off to one side.
A telegraphed right hand from Hardy misses the target.
Hardy jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Hardy shoots for a double leg takedown but Rocha sprawls well. He's pushed Hardy's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Rocha moves away from the strike by Hardy.
Rocha throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Hardy throws a big shot that misses.
Hardy shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Rocha as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ross Hardy. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Rocha rushes Hardy and presses him up against the cage.
Hardy avoiding damage as Rocha throws knees to the body.
Rocha utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Hardy tries for a takedown but Rocha manages to get underhooks.
Rocha lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Rocha misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Hardy.
Hardy blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Hardy is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Rocha is defending well.
Rocha lands a nice elbow.
Rocha crunches a lovely knee into Hardy's ribcage.
Rocha landing knees to the body.
Rocha misses with a knee to the head.
Rocha lands an elbow that stopped Hardy in his tracks for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rocha tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Hardy avoids it.
Rocha landing knees to the body.
Rocha tries to land a knee to the head but Hardy blocks with his arms.
Rocha slowing the pace effectively.
Rocha throws an elbow but it misses.
Hardy is looking to control Rocha's arms but Rocha gets an underhook and turns him. Now Hardy has his back to the cage.
Rocha creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rocha slowing the pace effectively.
Rocha comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Hardy tries for a takedown but Rocha manages to get underhooks.
Marcho Rocha seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Rocha keeps control of Hardy as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardy blocks the elbow strike.
Hardy blocks an elbow strike.

Hardy tightens his grip and picks Rocha up, before dumping him to the ground. Rocha manages to land in guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rocha wants to stand but Hardy is controlling the position.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Hardy keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Rocha's head.
Hardy is working Rocha over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Hardy controlling from the top position.
Hardy sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Rocha's guard.
Rocha is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hardy stalling.
Hardy seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hardy is figuring out what he wants to do next.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Ross Hardy.
Hardy throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Rocha sees it coming and avoids it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Marcho Rocha will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Hardy's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Hardy fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Rocha checks it well.
Hardy avoids the body shot from Rocha.
Hardy tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rocha was well out of range. Poor timing from Hardy.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Hardy is defended easily by Rocha.
Hardy keeps the fight on the outside.
Hardy throws a hook but Rocha avoids it easily.
Hardy throws a hook but Rocha avoids it easily.
Hardy misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rocha.
Nice defenses there by Rocha.
A bone on bone clash there as Rocha blocks the leg kick.
Rocha misses with a body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rocha slips a jab from Hardy.
Rocha throws a hook to the side of Hardy's head but Hardy sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Rocha is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hardy tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Rocha swivels and escapes.

Rocha has Hardy up against the cage in a clinch.
Rocha tries to stall but Hardy uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Rocha unloads a knee to the mid-section. Hardy lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Rocha putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Hardy in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Rocha is pressed up against the cage. Hardy has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Rocha down to the mat. Rocha avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ross Hardy. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hardy looks to throw the jab but Rocha is out of range.
Ross Hardy has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Marcho Rocha is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rocha looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rocha throws a looping overhand right but Hardy ducks down to avoid it.
Rocha wants to clinch.
Rocha walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Hardy checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
A leg kick checked by Hardy.
Rocha uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Hardy.
Rocha displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Hardy.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Rocha gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
With the fighters up against the cage, Rocha throws an elbow but misses.
Hardy is trying to push Rocha away but Rocha has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Rocha connects with a nasty looking knee right to Hardy's face.
Hardy wants a takedown but no success here.
Hardy wants a takedown but no success here.
Rocha with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Hardy managing to block the knees to the body from Rocha.
Rocha creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Hardy's defenses.
Rocha throws a knee to the head but misses.
Hardy takes an elbow to the temple.
Rocha lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Hardy avoids a wild elbow strike from Rocha.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rocha gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Rocha lands an elbow inside that Hardy shrugs off.
Rocha throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Marcho Rocha is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rocha gets underhooks to prevent Hardy's takedown attempt.
Hardy is trying to push Rocha away but Rocha has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Rocha crunches a lovely knee into Hardy's ribcage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rocha is defending well against a takedown attempt.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rocha tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Hardy doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Hardy throws a head punch that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marcho Rocha comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Rocha winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Richard Clark scores the fight for Marcho Rocha!
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight for Marcho Rocha!
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight for Marcho Rocha!

Marcho Rocha wins by unanimous decision!