PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Cole MacGrath (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Royce Rousey (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think MacGrath might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Likin Park-Qwerty. Cole MacGrath could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Royce Rousey's chin.

MacGrath
vs
Rousey

185 cm
25
185 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

170 cm
25
185 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
KO power

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Very confident

Alpha-Male Nutritional Supplements (q160)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Cole MacGrath!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Royce Rousey!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Johanna Lukiainen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
MacGrath wants to clinch but Rousey slips to the side

and Rousey decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in MacGrath's guard.
Rousey sitting in guard here, content to control.
It looks like Rousey might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Royce Rousey wasn't active enough on the ground.
Rousey shoots in but no luck this time.
MacGrath wants to clinch up but Rousey keeps it at a distance.
Cole MacGrath seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rousey swats away the attempt to clinch by MacGrath.
MacGrath goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Cole MacGrath is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
MacGrath closes the distance looking to clinch

and Rousey counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Rousey is looking to work some ground and pound but MacGrath has wrist control.
Rousey is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Rousey should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Royce Rousey has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
MacGrath looks to clinch

and Rousey counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
MacGrath looks like he's trying to stand up.
Rousey seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rousey missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rousey throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Rousey passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for MacGrath!
Rousey controlling the position easily from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rousey can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as MacGrath is looking to escape.
MacGrath wants to control but Rousey is having none of it.
Rousey scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish MacGrath?
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rousey throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Poor strikes thrown by Rousey there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Royce Rousey 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.

MacGrath moves out of range as Rousey strikes.

MacGrath moves into the clinch.
Rousey tries to pull guard but MacGrath holds him up against the cage and eventually Rousey drops back down to his feet.
Rousey is trying to break free.
Rousey tries for a takedown but MacGrath manages to get underhooks.
MacGrath putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Rousey in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Rousey is looking to take this one to the mat.
Cole MacGrath has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Royce Rousey.
MacGrath using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
MacGrath is trying to maintain a safe position but Rousey gets an underhook and turns MacGrath into the cage.
Rousey has MacGrath pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. MacGrath manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Rousey is fighting off a takedown attempt but MacGrath is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Rousey to the mat. Rousey regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rousey has control of MacGrath's left arm, preventing MacGrath from doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
MacGrath wants to stand but Rousey is controlling his posture from full guard.
Rousey has MacGrath pulled in close to control his posture.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
MacGrath looks to clinch

and Rousey counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Rousey slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Rousey pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. MacGrath is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
MacGrath keeping moving, preventing Rousey from controlling successfully.
MacGrath wants to stand up but Rousey is controlling him.
Rousey wants to control from the top but MacGrath keeps moving.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Royce Rousey hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
MacGrath tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rousey swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rousey shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says MacGrath as he avoids it easily.
MacGrath moves to clinch but Rousey breaks away

and Rousey counters with a single leg into guard. MacGrath didn't expect that.
Rousey showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Rousey wants to control from the top but MacGrath keeps moving.
Rousey is stalling in the full guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
MacGrath is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Royce Rousey has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Royce Rousey was stalling too much, according to the referee.
MacGrath tries to clinch

so Rousey counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
MacGrath keeping full guard, as Rousey tries to pass.
MacGrath manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Rousey manages to regain half guard. Good work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Royce Rousey showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

MacGrath wants to clinch.
Rousey swats away the attempt to clinch by MacGrath.
MacGrath closes the distance looking to clinch

and Rousey counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Rousey.
MacGrath working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Rousey.
Rousey is stalling in the full guard.
MacGrath is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rousey is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

We're going to have a standup here because Cole MacGrath wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Rousey manages to get an easy takedown there - catching MacGrath on his heels. He'll look to pass MacGrath's guard now, I'm sure.
Rousey trying to control but MacGrath is working from the bottom.
Rousey slips nicely into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rousey is looking to advance position but MacGrath won't allow it.
The fighters are battling for position here. MacGrath manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Rousey trying to control the position from guard on top but MacGrath is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rousey sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's three 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.
MacGrath is looking to stand up but Rousey isn't so interested in that idea.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Royce Rousey wasn't active enough on the ground.
MacGrath avoids the body shot from Rousey.
Rousey keeps the fight on the outside.
MacGrath closes the distance but Rousey moves to the side

and Rousey decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in MacGrath's guard.
Rousey with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rousey stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. MacGrath swivels though and keeps the full guard.
MacGrath knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Rousey on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rousey is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Rousey wants to control from the top but MacGrath keeps moving.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Rousey controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Royce Rousey.
MacGrath tries to clinch up but Rousey circles away and keeps his distance.
MacGrath tries to clinch but Rousey moves out of range.
Cole MacGrath has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Royce Rousey is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
MacGrath looks to clinch

and Rousey counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for MacGrath!

And that's the end of the fight!
Royce Rousey comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Rousey 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Royce Rousey! Royce Rousey retains his middleweight title!