PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Fernando Navas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Arnold Rothstein (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fernando Navas has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Navas
vs
Rothstein

164 cm
23
142 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

170 cm
23
140 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

Dangerous GnP
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Good low kicks
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Fernando Navas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Arnold Rothstein!
The judges for this bout are Phil Schofield, James Ackerman and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rothstein misses with the combination.
Rothstein throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
A chopping leg kick lands by Navas.
Rothstein lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Navas backs up against the cage.
Navas keeps Rothstein at a distance using the push kick.
Navas lands with a cross.
Navas tries to clinch up.
Rothstein throws a lazy right hand but Navas sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Rothstein misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Navas.
Navas avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Rothstein looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Rothstein smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rothstein misses with a leg kick.
Rothstein throws a head kick but Navas moves out of range.
Rothstein misses with a straight left.
Rothstein thows a body shot but no joy.
Navas dives in and grabs Rothstein's left leg, looking for a takedown. Rothstein pushes down on Navas's head and hops out.
Rothstein is trying hard to land a takedown here. Navas sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Rothstein misses with a kick to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Navas chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Navas blocks a jab.
Navas tries to close the distance and clinch but Rothstein swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rothstein throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Navas dips to his left and cracks Rothstein with an uppercut!
Navas goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Navas lands a front kick.
Navas misses with a hook.
Navas moves out of range of the strikes.
Rothstein tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Navas scores with a kick to the body.

Rothstein dives in and scores a takedown into Navas's guard.
Rothstein pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Navas is keeping the position for now.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Navas preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rothstein must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Navas has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Rothstein can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Rothstein lands a couple of digs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rothstein trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Navas controls Rothstein momentarily but Rothstein frees himself.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rothstein works over Navas with some ground and pound from guard.
Navas wants to sweep but no luck.
Rothstein loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Navas isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Rothstein stacks Navas on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Rothstein!
Navas is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Rothstein off and has taken his back!
Rothstein avoids the strikes from Navas.
Rothstein is in a world of trouble here. He's outmatched on the ground here and he'd better get Navas off his back sharpish unless he wants to be submitted.
Navas struggling to keep hold of the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee is taking a good look at Rothstein as he is on the wrong end of some big shots from Navas!
Rothstein wants to escape the position.

Navas is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Rothstein knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Rothstein for a finish.
Navas throwing sloppy strikes.
Rothstein breaks Navas's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.

Navas has his foot on Rothstein's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Rothstein works his way back into a safe position though.

Navas is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Rothstein defends well.

Navas looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Rothstein passes into half guard.
Navas is looking to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rothstein takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Navas wants to improve his position but Rothstein is controlling well.
Rothstein not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Rothstein is pressing down on Navas's thigh, looking to free his foot. Navas is holding on for now.
Navas trying to control but Rothstein postures up.
Rothstein wants to lay and pray for a moment but Navas keeps working.
Navas throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Navas looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Rothstein moves nicely into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Arnold Rothstein will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Navas swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Rothstein just misses with a punch to the body.
Navas throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Rothstein pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rothstein tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Navas was well out of range. Poor timing from Rothstein.
Navas misses with a body kick.
A jab from Rothstein misses.
Rothstein throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Navas lands a nice shot that snaps Rothstein's head back.
Rothstein takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Rothstein misses with a looping left.
Rothstein throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Navas goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Navas is looking to land body kicks.
Rothstein looks to land a body kick but Navas moved away.
Nice shot by Rothstein.
Rothstein shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Navas but Navas pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Navas clinches with his opponent.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Navas presses Rothstein against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Navas looking to slow down the pace here.
Rothstein avoiding damage.
Navas lands a right hand.
Navas working aggressively here.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Rothstein.
Navas blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Rothstein tries to stall but Navas uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Rothstein tries for a takedown but Navas manages to get underhooks.
Rothstein is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Navas is keeping busy.
Rothstein is pushing Navas up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Navas with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Navas utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Navas.
Navas has Rothstein pressed against the cage, preventing Rothstein from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Navas throws a punch but it's blocked by Rothstein.
Rothstein is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Navas as Rothstein tries to tie him up.
Rothstein wants a takedown but no success here.
Fernando Navas has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Arnold Rothstein.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rothstein looking to stall.
Rothstein tries to circle away but Navas has him pinned against the cage.
Navas using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Rothstein has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Navas is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Navas prevents a takedown attempt there.
Rothstein goes for a takedown attempt but Navas pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Rothstein throws a sloppy head kick and Navas moves out of range easily.
Rothstein throws a sloppy head kick
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Good leg kick by Rothstein there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Rothstein misses with a hook.
Sloppy strikes from Rothstein. Those never looked like landing.
Navas throws a sloppy head kick and Rothstein moves out of range easily.
Navas keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Rothstein throws a body punch but Navas moves out of range.
Rothstein tried to score with a low kick but Navas checks it.
Rothstein fails to land with a series of punches.
Rothstein avoids the head kick by Navas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rothstein throws a poor cross that misses
letting Navas counter with a right hand.
Navas lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Navas goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Rothstein throws a series of punches but Navas moves out of range.
Navas keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Rothstein.
Navas throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Arnold Rothstein seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rothstein lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Navas takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Navas throws a low kick but it's checked well by Rothstein.
Rothstein moves out of range of the body kick from Navas.
Rothstein throws a right hand that misses
and Navas makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Rothstein really felt that one!
A nice leg kick lands there from Navas.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Navas moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Rothstein misses with a low kick.
Navas scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Navas ducks under a wild hook from Rothstein.
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 Fernando Navas will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Navas turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Rothstein shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Navas pinned against the cage. Navas gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Rothstein throws a lazy body kick
letting Navas counter with a right hand.

Rothstein is rocked!
Crunch! Navas slams his shin into Rothstein's torso.
Rothstein is still on wobbly legs! Can Navas finish him?
Rothstein listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

Navas closes the distance and clinches.
Rothstein wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Navas has him pressed against the cage.
Navas misses with a knee to the head.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
A short uppercut from Navas.
Navas just leaning against Rothstein, taking a breather.
Navas landing knees to the head.
Rothstein takes a knee right on the jaw!
Navas has the Thai clinch. He lands a big knee to the head that stumbles Rothstein - he's in trouble! Another big knee to the head from Navas, and another! Rothstein is out on his feet - the ref jumps in to save him and ends the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:38 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Knees). Fernando Navas!
In his post fight interview, Fernando Navas started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.