PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ryan Rooney (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tom Stroud (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Rooney might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Belfast Boy. Stroud has chosen Vallenfyre - Iconoclast as his entrance music. Ryan Rooney is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Rooney
vs
Stroud

177 cm
24
169 lbs
7 - 8 - 0

178 cm
25
168 lbs
13 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 8 - 0, fighting out of London, Ryan Rooney!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 10 - 0, fighting out of London, Tom Stroud!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Colin Fotheringham and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rooney slips a jab and a cross from Stroud.
A lazy left from Stroud finds it's target.
Stroud cracks Rooney with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Stroud throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Rooney bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Rooney uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Stroud.
Stroud keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Stroud throws a right hand that Rooney ducks under and follows up with a left that Rooney also avoids with ease.
Some wild striking there from Stroud.
Stroud is looking to land body kicks.
Rooney staying out of range there.
Rooney thuds his right hand into Stroud's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Stroud tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Rooney shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Stroud napping and manages to drive through into side control!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Stroud prevents Rooney from improving position.
Rooney creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rooney working the ground and pound.
Stroud managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Rooney.
The ground and pound from Rooney seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Stroud regains half guard, as Rooney was trying to land strikes.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Rooney connects with a nice short shot to Stroud's temple.
Rooney lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Stroud is trying to escape back to his feet but Rooney uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Rooney in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The strikes coming from Rooney are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Stroud is pushing Rooney's head away, looking to escape. Rooney manages to hold on to the position though.
Stroud tries to bench press Rooney off him but Rooney keeps the position.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rooney throwing strikes but Stroud manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
The strikes coming from Stroud are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Rooney gets back to half guard.
Rooney keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Stroud slows the pace down in half guard.
Stroud trying to control from Rooney's half guard. Rooney has other ideas though and has regained full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stroud postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Rooney pushes Stroud off and gets back to his feet.
Rooney lands with a nice combination. Stroud backs away looking to recover.

Rooney moves into the clinch.

Stroud manages to break the clinch.
Rooney throws a body punch but Stroud moves out of range.
Stroud works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Rooney throws a right and a left that both miss.
Rooney keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Stroud.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rooney scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Stroud taking a bit of punishment here - Rooney scoring with strikes.
Rooney throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Stroud works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Stroud blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rooney.
Stroud is pressing down on Rooney's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Rooney won't allow Stroud to sweep him here.
Stroud trying to control the position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rooney with a nice head shot there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan Rooney dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Stroud lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Rooney has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Rooney and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Stroud lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Rooney circles away quickly and effectively.

Rooney drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Rooney working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Rooney postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Rooney in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Rooney postures up in Stroud's guard and throws a big left but Stroud blocks it.
Rooney loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Stroud pulls Rooney in close to prevent any damage.
Rooney trying to control the position from guard on top but Stroud is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rooney throwing strikes from guard but Stroud blocks nicely.
Rooney working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Stroud working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Rooney.
Stroud has Rooney pulled in close to control his posture.
Rooney trying to control the position from guard on top but Stroud is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Stroud preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rooney trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stroud bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rooney's guard.
Stroud is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Stroud throws a strike but Rooney rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Rooney trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rooney sitting in guard here, content to control.
Stroud keeping moving, preventing Rooney from controlling successfully.
Rooney in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rooney throws a big right hand that misses.
Rooney throws a strike but Stroud rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Stroud wants to stand and escape but instead Rooney has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Rooney postures up in Stroud's guard and throws a big left but Stroud blocks it.
Rooney stands up over Stroud, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Rooney throws a big elbow that misses.
Stroud has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rooney postures up.
Stroud is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Rooney in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Stroud keeping moving, preventing Rooney from controlling successfully.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Tom Stroud wasn't active enough on the ground.
Stroud misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rooney avoids a punch combination nicely.
Rooney shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Stroud defends it nicely.
Nice takedown defense from Stroud. No joy for Rooney on that attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan Rooney dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Stroud just misses with a punch to the body.
Stroud throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Stroud thows a left - swing and a miss!
Stroud throws an overhand right that lands on Rooney's shoulder, as Rooney tries to avoid the shot.
Rooney tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Stroud swivels and escapes.
Horrible takedown by Rooney or perhaps it was just good defense by Stroud which made him look bad.
Rooney displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Stroud.
Rooney slips under a jab.
Rooney lands a two punch combo.
Stroud throws out a loose jab but Rooney uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rooney ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Rooney closes the distance and clinches up with Stroud, looking for a takedown. Rooney pushes Stroud against the cage but Stroud circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ryan Rooney. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stroud scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
A nice combination there by Rooney.
Stroud misses with an uppercut. Rooney saw that one coming.

Rooney closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Check out the look on Rooney's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Rooney is trying to ground and pound but Stroud uses the momentary lack of control by Rooney to regain half guard.
Rooney trying to mount his opponent but Stroud defends it.
Rooney prevents Stroud from improving his position.
Stroud gets back to full guard.
Stroud is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stroud thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rooney's head.
Stroud thows a huge punch but Rooney dodges it nicely.
Rooney is not content to let Stroud control the position.
Ryan Rooney overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rooney keeping control of the position.
Stroud wants to advance to full mount but Rooney doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Rooney is on top in guard.
Rooney working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Stroud working a defensive guard here.
Stroud seems keen to control Rooney's posture.
Stroud trying to control the position.
Ryan Rooney is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stroud keeping full guard, as Rooney tries to pass.
Rooney is working hard here to advance position.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Tom Stroud was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Stroud misses with a hook.
Rooney shoots in but no luck this time.
Stroud throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Rooney checks a low kick from Stroud.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A looping hook to the body misses from Stroud. Rooney does a little dance to reset his feet.
Rooney shoots in for a takedown but Stroud shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Stroud stuffs the takedown attempt from Rooney. Rooney gets slowly back to his feet.
Tom Stroud has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rooney closes the distance and clinches up with Stroud, looking for a takedown. Rooney pushes Stroud against the cage but Stroud circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Ryan Rooney.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Rooney, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Daniel Bishop scores the fight 30:27
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 30:27
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ryan Rooney!
As Ryan Rooney got his breath back, he grabbed the microphone and managed to blurt out the following: Fair play to Scott who gave me a good fight again. I really needed to beat this guy to get revenge on the bastard for last time. I hope I've proved today that I am the better fighter.'.