PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between CJ Rose (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cm Punk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Rose
vs
Punk

173 cm
19
145 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

178 cm
19
145 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Big heart

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Red Square Fight Gear

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 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, CJ Rose!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Cm Punk!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Aleksandr Martynov and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rose misses with a takedown attempt - Punk sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Rose throws a low kick but it's checked well by Punk.
Rose misses with a few strikes there.
Rose wants to clinch.
Rose buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

Rose closes the distance and pushes Punk back into the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rose trying to control the position but instead, Punk has worked for underhooks and has pushed Rose into the cage.
Rose has had enough of the clinch but Punk keeps him there for the moment.
Rose avoiding damage.
Rose wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Rose looking to throw knees to the head but Punk is blocking nicely.

Rose manages to pull guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Rose is trying to keep Punk in close.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rose looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Rose trying to control the position here.

The ref stands the fighters back up. CJ Rose wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Rose throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rose throws a leg kick but Punk checks it.
Rose misses with a body kick.
Punk keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Rose attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Rose explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Rose wants to clinch up but Punk keeps it at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Punk keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Rose shoots in and drives through. Punk sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for CJ Rose. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rose closes the distance and clinches up with Punk, looking for a takedown. Rose pushes Punk against the cage but Punk circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Rose shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Punk counters with a takedown into side control.
Punk really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Rose. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Punk tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Rose is looking to chop away at Punk's legs.
A chopping leg kick lands by Rose.
Rose goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rose is looking to slow Punk down with leg kicks.
Rose dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rose lands a nice looking kick to the body. Punk takes a step back to recover.
CJ Rose is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rose throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Punk.
Rose with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rose looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Punk walks forward, straight into a front kick from Rose.
CJ Rose seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Punk on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Rose shoots and misses

and Punk counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Rose is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Punk prevents Rose from standing back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rose punching from the bottom.
Rose is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Punk's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Punk's back!
Punk rolls, trying to escape but Rose keeps control of the position.

Punk is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Rose is hanging on to Punk's back as he tries to escape.

Rose is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A lull in the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Punk is trying to break free.
Punk staying busy and making it hard for Rose to control.
Punk tries to escape but Rose has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Rose wants to control but Punk is keeping busy.
Cm Punk has got the better of the ground game so far.
Punk can't escape the position.

Rose working for the choke.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Punk is trying to break free.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

CJ Rose dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Rose misses with a low kick as Punk jumps back.
Rose darts in looking for a takedown but Punk gets double underhooks and turns Rose into the cage.
Rose tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Rose pulls guard.
Rose is looking to sweep but instead, Punk has passed into half guard.
Punk with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Rose trying to hold on to Punk's head to control him but Punk postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rose regains full guard. Nicely done.
Rose wants to get back to his feet but Punk is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Punk seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

We're going to have a standup here because CJ Rose wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Punk avoids a punch combination nicely.
Rose goes for a double leg but Punk avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Punk continues to drive forward.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rose misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Punk.
Rose wants a takedown but no success here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for CJ Rose. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rose is trying to break free.
Punk jumps guard but Rose stands there with Punk around his waist. Punk gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Rose taking a breather.
Rose is looking to take this one to the mat.
Punk jumps guard but Rose turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Punk is trying to pull guard but Rose has him pressed against the cage.
Punk gets underhooks to prevent Rose's takedown attempt.
Punk is trying to pull guard but Rose turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Punk keeps control of Rose as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Rose lands with a light punch inside.
Rose wants a takedown.
Punk tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Rose has had enough of the clinch but Punk keeps him there for the moment.
Cm Punk has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
CJ Rose is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Punk has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Rose uses from the top position.

And that's the end of the fight!
CJ Rose showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Rose, 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... CJ Rose!