PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Walter Rothko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rick Mcintosh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Rothko
vs
Mcintosh

178 cm
28
147 lbs
8 - 10 - 0

168 cm
26
150 lbs
10 - 7 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Great elbows
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

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 8 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Walter Rothko !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rick Mcintosh!
The judges for this bout are Stewart Dunkirk, Daniel Franklin and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Horrible takedown by Rothko or perhaps it was just good defense by Mcintosh which made him look bad.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Rothko .

Rothko decides to stand back up. Rothko steps back and let's Mcintosh get back to his feet.

Rothko tries to sprawl but Mcintosh drives through with a takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mcintosh content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
It looks like Mcintosh is going to stand back up.
Rothko missing with punches from the bottom.
Rothko is refusing to be controlled, as Mcintosh sits in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mcintosh is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Rothko defends it well.
Rothko is concentrating on defense, preventing Mcintosh from advancing position.
Rothko has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Mcintosh is trying to control the action in half guard but Rothko is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Mcintosh not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Rothko moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Mcintosh prevents Rothko from getting back to his feet.
Mcintosh must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mcintosh trying to control but Rothko is working from the bottom.
Mcintosh looking to pass the guard.
Rothko wants to sweep but no luck.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mcintosh pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rothko is keeping the position for now.
Mcintosh keeps trying to improve his position.
Mcintosh trying to control the position from guard on top but Rothko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mcintosh controls from within his opponent's guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Rick Mcintosh.
Mcintosh misses the shot to the body.

Mcintosh clinches with his opponent.

Mcintosh pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A big left from Rothko misses.

Mcintosh changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Rothko looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Rothko sneaks back into half guard.
Rothko is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mcintosh missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
It looks like Mcintosh is going to stand back up.
Mcintosh thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Rothko makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Rothko .
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mcintosh trying to control the position from guard on top but Rothko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Mcintosh got a little sloppy there for a moment and Rothko has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Mcintosh has managed to get both his arms back between Rothko 's legs - danger averted.
Mcintosh trying to control the position from guard on top but Rothko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rick Mcintosh dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Mcintosh is looking to clinch but Rothko is avoiding it.
Mcintosh tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Rothko manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rothko blocks a head kick by Mcintosh.

Mcintosh closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Mcintosh is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Rothko pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Mcintosh pulls guard.
Mcintosh controls Rothko momentarily but Rothko frees himself.
Rothko wants to control from the top but Mcintosh keeps moving.
Mcintosh will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Mcintosh lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Rothko !

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mcintosh jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Rothko is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Rothko and Mcintosh has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Rothko sneaks back into half guard.
Mcintosh seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Rothko does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Mcintosh is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Rothko is trying to maintain the position but Mcintosh is very close to passing his half guard.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Rick Mcintosh hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Rothko tries to pull guard but Mcintosh won't allow it.
Rothko wants to take the fight to the mat but Mcintosh manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

Mcintosh pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rothko misses with a takedown attempt - Mcintosh sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Walter Rothko . That's going to take a lot out of him.

Mcintosh drives through with a takedown into guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rothko keeping moving, preventing Mcintosh from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mcintosh wants to get up but he can't break Rothko 's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Rothko is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Mcintosh wanted to stand there but Rothko had control of the position.
Mcintosh trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Rothko lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Mcintosh!
Poor strikes thrown by Rothko there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rothko working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Mcintosh slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Mcintosh has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Rothko is working away from the top position though.
Mcintosh is looking to improve his position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Rothko is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rick Mcintosh showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Mcintosh shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Rothko 's guard.
Rick Mcintosh has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rothko is trying to control the position but Mcintosh postures up.
Mcintosh wants to get up but he can't break Rothko 's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Mcintosh throwing strikes but missing.
Mcintosh sitting in guard here, content to control.

Rothko looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Mcintosh wants to pass the guard but Rothko is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mcintosh is looking to stand up but Rothko won't let him.
Mcintosh looking to pass the guard.
Mcintosh trying to control but Rothko is working from the bottom.
Mcintosh really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Rothko . If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Mcintosh stops Rothko from standing up.
Mcintosh won't allow Rothko to sweep him here.
Rothko wants to hit a switch here but Mcintosh passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Rothko there!
Mcintosh looking to control but Rothko is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rothko is trying desperately to improve position.

Mcintosh goes for an armbar but Rothko turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Rothko .
Mcintosh not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mcintosh is looking to stand up but Rothko isn't so interested in that idea.
Rothko wants to control from the top but Mcintosh keeps moving.
Rothko slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Mcintosh's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Mcintosh duly obliges.
Nice sprawl there from Mcintosh as Rothko shoots in.
Mcintosh misses with a wild combination.
Sloppy strikes from Rothko . Those never looked like landing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mcintosh connects with an inside leg kick.
Mcintosh fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Rothko fails with a takedown attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Mcintosh shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Rothko sprawls well. Rothko wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Mcintosh gets slowly back to his feet.
Mcintosh misses with a head kick.
Walter Rothko is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Mcintosh drives through with a takedown into 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!
Mcintosh wants to control from the top but Rothko keeps moving.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rick Mcintosh comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Mcintosh has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30
Judge George Francis scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rick Mcintosh!