PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between George Rohan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Zerra (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Matt Zerra was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Rohan
vs
Zerra

170 cm
25
162 lbs
6 - 6 - 0

168 cm
22
170 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Zipp Zapp

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 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, George Rohan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Matt Zerra!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Paulsen Ambrosius and Wagner Zegers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zerra misses with a combination

and Rohan counters with a takedown into side control.
Zerra manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Zerra has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Rohan is working away from the top position though.
Rohan blocks the strikes from Zerra.
Rohan trying to control the action but Zerra is working from the bottom.
Rohan is really struggling to control Zerra but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Zerra wants to get back to full guard.
Rohan missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Zerra trying to hold on to Rohan's head to control him but Rohan postures up.
Rohan missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Zerra looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Rohan looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zerra flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Rohan is thwarting Zerra's attempts to control the position.
Zerra might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Rohan haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Zerra preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Rohan is looking to take a break and control but Zerra is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rohan thows a huge punch but Zerra dodges it nicely.
Rohan throwing shots but Zerra is blocking nicely.
Zerra trying to hold on to Rohan's head to control him but Rohan postures up.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Rohan lands with a punch from half guard.
Zerra slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Zerra is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Zerra preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rohan trying to control the position from guard on top but Zerra is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rohan throws an elbow that misses. Zerra uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Rohan's guard. Nice move by Zerra!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Zerra won't allow Rohan to sweep him here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rohan not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Zerra lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Rohan looking to control.
Rohan tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Rohan can't keep his opponent in guard - Zerra advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Zerra trying to control the action but Rohan is working from the bottom.

Zerra is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Rohan doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Zerra.
Rohan throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rohan wants to get back to full guard.
Rohan trying to control from the bottom.
Nice strikes from Zerra there.
Zerra thows a huge punch but Rohan dodges it nicely.
Rohan makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Rohan.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Zerra trying to control but Rohan is working from the bottom.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Zerra keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Rohan's head.
Zerra sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Rohan's guard.
Zerra wants to take a breather but Rohan is having none of it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Rohan is defending against the submission attempts here by Zerra.
Zerra prevents Rohan from improving his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Matt Zerra will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Zerra misses with a hook. Rohan ducked under it nicely.
Rohan takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Zerra looks to throw the jab but Rohan is out of range.
Zerra scores with a jab to the head.
Zerra throws a hook but Rohan blocks it.
Zerra looks to land a right hand but Rohan moved out of range.
Rohan showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Zerra.
Zerra throws a hook but Rohan blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zerra shoots in looking for a takedown. Rohan tries to sprawl out of it but Zerra keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Rohan manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Rohan takes a jab right on the kisser.
Zerra looks to land a right hand but Rohan moved out of range.
Zerra throws out a loose jab but Rohan uses good head movement to avoid it.
Zerra throws a lazy right hand but Rohan sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Zerra rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Rohan counters with a shoot takedown. Zerra fights it but they end up in guard.
Rohan trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rohan has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Zerra is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Rohan throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Zerra works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rohan content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Zerra throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Zerra looking for a guillotine here but Rohan defends easily.
Zerra working a defensive guard here.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Zerra is on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zerra is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Rohan looking to hit a scissor sweep but Zerra is one step ahead there.
Zerra works a leg free and moves into half guard.

Zerra is looking for a kimura but Rohan is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Zerra to get the leverage.
Rohan tries to get to full guard but Zerra has control of the leg.

Zerra is trying to work for a kimura but Rohan is defending well.
Rohan punching from the bottom.
Rohan tries to roll over but Zerra keeps him under control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Zerra seems to be working for a kimura but Rohan defends the submission attempt.

Zerra is looking for a kimura here.
Zerra is thwarting Rohan's attempts to control the position.
Rohan is looking for a sweep. Zerra is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rohan is looking to control Zerra's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Rohan avoid being mounted?
Rohan is refusing to be controlled, as Zerra sits in half guard.
Rohan is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Zerra showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Rohan avoids the body shot from Zerra.
Zerra fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Rohan avoids it really well and circles away.
Zerra scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

Zerra shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Rohan tries to strike from the bottom.
Zerra trying to control but Rohan is working from the bottom.
Zerra working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Zerra preventing the sweep.
Matt Zerra has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rohan trying to keep a closed guard but Zerra is proving a slippery customer.

Zerra drops back looking for a leg! Rohan is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Rohan manages to kick Zerra off! Zerra jumps back into Rohan's guard.
Rohan throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Zerra is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Rohan trying to keep a closed guard but Zerra is proving a slippery customer.
Rohan manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Zerra manages to get himself to full guard.
Rohan postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zerra trying to strike off his back.
Rohan throws a big right hand that misses.
Rohan with a flurry of punches that miss.
Zerra tries to strike from the bottom.
Rohan trying to control but Zerra is working from the bottom.
Zerra controls Rohan momentarily but Rohan frees himself.
Rohan distracts Zerra with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Zerra is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Rohan defends well.
Rohan wants to control from the top but Zerra keeps moving.
George Rohan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zerra trying to control the position.
Rohan throws a big elbow that misses.
Rohan postures up in Zerra's guard and throws a big left but Zerra blocks it.
Rohan throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Zerra works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Zerra avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Zerra is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Rohan with a nice head shot there.
Rohan being controlled here momentarily.
Zerra preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Matt Zerra is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rohan throws a big elbow that misses.
Rohan throwing strikes from guard but Zerra blocks nicely.
Rohan throwing strikes from guard but Zerra blocks nicely.
Zerra has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Rohan has passed into side control.
Zerra is trying to improve his position.
Zerra managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Rohan.
Zerra is trying to control Rohan's posture but Rohan avoids it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zerra tries to bench press Rohan off him but Rohan keeps the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Matt Zerra.
I've got Zerra 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 Aafke Stam scores the fight 28:30
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 28:30
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matt Zerra!
After winning the bout, Matt Zerra thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.