PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Xiao Long Li (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jason Rose (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Li comes into the arena with Dragon Punch! blaring out of the sound system. Rose has chosen Rose Tattoo - Dropkick Murphys as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Jason Rose told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Long Li
vs
Rose

172 cm
37
150 lbs
24 - 16 - 0

176 cm
34
148 lbs
21 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Merciless Gladiators
Meet the Future

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 24 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Xiao Long Li!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Jason Rose!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Li throws a low kick but Rose avoids it.
Rose sizes up Li with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Rose has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Rose lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.

It looks like Xiao Long Li has been cut.
Rose swings for the body but Li moves out of range.
Rose throws a looping overhand right but Li ducks down to avoid it.
Li moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Li throws a sloppy head kick and Rose moves out of range easily.
Rose keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Rose throws a low kick but Li avoids it.
Rose throws a series of punches but Li moves out of range.
Rose connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Li's hands.
Rose tries to land a body kick

and Li counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Rose's guard now.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Li won't allow Rose to sweep him here.
Rose is trying to control the position but Li postures up.
Li looking to sit in guard and control but Rose gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Li keeping moving, preventing Rose from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Jason Rose wasn't active enough on the ground.
Rose misses with a body shot.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Rose crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Li - the referee stops the clock and Rose gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Li. Rose manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Rose moves out of range of the leg kick from Li.
Li walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Li will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Li throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Rose throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Jason Rose is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rose throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Rose connects with a body shot that sends Li's belly button to the back.
Li thumps Rose with a low kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Li moves out of range of the strikes.
Rose throws an off balance right hand

and Li counters with a shoot takedown. Rose fights it but they end up in guard.
Rose looking for a sweep. Not yet Rose, not yet.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rose is controlling Li's posture.
Li is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Rose utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Li throws a big elbow that misses.

Rose is looking for a triangle but Li pushes his legs off easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Li throwing strikes from guard but Rose blocks nicely.
Li has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Rose keeping moving, preventing Li from controlling successfully.
Li not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Li trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Rose keeping moving, preventing Li from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Xiao Long Li wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Rose punishes Li's body with a nice straight punch.
Li swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Li moves away from the strike by Rose.
Li dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Rose. That did some damage!
Rose throws a shot from downtown. Li moves away and avoids it.
Rose throws the left hand but Li avoids the punch easily.
Rose throws the left hand but Li avoids the punch easily.
Jason Rose seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rose misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Li.
Li throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Li takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Nice body punch from Rose.
The fighters circling - Rose throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rose tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Li was well out of range. Poor timing from Rose.
Rose fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Li looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rose swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Li slips under a jab from Rose.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jason Rose will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Xiao Long Li's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Rose ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Rose swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Rose misses with a looping left.
Rose 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 misses the shot to the body.
Rose throws an overhand right that lands on Li's shoulder, as Li tries to avoid the shot.
Li defending well as Rose loads up on a big left hand.
Rose takes a swing at Li's ribcage but misses.
Rose looks to score with a jab to the body but Li is just out of range.
Rose tries to bum rush Li with a series of wild strikes but Li uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Rose misses with a low kick.
Rose throws out a loose jab but Li uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rose waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Li.
Rose throws out a loose jab but Li uses good head movement to avoid it.
Li smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Rose missing with a left hand there. Li was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Rose works Li's body with a nice hook.
Li tries to score a power double leg takedown but Rose sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Li somewhat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Li works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Li uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Rose.
Li fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Rose checks it well.
Rose ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Rose takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Rose jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Rose misses with a low kick.
Li pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rose scores with a jab. Li acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Rose throws a nice inside leg kick.

Li shoots in and bounces Rose off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Rose trying to keep a closed guard but Li is proving a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rose managing to control the position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rose preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rose is controlling Li's posture.
Li throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rose keeping full guard, as Li tries to pass.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Li looking to sit in guard and control but Rose gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Li controls Rose momentarily but Rose frees himself.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Xiao Long Li just wasn't active enough.
Li tries a low kick but Rose avoids it.
Rose throws a left and a right that both miss

so Li counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Rose is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rose looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Li is looking to pass into half guard but Rose pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Rose is in guard.

Li working for submissions but it's allowed Rose to get to half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Li trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Rose manages to pass to mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Jason Rose will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Xiao Long Li's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Rose is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Li.
Rose misses with a looping right.
Rose misses with a two punch combination.
Li takes a swing at Rose's ribcage but misses.
Some bone on bone action there as Rose checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Li bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Rose works the jab nicely.
Nice defenses there by Li.
Rose takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Jason Rose seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Rose misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Li.
A shot to the liver by Rose. Beautiful body shot.
Rose lands a really nice looking cross but Li seems unphased.
Rose explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Rose connects with a good right hand that stumbles Li. Li circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Rose loads up on a big right hand but Li slips the punch.
Rose throws a body punch but Li moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Li ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Li ducks under a wild hook from Rose.
Rose throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Li stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Rose misses with a right hand

and Li counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Rose has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Rose is fighting off a takedown attempt but Li is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Rose to the mat. Rose regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Li postures up and lands a big shot to Rose's brow.
Xiao Long Li overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rose is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Rose is adopting a defensive guard.
Li with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rose utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Li trying to control but Rose is working from the bottom.
Rose controls Li momentarily but Li frees himself.
Li throws a big elbow that misses.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rose keeping moving, preventing Li from controlling successfully.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Rose tries to score with a low kick but Li moves his leg out of the way.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Li fails to land the takedown.
Li 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 lands a jab to the nose.
Rose bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Li's head backwards.
Li tries to clinch up but Rose circles away and keeps his distance.
Rose lands a slapping body shot.
Li takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Rose with a hook.
Li shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Rose jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Li takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Li takes one on the button.
Li connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Rose takes a swing at Li's ribcage but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Li has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Rose.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rose misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Li moves out of range as Rose throws a body kick.
Li tries a low kick but Rose avoids it.
Li fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Li connects with a leg kick. Rose looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Rose throws a jab but it's blocked by Li.
Rose swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Rose lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Li circles away quickly and effectively.
Rose throws an overhand right that lands on Li's shoulder, as Li tries to avoid the shot.
A solid leg kick lands there for Li.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Li takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Li chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Li tries a low kick but Rose avoids it.
Li throws a leg kick but Rose moved away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jason Rose really dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Xiao Long Li's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Li moves away from the strike by Rose.
Rose loads up on a big right hand but Li slips the punch.
Donk. Li catches Rose right on the button with a cross.
Li is looking to chop away at Rose's legs.
Rose looks to land a right hand but Li moved out of range.
Li fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Rose connects with a jab.
Rose throws a front kick aimed at Li's knee but Li avoids it well.
A big left from Rose misses.
Li keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Rose.
Rose takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Li throws a jab but it's blocked by Rose.
Good exchange - Rose coming out on top.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Rose checks a leg kick.
Li throws a low kick but Rose avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Rose. Li shrugs it off though.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Rose, right into the meat.
Rose scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Li doesn't seem bothered though.
Li moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Rose looks for the body kick but Li saw that one coming.
Rose misses the jab.
Rose with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Li misses with a wild body shot.
Li drops his hands momentarily and Rose takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Li lands a nice shot that snaps Rose's head back.
Rose misses with a straight left.
Rose waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Li.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rose. Li does a little dance to reset his feet.
Li checks the leg kick nicely there.
Li tries to clinch up.
A big right from Li misses.
Rose's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Li keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Rose.
Rose throws a jab when Li was well out of range.
Rose lands a really nice looking cross but Li seems unphased.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Li pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rose scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Rose scores with a jab.
Li slips a jab from Rose.
Rose throws a body punch but Li moves out of range.
Rose waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Li.
Nice body kick from Rose.
Rose swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Rose misses with a looping right.
Rose looks for the body kick but Li saw that one coming.
Rose scores with a jab to the jaw.
Li looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Rose misses with a straight right.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rose scores with a head kick.
Rose takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Li moves away from the strike by Rose.
Rose misses with a body shot

and Li counters by moving into the clinch.
Li misses with an elbow over the top.
Rose goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Li missing with knees to the body.
Li looking to throw knees to the head but Rose is blocking nicely.
A shot in the inside from Li.
Rose trying to stall but Li improves his position.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Rose struggles to land a body shot inside as Li controls his hands.
Rose slows down the pace here.

Li jumps guard and drags Rose to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Li working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Rose doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Rose manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Rose postures up.
Rose wants to control from the top but Li keeps moving.
Li seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Jason Rose has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Rose throws a lazy uppercut

and Li counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Li.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Li is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Rose gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jason Rose dominated that fourth round.
The cut man is working on Xiao Long Li's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Li takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Rose scores with a leg kick.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Rose, as that shot connected.
Li lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Li takes a swing at Rose's ribcage but misses.
Li attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Li slips a jab from Rose.
Rose lands a jab to the head.
Li keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Rose scores with a leg kick.
Li throws a hook to the side of Rose's head but Rose sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Rose fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Li is out of range.
Rose thuds his right hand into Li's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Rose tries to land a body kick

and Li counters by moving into the clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rose prevents a takedown attempt there.

Rose breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Li doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Rose jabs at Li's body.
Li fails with a takedown attempt.
Li walks into a jab.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rose. Li does a little dance to reset his feet.
Li stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Rose.
Sloppy strikes from Rose. Those never looked like landing.
Li jabs Rose right on the nose. Rose blinks but takes it well.
Rose uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Li.
Li takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Li blocks a jab.
Rose throws a left and a right that both miss

and Li counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Li throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Li is trying to control the action in half guard but Rose is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Li thows a huge punch but Rose dodges it nicely.
Li trying to pass the guard but Rose defending well.
Li controlling the action here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

We're going to have a standup here because Xiao Long Li wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Rose swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Rose tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rose throws a leg kick but Li checks it.
Li looks for a takedown but Rose sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Xiao Long Li. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rose lands a body shot.
Li throws a chopping leg kick but Rose manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Rose throws a big shot that misses.
Rose connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Rose tries to bum rush Li with a series of wild strikes but Li uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Rose misses with a hook. Li ducked under it nicely.
Rose swings for the body but Li moves out of range.
Rose ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Rose checks a leg kick.
Rose catches Li with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Li avoids a punch combination nicely.
Li ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rose moves away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Li closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Rose is looking to control Li's arms but Li gets an underhook and turns him. Now Rose has his back to the cage.
Li pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Li just misses with a elbow thrown towards Rose's brow.
Li lands a body shot.
Rose is wobbling all over the place through exhaustion. Will he make it to the final bell?
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Li goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Li turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Rose managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Li.
Li trying to control the position but Rose is working away.
Li tries to score with some ground and pound. Rose controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
You can see the frustration on Rose's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Jason Rose.
I've got Rose 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.

Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight for Jason Rose!
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight for Jason Rose!
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight for Jason Rose!

Jason Rose wins by unanimous decision! Jason Rose retains his featherweight title!
After winning the bout, Jason Rose thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.