PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Raymon Lara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Rosa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Lara
vs
Rosa

154 cm
23
215 lbs
1 - 6 - 0

191 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Raymon Lara!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, John Rosa!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, Steven Brown and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rosa closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Lara drops down looking for an ankle pick but Rosa pulls his leg out and moves away.

Rosa has Lara up against the cage in a clinch.

Rosa pulls guard successfully.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Rosa is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Lara has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Lara makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rosa wants to stand but Lara is controlling the position.

Lara decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Rosa instigates a clinch.
Lara blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Rosa throws a knee to the head but misses.
Rosa tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Lara avoids it.
Lara could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Lara avoiding damage as Rosa throws knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rosa tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Lara avoids it.
Lara on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Rosa jumps into guard, dragging Lara to the mat.

Lara avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Lara might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Rosa working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Lara doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Lara manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Lara got a little sloppy there for a moment and Rosa has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Lara has managed to get both his arms back between Rosa's legs - danger averted.
Rosa looks winded!
Lara is in close to Rosa's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Rosa looking for a guillotine here but Lara defends easily.
Lara knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Rosa on the ground.
Lara is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

Rosa is looking for a triangle but Lara pushes his legs off easily.
Lara controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lara makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Rosa has his foot on Lara's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Lara works his way back into a safe position though.

Lara decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Rosa, up you get!
John Rosa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Rosa gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Lara decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Rosa, up you get!

Rosa moves into range and clinches up with Lara.

Lara tightens his grip and picks Rosa up, before dumping him to the ground. Rosa manages to land in guard.
Lara postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Lara distracts Rosa with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Rosa looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Rosa looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Lara scoring with punches to the head and body.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Lara stands and steps away. Rosa gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Rosa rushes Lara and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lara pulls guard.
Lara looking for a sweep. Not yet Lara, not yet.
Rosa throws a big right hand that misses.
Rosa throws a strike but Lara rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Lara content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Lara slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Lara chips away with some ground and pound.
Lara makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

Lara decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Rosa, up you get!

Rosa changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Lara looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rosa with the ground and pound but Lara regains half guard under the barage of strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rosa throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Rosa throwing shots but Lara is blocking nicely.
Rosa throwing shots but Lara is blocking nicely.
Rosa has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Rosa wants to work for an arm triangle but Lara is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Lara regains full guard. Nicely done.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Lara is on top in guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Rosa looking for a guillotine here but Lara defends easily.

Lara decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Raymon Lara will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Raymon Lara's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Rosa gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Lara jumps into guard, dragging Rosa to the mat.
Rosa throwing strikes but missing.
Rosa postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Rosa gets to his feet - Lara follows without any prompting.

Rosa shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Lara is looking to control Rosa's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Lara avoid being mounted?
Rosa not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lara is in trouble now - Rosa has advanced to mount!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Lara taking shots to the head.
Lara manages to work a leg through to get back to half guard here. Good work there by Lara, under a barage of strikes from Rosa.
Raymon Lara overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rosa throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Rosa throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Rosa throws a strike but Lara avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Rosa chips away with some ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rosa accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rosa pushing down on Lara's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

Rosa is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Lara sees it coming and defends easily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Lara is looking to control Rosa's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Lara avoid being mounted?
Rosa thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Lara's head.
Rosa missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Rosa winds up and cracks Lara with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Rosa tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Rosa misses with a head shot. Lara uses the momentum to regain guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rosa throws an elbow that misses. Lara uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Rosa's guard. Nice move by Lara!
Rosa keeping moving, preventing Lara from controlling successfully.
Rosa is looking to stand up but Lara isn't so interested in that idea.

Lara gets to his feet - Rosa follows without any prompting.

Rosa has taken the fight to the clinch.

Lara is fighting off a takedown attempt but Rosa is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Lara to the mat. Lara regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Lara preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lara avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Rosa is looking to work some ground and pound but Lara has wrist control.
Rosa missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rosa throwing strikes but missing.
Rosa throws a big elbow that misses.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rosa working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Rosa is looking to work some ground and pound but Lara has wrist control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rosa throws a big elbow that misses.
Lara wants to stand but Rosa is controlling the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Rosa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Raymon Lara's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Rosa rushes Lara and presses him up against the cage.

Rosa works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Rosa postures up in Lara's guard and throws a big left but Lara blocks it.
Rosa scoring with punches to the head and body.
Rosa postures up in Lara's guard and throws a big left but Lara blocks it.
Lara looking to control.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rosa accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Rosa in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Rosa postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Rosa is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rosa postures up in Lara's guard and throws a big left but Lara blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rosa works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Rosa missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Rosa missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Rosa is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Rosa seems like he's working for an arm triangle here. He's freed his trapped foot and he's rotating nicely. Lara is in big trouble! He's tapping out! This one is aaaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). John Rosa!