PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bad Ben (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Julio Rocha (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Julio Rocha will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Ben
vs
Rocha

183 cm
25
234 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

200 cm
25
255 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Bad Ben!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Julio Rocha!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Donald Grub and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rocha throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Ben closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Ben throws a head punch that misses.
Ben tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Rocha manages to break the clinch.
Ben tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rocha. Ben does a little dance to reset his feet.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ben looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Rocha closes the distance and clinches.
Ben could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Rocha jumps guard but Ben stands there with Rocha around his waist. Rocha gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Ben lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

Rocha escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Rocha has managed to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rocha tries to pull guard but Ben won't allow it.
Rocha holding his opponent close, against the cage.

Rocha pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ben moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Rocha crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Ben - the referee stops the clock and Rocha gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Ben. Rocha manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Rocha is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Ben.

It looks like Julio Rocha has been cut.
Rocha slaps away a takedown attempt from Ben, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Ben looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Ben fakes the leg kick and cracks Rocha in the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Ben takes the fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rocha breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rocha tries to bum rush Ben with a series of wild strikes but Ben uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Ben throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Rocha's waist but Rocha gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Ben off to one side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bad Ben. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ben stuffs the takedown.
Ben misses with a wild combination.

Ben gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Rocha changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Ben fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Rocha looks winded!
Ben is looking to clinch.
Rocha misses with a double jab
and Ben counters with a left and a right that stings Rocha.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ben lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
A combination from Ben does no damage.
Horrible takedown by Ben or perhaps it was just good defense by Rocha which made him look bad.
Ben slips a jab and a cross from Rocha.

Rocha clinches with his opponent.

Rocha breaks from the clinch.
Rocha slips a jab and a cross from Ben.
Ben tries to close the distance and clinch but Rocha swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ben tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Rocha manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Ben uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Rocha.
Ben throws a push kick but Rocha slaps the foot to one side.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rocha shoots in but no luck this time.
Ben dips to his left and cracks Rocha with an uppercut!
Ben lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ben lands a head kick!
Ben swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Ben fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Rocha, pushing him back against the cage.
Rocha blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Ben cracks Rocha with a nice body shot.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A short right hand to the side of the head by Ben.
Ben can't find room to land a body shot as Rocha controls the action.
Rocha blocking some punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bad Ben dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Julio Rocha's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Sloppy strikes from Ben. Those never looked like landing.
Rocha shoots in looking for a takedown. Ben tries to sprawl out of it but Rocha keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Ben manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Bad Ben is winning the standup battle so far.
Ben misses with a few strikes there.
Ben lands a jab-cross combination.
Ben tries for a takedown but Rocha sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Ben tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Ben tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Rocha defends well and Ben ends up having to push Rocha into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Rocha decides to pull guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Ben throwing strikes but missing.

Ben drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Ben jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Ben postures up in Rocha's guard and throws a big left but Rocha blocks it.
Ben 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ben wants to control from the top but Rocha keeps moving.
Ben might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Rocha seems keen to control Ben's posture.
Rocha wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Ben manages to pass to side control.
Rocha is breathing heavily.
Rocha is looking to escape.
Ben throwing shots but Rocha is blocking nicely.

Ben 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.
Ben throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ben is trying to control the action in half guard but Rocha is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Ben throwing shots but Rocha is blocking nicely.
Rocha trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Ben manages to pass to mount!
Rocha is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Rocha blocking the ground and pound.
Rocha wants to control but Ben is having none of it.
Rocha is squirming around, avoiding Ben's attempts to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rocha holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Ben tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Ben throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Rocha wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Ben.
Ben looking to ground and pound but Rocha is blocking nicely.
Ben trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Rocha blocking the ground and pound.
Rocha is desperately trying to improve his position but Ben has a good base and remains in mount.
Rocha wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Ben.
Ben punching from mount but Rocha doing a good job of avoiding damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ben looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Ben avoids the attempt from Rocha to control.
Ben throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Rocha because Ben loaded up on that one.
Ben thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!

Ben goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Rocha is on top in guard.
Rocha really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Ben. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ben looking for a sweep. Not yet Ben, not yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bad Ben dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Julio Rocha's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Rocha stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Rocha wants it to stay on the feet.
Rocha throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Ben.
Ben takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Rocha falls off balance throwing a combination
and Ben makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Rocha scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Ben shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Rocha sprawls well. Rocha wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Ben gets slowly back to his feet.
Ben shoots in looking for a takedown but Rocha manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Ben's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bad Ben. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ben on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ben looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Bad Ben is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ben fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rocha fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Ben manages to avoid it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Some wild striking there from Ben.
Ben keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Rocha showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Ben.
Rocha is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Ben rather than just go for the knockout.
Rocha tries to land a leg kick but Ben saw it coming and moves away.
Ben shoots in but Rocha avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Rocha pivots, looking for a leg kick but Ben is out of range and Rocha settles back down.
Rocha dives in for a single leg takedown but Ben sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Ben has a couple of punches blocked by Rocha.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rocha tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Ben just stands there and leans against the cage.
Ben lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Rocha backwards.
Rocha jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Ben walks away with a smile on his face. Rocha gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Ben shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Rocha as he avoids it easily.
Nice sprawl there from Rocha as Ben shoots in.
Rocha keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Rocha listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

Ben moves into range and clinches up with Rocha.

Rocha breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rocha stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Rocha wants it to stay on the feet.
Rocha avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Rocha is trying hard to land a takedown here. Ben sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Ben moves in looking to clinch but Rocha pushes him off.
Ben connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Ben on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Ben lands with a good body shot.
Ben tries to clinch but Rocha is having none of it.
Rocha throws the kick towards the body but Ben avoids it.
Ben checks a leg kick nicely.
Ben lands a really nice looking cross but Rocha seems unphased.
Julio Rocha seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
No joy there for Ben, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ben will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A jab lands there for Rocha.
Ben has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Ben there as he acknowledges the shot.

Ben drives through and clinches with Rocha against the cage.
Ben lands an uppercut.
Knees to the body from Ben.
Ben misses with a short punch on the inside.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Rocha breaks from the clinch.

Rocha has closed the distance and engaged Ben in a clinch.
Julio Rocha has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bad Ben is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ben misses with a punch on the inside.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Julio Rocha.
Well Ben has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 29:28
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bad Ben!