PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Robbie Lawler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Roman Reigns (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lawler comes to the cage accompanied by i hear voices. Roman Reigns has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Robbie Lawler's chin.

Lawler
vs
Reigns

180 cm
23
175 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

190 cm
25
177 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

Good wrestler
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Robbie Lawler!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Roman Reigns!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Cecil Peabody and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lawler lands a nice looking body kick.
Reigns throws a right and a left that Lawler avoids nicely.
Lawler doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Reigns counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Lawler breaks from the clinch.
Reigns throws a head kick but Lawler moves out of range.
Reigns moves in looking to clinch but Lawler pushes him off.
Lawler doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Reigns counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Reigns is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Lawler!
Lawler is looking to improve his position but Reigns isn't that keen on the idea.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Reigns tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Reigns putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reigns controlling the position easily from mount.
Reigns's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Lawler working to try and regain half guard.
Reigns takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

Reigns is standing up, even though he is in mount.

Reigns closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Lawler's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reigns slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Reigns decides to stand back up. Reigns steps back and let's Lawler get back to his feet.
Lawler is breathing heavily.
Reigns is looking to clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Reigns closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Lawler to the mat! Lawler manages to get full guard.
Reigns pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lawler is keeping the position for now.
Lawler is trying to control the position but Reigns postures up.
Reigns is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Reigns stands up and waves to Lawler to follow him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reigns pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Reigns tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Lawler paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Reigns tries to clinch up.

Reigns feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

Reigns stands up from Lawler's guard - Reigns perhaps looking for a knockout.
Reigns doesn't manage to clinch there - Lawler circles away.
Reigns tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Lawler manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lawler keeps the fight on the outside.
Reigns misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Reigns wants to clinch.

Reigns scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Reigns works his way into side control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Reigns decides to stand back up.
No joy there for Reigns, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Reigns tries to clinch up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roman Reigns dominated that round.
That's time! Lawler's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Reigns looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Lawler!
Lawler can't do much from the bottom here.
Reigns taking a breather here.
Reigns has knee on belly and moves into mount.

Reigns looking for a guillotine from mount but Lawler is having none of it.
Reigns is landing with some decent strikes but Lawler is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reigns controlling the pace for now.
Reigns punishing his opponent with strikes.
Reigns controlling the pace for now.
Reigns lands a couple of good shots and Lawler has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Roman Reigns has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Reigns working for the choke.
Reigns scores with a nice shot to the head of his opponent. Lawler is looking for a way out.

Reigns looking for the choke from the back.
Reigns is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Reigns landing with strikes.
Reigns is riding his opponent, not letting Lawler buck him off.

Reigns is working hard for the rear naked choke here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lawler trying to control but not successfully.

Lawler showing good submission defense here.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Reigns controlling the positon.
Reigns lands a shot to the body.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lawler knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Reigns on the ground.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Reigns lands an elbow to the side of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roman Reigns showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Lawler gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Reigns counters with a nice double leg into side control. Lawler won't be happy with that.

Reigns stands up and beckons Lawler to his feet.
Lawler delivers a nice body kick.
Reigns throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Lawler with a poor takedown

and Reigns counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Reigns gets to his feet - back to striking we go!

Reigns gets a takedown into half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Reigns in particular looking to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lawler is looking to improve his position.
Reigns content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Reigns has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Roman Reigns hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Reigns doesn't manage to clinch there - Lawler circles away.
Lawler on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

Reigns shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Lawler manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Lawler being controlled here, momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reigns working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Lawler's head.
Reigns postures up in Lawler's guard and throws a big left but Lawler blocks it.
Reigns sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Reigns is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Reigns throwing strikes from guard but Lawler blocks nicely.
Reigns has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Reigns not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Roman Reigns.

Reigns manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Lawler on his heels. He'll look to pass Lawler's guard now, I'm sure.
Reigns passes Lawler's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Reigns stalling.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lawler is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Reigns pulls his head out easily.
Reigns passes the guard and advances to mount!
Reigns content just to control the position here.
Reigns working Lawler over with strikes here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Roman Reigns comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Reigns 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 25:30
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 25:30
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Roman Reigns!