PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kasey Rocha (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joshua McPhearson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kasey Rocha has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Rocha
vs
McPhearson

220 cm
18
214 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

184 cm
18
200 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Brown Belt
Dangerous knees
Likes musicals

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Kasey Rocha!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Joshua McPhearson!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Gregory Folan and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
McPhearson doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Rocha counters with a two punch combo.

Rocha shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Rocha is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Rocha throws a strike but McPhearson avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rocha throwing strikes from guard but McPhearson blocks nicely.

Rocha thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McPhearson keeping moving, preventing Rocha from controlling successfully.

Rocha drops back, looking for a kneebar! McPhearson looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. McPhearson looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from McPhearson!

Rocha avoids any damage from the ground and pound of McPhearson.
McPhearson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rocha keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

McPhearson goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Rocha rolls with the submission and now he's on top in McPhearson's guard! Nice work there by Rocha!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rocha sitting in guard here, content to control.

McPhearson escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rocha gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Rocha scoring with some ground and pound.
Rocha looking to sit in guard and control but McPhearson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rocha wants to stand up but McPhearson is controlling him.
McPhearson working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Rocha really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
McPhearson missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rocha working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from McPhearson.
McPhearson throws a big right hand that misses.
Rocha looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Rocha knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for McPhearson on the ground.
Rocha preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rocha is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
McPhearson trying to control the position from guard on top but Rocha is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
McPhearson throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Rocha counters with a shoot takedown. McPhearson fights it but they end up in guard.
Rocha stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. McPhearson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
McPhearson looking for a sweep. Not yet McPhearson, not yet.

McPhearson working for a triangle but Rocha defends it easily.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rocha accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kasey Rocha dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

McPhearson throws an off balance right hand

and Rocha counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for McPhearson!
Rocha staying calm.
McPhearson is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Rocha is looking to stall here but McPhearson recovers full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rocha looking to pass the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rocha loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

McPhearson has his foot on Rocha's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Rocha works his way back into a safe position though.
Rocha is working McPhearson over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Rocha loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
McPhearson tries to strike from the bottom.
Rocha is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that McPhearson can do to turn this around?
Rocha working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Rocha wants to control from the top but McPhearson keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
McPhearson throws a head kick that misses

and Rocha counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Rocha pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McPhearson misses with an uppercut

and Rocha holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Rocha breaks from the clinch.
A lazy body kick from McPhearson
and Rocha counters with a left to the body.
McPhearson swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Rocha counters with a nice body shot.
McPhearson misses with a double jab
and Rocha counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
McPhearson is breathing heavily.
McPhearson misses with a lunging right hand
and Rocha counters with a head kick.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Rocha shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Rocha throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rocha thows a huge punch but McPhearson dodges it nicely.
Rocha blocks the strikes from McPhearson.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rocha lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Rocha is looking to pass McPhearson's guard but actually McPhearson recovers to full guard.
Rocha engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
McPhearson bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rocha's guard.

McPhearson missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
McPhearson working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
McPhearson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rocha is keeping the position for now.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

McPhearson thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kasey Rocha dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

McPhearson shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Rocha counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

McPhearson throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Rocha throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as McPhearson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rocha wants to control from the top but McPhearson keeps moving.
Rocha with a nice head shot there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rocha in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Rocha working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Rocha throws a strike but McPhearson rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Rocha will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
McPhearson throws a big elbow that misses.
Rocha keeping moving, preventing McPhearson from controlling successfully.
McPhearson working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
McPhearson won't allow Rocha to sweep him here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
McPhearson throws a big elbow that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rocha preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
McPhearson rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Rocha decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in McPhearson's guard.
McPhearson keeping moving, preventing Rocha from controlling successfully.
McPhearson has momentary wrist control but Rocha slips an elbow through the middle.
McPhearson throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
McPhearson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
McPhearson trying to keep a closed guard but Rocha is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McPhearson striking off his back but it's not causing Rocha any problems.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
McPhearson looks to throw a body kick

and Rocha counters by clinching up.

Rocha breaks from the clinch.

Rocha darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Rocha wants to take a breather but McPhearson is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rocha is trying to work for a kimura but McPhearson is defending well.

McPhearson looking for submissions off his back.
McPhearson has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
McPhearson flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Rocha is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Joshua McPhearson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kasey Rocha is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
McPhearson wants to get back to full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kasey Rocha showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Rocha 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 Robert Douchet scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kasey Rocha!