PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ernie Bauer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Roberts (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). James Roberts 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!

Bauer
vs
Roberts

180 cm
24
194 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

182 cm
25
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Likes musicals

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ernie Bauer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, James Roberts!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Sergei Dronov and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Roberts shoots in and gets a takedown into Bauer's guard.

Bauer has his foot on Roberts's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Roberts works his way back into a safe position though.
Bauer looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Bauer wants to get back to his feet but Roberts is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Bauer thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Roberts has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Bauer is proving hard to escape from.
Roberts stopping the sweep attempt from Bauer.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Bauer has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Roberts is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Roberts looking to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bauer has picked Roberts up - he's going for a ride! Bauer dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.

Bauer is working for a submission of some sort.

Bauer is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Roberts is just riding it out for now. Bauer eventually gives up the hold.
Roberts wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bauer stands up and beckons Roberts to join him on the feet.
Roberts lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Bauer circles away quickly and effectively.
Roberts swings widly with a right hand

and Bauer counters with a takedown into side control.
Roberts gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

Bauer is trying to work for a kimura but Roberts is defending well.
Roberts is looking for a sweep. Bauer is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bauer is looking for a kimura but Roberts is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Bauer to get the leverage.

Bauer 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.

Bauer is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Roberts is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Bauer stops Roberts from getting back to his feet.
Bauer seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

Bauer is working for a kimura but Roberts is defending it quite comfortably.
Roberts has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Bauer is working away from the top position though.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Roberts clinches.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Bauer pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ernie Bauer dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ernie Bauer's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Roberts closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Roberts lands in his opponent's guard.
Bauer looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Roberts postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Roberts in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Bauer is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Bauer looking for a sweep. Not yet Bauer, not yet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Roberts is pushing down on Bauer's leg trying to pass to half guard. Bauer is fighting to maintain full guard but Roberts has managed to sneak the leg through.
Bauer tries to get to full guard but Roberts has control of the leg.
Bauer scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Roberts manages to mount him!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bauer tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Roberts won't let Bauer get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.

Roberts working for a guillotine from mount but Bauer is in no mood to give up.
Bauer is trying to escape the mount.
Bauer is trying to reverse the position but instead Roberts has taken his back - oops!
Roberts doesn't have the hooks in and Bauer manages to turn into his guard.
Bauer postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Roberts is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Bauer drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Roberts dives on top into guard.

Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Roberts throwing strikes but missing.
Roberts trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Bauer wants to get back to his feet but Roberts is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Roberts wants to control from the top but Bauer keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bauer utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Roberts accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Roberts trying to control but Bauer is working from the bottom.
Bauer throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Bauer tries to strike from the bottom.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Roberts trying to control but Bauer is working from the bottom.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Roberts.
Bauer manages to work his way to half guard, despite Roberts's best efforts.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bauer gets full guard.
Roberts won't allow Bauer to get back to his feet.
Roberts tries to stand but Bauer is controlling from the bottom.
Bauer is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Roberts dives into side control.
Bauer manages to work his way to half guard, despite Roberts's best efforts.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Roberts throwing shots but Bauer is blocking nicely.
Bauer is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Roberts showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Ernie Bauer's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Roberts bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Roberts is looking to take a break and control but Bauer is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Bauer tries to bench press Roberts off him but Roberts keeps the position.
Bauer wants to get back to his feet.
Roberts tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bauer manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Roberts trying to hold on to Bauer's head to control him but Bauer postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bauer wants to work for an arm triangle but Roberts is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
James Roberts has got the better of the ground game so far.
Bauer tries to stand and escape but Roberts is controlling the position.
Roberts is looking to control Bauer's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Roberts avoid being mounted?

Bauer stands up out of the half guard.

Roberts pushes Bauer up against the cage in a clinch.

Bauer escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Bauer has a takedown stuffed.
As Bauer backs off Roberts throws a huge counter combo but Bauer manages to avoid it all.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Roberts.
Bauer is looking to reverse the position.

Roberts tries for a kimura but Bauer is defending well.
Bauer tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Roberts wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Bauer is pushing Roberts's head away, looking to escape. Roberts manages to hold on to the position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bauer is not content to let Roberts control the position.

Roberts stands up and beckons Bauer to his feet.

Roberts moves into the clinch.

Bauer escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Roberts throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
As Roberts tries to get set, Bauer tries to push him back and clinch up but Roberts manages to avoid the attempt.

Roberts drives through and clinches with Bauer against the cage.

Bauer breaks from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Roberts scores with a takedown into Bauer's guard.
Roberts has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Bauer wants to stand but Roberts is controlling the position.
Roberts trying to control the position from guard on top but Bauer is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bauer is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Roberts comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Roberts has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Roberts!