PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Walter Rothko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Chaney (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rothko
vs
Chaney

178 cm
34
147 lbs
13 - 28 - 0

190 cm
31
144 lbs
17 - 24 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Great elbows
Experienced

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 28 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Walter Rothko !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 24 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, James Chaney!
The judges for this bout are Stewart Dunkirk, Frank Dennis and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Chaney tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rothko swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Chaney tries to score a power double leg takedown but Rothko sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Chaney somewhat.
Rothko swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Rothko shoots for a double leg takedown but Chaney sprawls well. He's pushed Rothko 's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Chaney shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Rothko napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Rothko is looking to regain half guard here but Chaney keeps moving and retains side control.
You can see the frustration on Rothko 's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rothko isn't going anywhere.

Chaney wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Rothko , who protects the arm well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chaney trying to control the position but Rothko is working away.
Chaney misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Chaney tries to advance to mount but Rothko denies him.
Chaney trying to control the action but Rothko is working from the bottom.
Rothko is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Chaney's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Rothko kicks Chaney off and gets back to his feet.
Chaney tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rothko paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Rothko fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Chaney, pushing him back against the cage.
Rothko wants to take the fight to the mat but Chaney manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Chaney misses with a knee to the head.

Rothko has hold of one of Chaney's legs. Chaney is fighting the takedown attempt but Rothko gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Rothko passes Chaney's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Chaney is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Chaney avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Rothko .
Rothko wants to take a breather but Chaney is having none of it.
Rothko controlling the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rothko seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Chaney does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Rothko passes to full mount!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Chaney is looking to improve his position but Rothko isn't that keen on the idea.
Chaney blocking the ground and pound.
Chaney is squirming around, avoiding Rothko 's attempts to control the action.
Rothko is trying to control here but Chaney has managed to regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chaney wants to get back to his feet.
Rothko wants to lay and pray for a moment but Chaney keeps working.
Chaney trying to control but Rothko postures up.
Rothko is taking a breather. Chaney says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rothko missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Chaney tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Rothko gets a takedown into half guard.

Rothko stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Rothko is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Chaney can do to turn this around?
Chaney misses with a head kick.

Rothko clinches up against the cage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Chaney is looking to take this one to the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Rothko manages to break the clinch.
Chaney tries to clinch but Rothko is having none of it.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Rothko .

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rothko closes the distance and clinches up with Chaney, looking for a takedown. Rothko pushes Chaney against the cage but Chaney circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Chaney changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Rothko takes a swing at Chaney's ribcage but misses.
Chaney throws a good cross that connects.
Chaney scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Chaney misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Good work by Rothko as he checks the leg kick.
Chaney tries to clinch but Rothko is having none of it.
Chaney misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rothko is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Chaney.
Rothko circles away from the clinch attempt.
Chaney shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Rothko moves into the clinch.
Walter Rothko has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Chaney.

Rothko jumps guard and drags Chaney to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chaney is fighting to break Rothko 's control of his arms but Rothko is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Rothko looking for a sweep. Not yet Rothko , not yet.

Rothko escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Chaney gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Chaney with a flurry of punches that miss.

Rothko is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Chaney is aware though and is defending well.
Rothko controlling the position.
Chaney trying to control the position from guard on top but Rothko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rothko pulls Chaney in close to prevent any damage.
Rothko wants to sweep here but Chaney controlling him for the moment.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Chaney trying to control the position from guard on top but Rothko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Chaney fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Rothko clinches up with Chaney and pushes him back against the cage.

Rothko pulls guard successfully.
Chaney trying to control but Rothko is working from the bottom.
Rothko throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rothko manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Chaney manages to get himself to full guard.

Chaney keeping full guard, as Rothko tries to pass.
Chaney is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Rothko works his way to full guard. Good work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Chaney trying to control but Rothko is working from the bottom.
Chaney might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Rothko haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Walter Rothko dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Rothko moves out of range as Chaney throws a body kick.
Rothko circles away from the clinch attempt.
Chaney tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rothko paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Chaney tries to clinch up.
Rothko tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Chaney manages to circle out of the way.
Chaney looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Chaney throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Rothko stuffs the takedown attempt from Chaney. Chaney gets slowly back to his feet.
Chaney tries to clinch but Rothko is having none of it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Rothko gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Rothko ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Rothko no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Rothko working a defensive guard here.
Rothko doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rothko looking to hit a scissor sweep but Chaney is one step ahead there.

Rothko is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Rothko might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Chaney pushing down on Rothko 's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Rothko gets full guard.
Chaney slips nicely into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Rothko trying to control from the bottom.
Chaney seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Chaney moves into full mount! Rothko won't be happy about that!
Chaney wants to stand but Rothko is holding on to him, trying to stop him posturing up.
Rothko bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Chaney is looking to stand up but Rothko isn't so interested in that idea.
Rothko is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rothko prevents Chaney from getting back to his feet.
Chaney can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Rothko controls the pace.
Rothko landing with the ground and pound.
Chaney utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Chaney has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Rothko is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Chaney.
Chaney struggling a bit here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Chaney tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Chaney bucks up and tries to throw Rothko off but instead Rothko has got his back!
Chaney is really stuck here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rothko tries to get the hooks in deep but Chaney pushed the leg off.
James Chaney has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Walter Rothko is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rothko controlling from the back.

And that's the end of the fight!
Walter Rothko showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Rothko , winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Walter Rothko !