PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Vagner Love (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bartholomew Roach (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Roach comes into a darkened arena with his song building. The Simpsons Theme Song kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Love
vs
Roach

188 cm
29
206 lbs
17 - 2 - 0

191 cm
32
212 lbs
26 - 7 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Grand Champion Apparel
Sun-Tzu

Pitt Nutrition 160Q@$149
Grand Champion Apparel

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 17 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Vagner Love!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 26 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bartholomew Roach!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, Daniel Bishop and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Love tried to score with a low kick but Roach checks it.
Roach appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Love throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Roach throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
A counter left hand to the body from Love misses its target.
Roach takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Roach on the wrong end of a nice hook.

It looks like Bartholomew Roach has been cut.
Love keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Love. Roach shrugs it off though.
Love lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Roach throws out a powerful jab.
Good work by Love as he checks the leg kick.
Vagner Love seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Love stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Roach.
Love misses the shot to the body.
Roach has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Roach finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Love on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Love throws a right and a left that Roach avoids nicely.
Love has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Furia Top Team in the buildup to the fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Love throws a good cross that connects.
Roach loads up on a big right hand but Love slips the punch.
Roach punishes Love's body with a nice straight punch.
Love takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Nice body kick from Roach.
Roach with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Love pivots, looking for a leg kick but Roach is out of range and Love settles back down.
Love swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Love drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Love scores with a body shot.
Roach displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Love throws out the jab.
Love fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Roach on the side of the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Good work by Roach as he checks the leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Love.
Roach misses with an attempted mid kick.
An attempted straight right counter from Love misses the target.
A solid body kick from Love.
Roach stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Love.
Love connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Love connects with a body shot.
Roach looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Roach throws a leg kick but Love moved away.
Love misses with a body kick.
Roach fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Love scores with a leg kick.
Love throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Love changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters circling - Roach throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Roach avoids the body shot from Love.
Roach throws a chopping leg kick but Love manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
A good leg kick by Love.
Love misses with a wild body shot.
Roach fakes the leg kick and cracks Love in the body.
Love throws a series of punches but Roach avoids them all with ease.
Love scores with a nice head shot.
Love's corner calls for a 1-2. Love obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Roach lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Love at a distance.
Roach moves out of range of the strikes.
Roach lands a head kick!
Roach throws a nice inside leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Love takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Love slips under a jab.
Roach lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Love misses with a low kick.
Roach looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Roach - that will leave a mark!
Roach shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Love slips a jab from Roach.
Roach misses with a low kick.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Roach.
Roach keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A cross from Roach lands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Vagner Love will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Bartholomew Roach's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Love dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Roach. That did some damage!
Love feints and then cracks Roach's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Roach down.
No joy there for Love, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Jab, jab by Roach - just one landing.
Roach sizes up Love with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

Roach instigates a clinch.

Roach breaks the clinch.
Love fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Roach scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Roach moves out of range of the strikes.
A big right from Love misses.
A punch lands to the side of Love 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Roach jabs Love to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Roach takes a swing at Love's ribcage but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Love works the jab nicely.
Nice body kick there by Roach.
Roach lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Love backs up against the cage.
Love lands with a slapping head kick.
Love looks to land a body kick but Roach moved away.
Love scores with a leg kick.
Roach has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Love finds it's way round the side to connect with Roach's head.
Roach throws a body kick that misses.
Love misses with a body shot.
Roach feints a counter leg kick.
Love misses the jab.
Love backing away here, and Roach unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Roach rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Love moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Love punishes Roach's body with a nice straight punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Love.
A swing and a miss from Love.
Love swings widly with a right hand
and Roach counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
A bone on bone clash there as Roach blocks the leg kick.
Roach ducks under a wild hook from Love.
A low kick from Roach is predictable there
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Roach.
Love blocks a head kick by Roach.
Roach tries a low kick but Love avoids it.
Love throwing a counter right hand but Roach manages to avoid it.
Love throws a right hand that misses
and Roach makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Roach uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Love.
Love scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Love throws a lazy uppercut
and Roach counters with an inside leg kick.
Roach throws a looping overhand right but Love ducks down to avoid it.
Love avoids the head kick by Roach.
Love throws a leg kick but Roach sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Love tries a head kick but it misses.
Love moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Roach's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Love avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Roach throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Roach throws a leg kick
and Love counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Love misses with a right hand
and Roach counters with a good low kick that Love was not able to check.
Roach throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Love.
Roach is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Love.
Love lands a jab.

Roach is rocked!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Love throws a jab but it's blocked by Roach.
Love backing away here, and Roach unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Roach lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Love has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Love and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Donk. Love catches Roach right on the button with a cross.
Roach is still on wobbly legs! Can Love finish him?
Roach throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Love's head.
Love on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Roach seems to have recovered his senses.
A low kick from Roach is predictable there
and Love counters with a nice body shot.
Love tries to score with a low kick but Roach moves his leg out of the way.
Roach is trying to counter with his kicks.
Roach slips a jab and a cross from Love.
Roach looks to land a body kick but Love moved away.
Love lands a nice hook to Roach's body. Roach takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Love throws a good cross that connects.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Vagner Love will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Bartholomew Roach's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Love throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Roach misses with a low kick.
Love misses with a low kick.
Love misses with a body shot.
Love swings away with a leg kick that misses.
A swing and a miss from Love.
Love throws a leg kick
and Roach counters with a straight right hand.
Roach connects with a leg kick. Love looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Roach tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Love manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Love misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Roach looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Love feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Roach's calf.
That kick from Love tenderised Roach's leg. Roach is trying to keep his angry face on.
A low kick from Love misses
and Roach counters with a slapping leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Roach feints and then cracks Love's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Love down.
Roach throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Nice body punch from Roach.
Love getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Roach takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Roach doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Roach throws a leg kick
and Roach takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Vagner Love is winning the standup battle so far.
Love slips a jab from Roach.
Good leg kick by Roach there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Love misses with a lunging right hand
and Roach counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Love ducks under a wild hook from Roach.
Roach tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Love was well out of range. Poor timing from Roach.
Roach misses with a head kick.
Love will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Roach.
Love throws a nice outside leg kick.
Love connects with a solid leg kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Roach lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Love wants to land a leg kick but Roach is out of range.
Love misses with a looping left.
Roach keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Love.
Love scores with a sloppy right hand. Roach should have avoided that one.
A jab from Love misses.
Love throws a low kick but Roach avoids it.
Love backing away here, and Roach unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Love connects with a looping right hand.
Roach on the wrong end of a nice jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Love throws out a leg kick but Roach moves out of range and Love only half commits.
Love lands with a shot to the body.
Love throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Roach missing with a left hand there. Love was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Love feinted there with a counter leg kick.
The fighters circle, before Love throws a beautiful high kick that crashes into Roach's neck, sending him stumbling to the floor! Love lands more strikes and forces a referee stoppage! That one ended in an instant!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:31 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Kick & Punches). Vagner Love!
Vagner Love retains his light heavyweight title!
A very excited looking Vagner Love made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.