PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Roid Whitaker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kurt Vogel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Whitaker
vs
Vogel

150 cm
21
140 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

153 cm
23
142 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Very quick

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Determined

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Roid Whitaker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Kurt Vogel!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Felipe Paraventi and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vogel looks for a takedown but Whitaker sprawls well.
No luck for Whitaker with that takedown attempt.
Vogel fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
A counter left hand to the body from Whitaker misses its target.
Whitaker shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Vogel but Vogel pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Vogel tries to counter by closing the distance.
Whitaker fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Roid Whitaker. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Whitaker changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Vogel tries to avoid it but Whitaker manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Vogel to the ground. Vogel escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Whitaker fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Vogel avoids it really well and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Whitaker gets a clinch.

Whitaker has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Vogel uses from the top position.
Vogel makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Vogel pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Whitaker is keeping the position for now.
Vogel trying to control the position from guard on top but Whitaker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Whitaker looking for a guillotine here but Vogel defends easily.
Vogel lands a couple of decent looking shots.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vogel is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Vogel really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Whitaker. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Vogel preventing the sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vogel sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Whitaker had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Vogel defends it easily.
Vogel content to stall in guard here.
Vogel makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

Whitaker throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Vogel postures up in Whitaker's guard and throws a big left but Whitaker blocks it.
Whitaker throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Vogel must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vogel trying to control but Whitaker is working from the bottom.
Whitaker is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Vogel felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Whitaker sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Vogel defending well though.
Whitaker is trying to control the action in half guard but Vogel is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Vogel can do anything to dispel that myth.
Whitaker missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Whitaker working Vogel over with strikes.
Whitaker sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Vogel defending well though.
Whitaker has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Whitaker is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Whitaker is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Vogel wants to get back to his feet.

Vogel has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Whitaker is on him like a limpet, forcing Vogel back against the cage.
Vogel is pressed up against the cage. Whitaker has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Vogel down to the mat. Vogel avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Vogel fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Whitaker to the ground. Vogel is now in Whitaker's guard.
Whitaker wants to get back to his feet but Vogel is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Whitaker keeping moving, preventing Vogel from controlling successfully.

Whitaker has his foot on Vogel's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Vogel works his way back into a safe position though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Kurt Vogel will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Vogel tries to keep at a distance but Whitaker has taken the fight into the clinch.
Vogel can't find room to land a body shot as Whitaker controls the action.
Whitaker has Vogel pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Vogel manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Whitaker wants a takedown but no success here.
Whitaker wants to take the fight to the mat but Vogel manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Roid Whitaker. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Vogel lands with a right to the head.

Whitaker has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Vogel uses from the top position.
Vogel is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Vogel working some strikes from top position.
Vogel is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Whitaker trying to strike off his back.
Vogel looking to sit in guard and control but Whitaker gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Whitaker trying to control but Vogel is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vogel utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Whitaker looking to pass the guard.
Vogel is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Vogel working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Whitaker.
Whitaker looking to pass the guard.
Vogel wants to stand and escape but Whitaker is having none of it.
Whitaker scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Vogel is looking to stand up but Whitaker isn't so interested in that idea.
Roid Whitaker overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Vogel has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Whitaker off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

Vogel gets tackled into the cage by Whitaker. Whitaker maintains the clinch.

Vogel is trying to trip Whitaker. He has hold of a leg but Whitaker is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Vogel persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Whitaker trying to control the position.
Whitaker is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Vogel is controlling him.
Vogel scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Whitaker lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Whitaker passes Vogel's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whitaker sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Vogel defending well though.

Whitaker is working for a submission of some sort.
Whitaker prevents Vogel from standing back up.
Whitaker is looking to take a break and control but Vogel is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Whitaker is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Whitaker trying to control the action but Vogel is working from the bottom.

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.
Whitaker is really struggling to control Vogel but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Whitaker throwing shots but Vogel is blocking nicely.
Whitaker is looking to take a break and control but Vogel is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Vogel blocking the ground and pound attempt from Whitaker.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Whitaker 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.
Whitaker thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
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 Roid Whitaker will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Whitaker fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Whitaker throws a low kick, looking for Vogel's leg but Vogel calmly moves out of range.
Roid Whitaker seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Whitaker shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Vogel sprawls well. Vogel wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Whitaker gets slowly back to his feet.

Vogel scores with a takedown into Whitaker's guard.
Vogel's corner is telling him to maintain position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Whitaker has his foot on Vogel's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Vogel works his way back into a safe position though.
Whitaker has momentary wrist control but Vogel slips an elbow through the middle.

Whitaker working for a triangle but Vogel defends it easily.
Vogel wants to control from the top but Whitaker keeps moving.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vogel works over Whitaker with some ground and pound from guard.
Whitaker is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Vogel works over Whitaker with some ground and pound from guard.
Vogel postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Vogel makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Vogel stands up over Whitaker, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Vogel trying to control the position from guard on top but Whitaker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Vogel content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Vogel trying to control the position from guard on top but Whitaker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Whitaker utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Whitaker doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Vogel postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Whitaker looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Vogel lands a couple of elbows.
Vogel is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Vogel is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Whitaker throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Vogel working some strikes from top position.

Whitaker had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Vogel defends it easily.
Whitaker keeping moving, preventing Vogel from controlling successfully.
Vogel lands a couple of elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vogel lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Vogel scoring with some ground and pound.
Whitaker throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Whitaker looking to hit a scissor sweep but Vogel is one step ahead there.
Vogel cracks Whitaker with a solid left hand.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Vogel's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Whitaker has momentary wrist control but Vogel slips an elbow through the middle.
Vogel trying to control the position from guard on top but Whitaker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Whitaker working a defensive guard here.

Whitaker is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Vogel cracks Whitaker with a solid left hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vogel postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Vogel makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Vogel working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Whitaker's head.
Vogel connects with a couple of short punches.

Whitaker is rocked!

Whitaker is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Oh Whitaker is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Vogel connects with a couple of short punches.
Vogel working some strikes from top position.

Whitaker looking for a guillotine here but Vogel defends easily.
Vogel lands a couple of digs.
Vogel content to stall in guard here.
Whitaker seems to have got his legs back now.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Vogel's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kurt Vogel comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Vogel 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 28:30
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kurt Vogel!
Roid Whitaker spoke after the fight, saying 'The ref is blind. The judges and bias. And I have never used sports enhancing drugs... knowingly.'.