PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Buford Lane (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dominic Roode (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Lane
vs
Roode

156 cm
19
278 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

190 cm
22
265 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Buford Lane!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Dominic Roode!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Edson Gomes and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lane goes for a double leg but Roode avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Roode continues to drive forward.
Roode looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!

Roode closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Lane's guard.
Lane trying to control the position here.
Lane striking off his back but it's not causing Roode any problems.
Lane is controlling Roode's posture.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lane has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lane continues to stall.

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

Lane scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lane is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Lane working over Roode with some ground and pound. Roode looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Lane is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Lane throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Lane throwing shots but Roode is blocking nicely.
Lane missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Lane missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Lane scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lane missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Lane missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Lane winds up and cracks Roode with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Lane is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Lane drops an elbow to the side of Roode's head.
Lane is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Lane thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lane thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Roode's head.
Ground and pound from Lane.
Roode blocking the ground and pound attempt from Lane.
Lane thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Lane lands a nice short elbow.
Lane throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Roode blocking the ground and pound attempt from Lane.
Lane missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Buford Lane dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Lane shoots in for a takedown but Roode shows good takedown defense.
Roode misses with a few strikes there.

Lane scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Lane looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Roode with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Lane lands with a punch from half guard.
Lane scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Lane thows a huge punch but Roode dodges it nicely.
Lane really is a fat lump.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lane slips a nice elbow through Roode's hands, connecting with Roode's forehead.
Roode blocking the ground and pound attempt from Lane.
Roode is breathing heavily.
Lane thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Roode's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Roode wants to get back to his feet.
Roode taking some punishment here, with Lane in his half guard.
Lane thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Buford Lane overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Lane is working for a submission of some sort.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lane throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Lane looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Nice strikes from Lane there.
Lane is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Roode can do to turn this around?
Lane not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Roode on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Lane sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Roode defending well though.
Lane working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Lane lands a nice short elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lane thows a huge punch but Roode dodges it nicely.
Roode looks like he's trying to stand up.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Lane manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Roode on his heels. He'll look to pass Roode's guard now, I'm sure.
Lane might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Roode avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Lane is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Lane cracks Roode with a solid left hand.
Lane with a flurry of punches that miss.
Roode preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lane cracks Roode with a solid left hand.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Lane's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Lane has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Roode wants to stand but Lane is controlling the position.
Lane loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Lane trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Buford Lane is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Lane shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Roode as he jumps to the side.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Buford Lane 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. And we move into the final round!

Lane clinches up with Roode and pushes him back against the cage.

Lane pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A punch combination from Roode misses.
Lane shoots for a double leg takedown but Roode sprawls well. He's pushed Lane's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Lane looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Roode!
Lane working the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lane scores with punches from side control.
Lane working the ground and pound from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lane misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

Lane is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Roode is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Lane scores with a couple of short elbows.
Lane working the head with strikes.

Lane tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Lane has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Lane creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lane scoring with punches from side control.
Roode managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Lane.
Roode takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Lane lands some shots froms side control.
Lane creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Roode sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Lane sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Roode is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lane misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

Lane is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Roode has escaped the position, nice work there.
Lane scores with punches from side control.
Lane tries to score with some ground and pound. Roode controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Lane working the head with strikes.
Lane working the ground and pound but Roode is defending the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lane scoring with punches and elbows.
Lane is working Roode over with some ground and pound from side control.

Lane working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Lane cracks Roode with a big elbow.
Dominic Roode has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Buford Lane is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Lane controlling the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Buford Lane showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Lane, 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Buford Lane!