PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Axl Rose (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Simon Strange (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rose's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, You Could Be Mine. Axl Rose has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Rose
vs
Strange

183 cm
30
171 lbs
14 - 10 - 0

175 cm
33
187 lbs
28 - 16 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 10 - 0, fighting out of London, Axl Rose!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 28 - 16 - 0, fighting out of New York, Simon Strange!
The judges for this bout are Phil Schofield, James Glass and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A good leg kick by Rose.
Rose moves out of range as Strange strikes.
Strange lands a slapping body shot.
Strange connects with a body shot.
Rose fails to land with a series of punches.
Strange lands with a cross.
Rose misses with a looping right.
An inside leg kick from Strange misses.
Strange takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Rose moves forwards but Strange connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Simon Strange seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Strange scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nice jab there from Strange.
Rose throws a low kick, looking for Strange's leg but Strange calmly moves out of range.
Strange drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Rose defends it well.
Rose misses with a straight left.
Strange connects with a body shot.
Strange avoids the body shot from Rose.
Rose has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Lucky Liam's MMA Academy in the buildup to the fight.
Strange throws a nice inside leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Strange shoots in and gets a takedown into Rose's guard.
Strange missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Rose has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Strange can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Strange tries to free his leg and advance position but Rose is retaining full guard.
Strange trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Strange's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Strange is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Strange trying to control but Rose is working from the bottom.
Strange makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Strange is looking to work some ground and pound but Rose has wrist control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strange with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rose keeping moving, preventing Strange from controlling successfully.
Strange postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Strange trying to control the position from guard on top but Rose is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Strange trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Rose manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Strange is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Strange looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Strange is looking for a triangle but Rose pushes his legs off easily.
Strange trying to keep a closed guard but Rose is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rose has gone for a leg lock! Strange slips out almost immediately though and dives into Rose's guard.

The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Strange scoring with some ground and pound.
Strange in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Rose working for a triangle but Strange defends it easily.
Strange works a leg free and moves into half guard.

Strange is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Strange seems to be looking for submissions.
Rose tries to get to full guard but Strange has control of the leg.
Strange is nestled in close to Rose, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

Strange is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Strange landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Strange takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Simon Strange dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Strange throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Rose was covering up waiting for the punch and Strange finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Strange postures up in Rose's guard and throws a big left but Rose blocks it.
Strange loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Strange looking to sit in guard and control but Rose gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Strange is looking for a triangle but Rose pushes his legs off easily.
Rose wants to control from the top but Strange keeps moving.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Strange is pulling down on Rose's head to control his posture.
Rose trying to control but Strange is working from the bottom.
Strange is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rose trying to control but Strange is working from the bottom.
Rose is really struggling to control Strange but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Strange manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Rose manages to get himself to full guard.

Strange tries to free his leg and advance position but Rose is retaining full guard.

Rose is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Strange is aware though and is defending well.
Strange has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Strange looking to sit in guard and control but Rose gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Rose works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Strange wants to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strange makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Strange.
Rose looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Simon Strange has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rose wants to control from the top but Strange keeps moving.

Rose avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Rose wants to control from the top but Strange keeps moving.
Strange tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rose controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Strange keeping moving, preventing Rose from controlling successfully.
Rose preventing the sweep.

Rose is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Rose forces his way into half guard.
Rose is looking to stall here but Strange recovers full guard.
Strange controls Rose momentarily but Rose frees himself.

Strange is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Rose is aware though and is defending well.

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.

Rose got a little sloppy there for a moment and Strange has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Rose has managed to get both his arms back between Strange's legs - danger averted.
Rose wants to control from the top but Strange keeps moving.
Rose sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Strange's guard.
Rose prevents Strange from improving his position.

Rose maintaining the dominant position here and is working for a kimura. He's locked it up! Strange could be in real trouble here! He's trying to wriggle out but Rose has cracked it and Strange is screaming in pain - he's tapped out! Great finish by Rose!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:53 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Axl Rose!
After winning the bout, Axl Rose thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.
Simon Strange spoke after the fight, saying 'FFS, can't seem to catch a break at the moment.'.