PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Pierre Rocha (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jim Upton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Rocha
vs
Upton

164 cm
18
177 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Pierre Rocha!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jim Upton!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Chris Downing and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rocha tries to sprawl but Upton drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Upton is trying to control the action in half guard but Rocha is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Rocha trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Rocha is wriggling around trying to escape.
Upton throwing strikes here but Rocha is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Poor strikes thrown by Upton there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Rocha is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Upton controlling the pace for now.
Upton throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Rocha working to try and regain half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rocha stops Upton from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rocha is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Upton throwing strikes here but Rocha is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Rocha is looking to get to half guard.
Rocha really is a fat lump.
Rocha holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Upton tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Rocha is looking to improve his position but Upton isn't that keen on the idea.
Rocha is working hard here to advance position.
Upton with good strikes from the mount here!
Upton sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Upton avoids the attempt from Rocha to control.
Upton wants to control the pace but Rocha is squirming around nicely.
Rocha working to try and regain half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Upton looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Upton takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Rocha is trying to escape the mount.
Rocha landing with some feeble shots from his back... He should probably try escaping the position instead.
Rocha is looking to improve his position but Upton isn't that keen on the idea.
Upton looking to control but Rocha is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Rocha is looking to improve his position but Upton isn't that keen on the idea.
Rocha manages to regain half guard. Good work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rocha manages to get to full guard.
Upton preventing the sweep.
Rocha wants to improve his position but instead Upton has moved into half guard.

Upton is working for a kimura but Rocha is defending it quite comfortably.

Upton is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Rocha is just riding it out for now. Upton eventually gives up the hold.
Upton looks winded!
Upton wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rocha keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Rocha makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Rocha.
Rocha has his hands on Upton's head, controlling the position.
Upton stopping the sweep attempt from Rocha.
Rocha preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rocha controls Upton momentarily but Upton frees himself.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Upton would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Rocha 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.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jim Upton dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Upton shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Rocha keeping moving, preventing Upton from controlling successfully.
Rocha is trying to control the position but Upton postures up.
Upton must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Upton trying to control the position from guard on top but Rocha is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Rocha has his foot on Upton's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Upton works his way back into a safe position though.

Rocha looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Jim Upton has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rocha looking for a sweep. Not yet Rocha, not yet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Upton wants to control from the top but Rocha keeps moving.
Rocha trying to control the position.
Rocha avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Upton is stalling in the full guard.
Rocha might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Rocha can't keep his opponent in guard - Upton advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Upton missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Rocha is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Upton's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Upton's back!

Rocha is persistently looking for the submission but Upton is defending it well.
Rocha is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
Rocha lands a shot to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rocha missing with strikes.
Rocha has good solid back control here.
Rocha scores with some strikes to the side of the head there. Good, points scoring shots.
Rocha controlling from the back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rocha not allowing Upton to control his hands.

Rocha working for a choke but Upton is defending well.
Rocha lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Upton.
Upton wants to control his opponent's hands but Rocha gets his hands free.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Rocha is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
The referee is taking a good look at Upton as he is on the wrong end of some big shots from Rocha!
Upton tries to roll but Rocha sticks to his back.
Rocha is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rocha trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pierre Rocha dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Rocha dives in and scores a takedown into Upton's guard.
Upton wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Upton looking to control but Rocha passes into half guard.
Rocha wants to stand up but Upton is controlling the position.
Well, if Rocha is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Upton wants to control but Rocha is keeping busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rocha working Upton over with strikes.
Upton is trying to control but can't.
Rocha 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.
Rocha is controlling the pace.
Rocha trying to control the action but Upton is working from the bottom.
Rocha scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Rocha not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Rocha keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Upton is not content to let Rocha control the position.
Upton trying to control here.
Rocha missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

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

Upton clinches up against the cage.

Rocha breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Rocha feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

Upton has his foot on Rocha's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Rocha works his way back into a safe position though.
Upton takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rocha is stalling in the full guard.
Upton looking to control.
Upton being controlled here, momentarily.
Rocha with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Upton is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Rocha trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

That's four 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.
Rocha trying to control the position from guard on top but Upton is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Upton scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Rocha doesn't seem bothered though.

Upton takes the fight into the clinch.

Upton has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Rocha is trying to keep an underhook but Upton manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Rocha punching from the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Rocha is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Upton pulls his head out easily.
Rocha gets full guard.
Rocha trying to keep a closed guard but Upton is proving a slippery customer.

And that's the end of the fight!
Pierre Rocha showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Rocha has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 29:28
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Pierre Rocha!