PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Hiram Petersen (ranked 25407 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tom Rocks (ranked 3763 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Petersen
vs
Rocks

158 cm
18
140 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

165 cm
18
143 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Hiram Petersen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tom Rocks!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, Reed Andrews and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Petersen misses with a leg kick
and Rocks counters with a slapping leg kick.
Petersen shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Rocks as he jumps to the side.
Rocks buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

Rocks fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Petersen, pushing him back against the cage.
Petersen content to slow the pace in the clinch.

Rocks decides to pull guard.
Petersen postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Rocks looking to control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Petersen scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Petersen decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Rocks, up you get!

Rocks instigates a clinch.
Petersen could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Petersen slowing the pace effectively.
Petersen manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
A left hand lands to the body for Petersen.

Petersen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Rocks looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Petersen has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Rocks is working away from the top position though.
Rocks wants to pass the guard but Petersen is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rocks throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Rocks postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Petersen to stand up.
Petersen fails to land the takedown.

Rocks moves into range and clinches up with Petersen.

Rocks lands a takedown into guard.

Petersen has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Rocks off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Petersen will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hiram Petersen. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rocks misses with a body shot.
Petersen misses with a low kick.
Petersen goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Rocks throws a nice inside leg kick.

Rocks darts in and clinches Petersen up against the cage.

Rocks has Petersen pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Rocks pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Petersen tumbling to the mat - Rocks dives into Petersen's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Petersen has control of Rocks's left arm, preventing Rocks from doing any damage.
Rocks wants to control from the top but Petersen keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Petersen working for submissions but it's allowed Rocks to get to half guard.
Rocks tries to pass to full mount but Petersen defends it.
Rocks keeps trying to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Rocks dominated that 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.

Rocks gets tackled into the cage by Petersen. Petersen maintains the clinch.
Petersen stalls.
Petersen slowing the pace effectively.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Petersen for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
Petersen holding his opponent close, against the cage.

Rocks jumps guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Petersen trying to control the position from guard on top but Rocks is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rocks trying to keep a closed guard but Petersen is proving a slippery customer.
Petersen postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Petersen stays in close to Rocks's body and controls the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Petersen throws a strike but Rocks rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Rocks missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rocks preventing the sweep.
Rocks stops Petersen from standing up.
Petersen wants to get back to his feet but Rocks passes into half guard.
Petersen tries to roll over but Rocks keeps him under control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rocks trying to control from Petersen's half guard. Petersen has other ideas though and has regained full guard.

Rocks is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Petersen is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Petersen has escaped and now he's on top!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rocks is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Petersen engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rocks is trying to control the position but Petersen postures up.
Petersen loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Petersen working some strikes from top position.
Petersen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Rocks works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Petersen sitting in guard, not really doing much.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Petersen tries to sprawl but Rocks drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Petersen manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Rocks keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.
Petersen misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Rocks.

Rocks breaks from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Petersen tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Rocks is able to avoid easily.

Rocks dives in and scores a takedown into Petersen's guard.
Rocks is breathing heavily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Petersen wants to get back to his feet but Rocks is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Rocks trying to control the position from guard on top but Petersen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Petersen is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rocks throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Petersen works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hiram Petersen dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Rocks looks to land a body kick but Petersen moved away.

Rocks looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Petersen!

Rocks swings around for an armbar but Petersen sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Rocks's guard.

Rocks is working an open guard so Petersen takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Rocks will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Petersen shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Rocks sprawls well. Rocks wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Petersen gets slowly back to his feet.
Petersen shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Rocks as he jumps to the side.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rocks closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Rocks manages to break the clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Rocks breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Petersen fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hiram Petersen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Petersen misses with a looping right.

Rocks looking to score a takedown here. Petersen is defending well but Rocks drives through and ends up in Petersen's guard.

Petersen has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Rocks is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Rocks takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rocks jumps guard and drags Petersen to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rocks not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Petersen controlling from the top position.
Rocks is trying to keep Petersen in close.
Petersen is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Rocks utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Petersen not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rocks trying to keep a closed guard but Petersen is proving a slippery customer.

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

Rocks shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Petersen pushes Rocks off and gets back to his feet.

Petersen drives through with a takedown into Rocks's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Petersen loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Petersen not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Petersen throws a big right hand that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rocks tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Rocks escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Petersen gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Petersen makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Petersen is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Petersen has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Rocks leaves Petersen with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Hiram Petersen.
I think Petersen 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 Dean Styles scores the fight 29:28
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 29:28
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hiram Petersen!