PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Murray Rothbard (ranked 1176 p4p, 171 weight class) and Howland Reed (ranked 3473 p4p, 451 weight class). Rothbard comes to the cage accompanied by Anarchy. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Rothbard
vs
Reed

187 cm
25
210 lbs
9 - 7 - 0

190 cm
24
215 lbs
6 - 3 - 1

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Urban Fighter

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Murray Rothbard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Howland Reed!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, Darius Henderson and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Reed drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Rothbard is trying to improve his position.
Reed tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Reed working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Reed in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rothbard parries the strikes from Reed easily there. Reed is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Rothbard to escape.
Reed wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rothbard keeps working.
Rothbard dodges the ground and pound from Reed.
Reed in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rothbard tries to bench press Reed off him but Reed keeps the position.
Reed throws a strike aimed at the side of Rothbard's head but Rothbard avoids it well.
Reed postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Reed wants to control but Rothbard is keeping him busy.
Reed working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rothbard gets back to half guard.
Reed lands strikes from half guard.
Reed has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Reed sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Rothbard defending well though.
Rothbard on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Rothbard tries to get out of the position.
Reed throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Rothbard has hold of Reed's hands but Reed slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Reed throwing shots but Rothbard is blocking nicely.
Reed is trying to control. Rothbard wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Reed thows a huge punch but Rothbard dodges it nicely.
Reed content to control rather than advance.
Reed seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Rothbard does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Reed lands strikes from half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Reed sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reed lands strikes from half guard.
Rothbard has hold of Reed's hands but Reed slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Reed wants to control but Rothbard is keeping him busy.
Reed thows a huge punch but Rothbard dodges it nicely.
Reed missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Reed is controlling the pace.
Reed throwing shots but Rothbard is blocking nicely.
Reed lands strikes from half guard.
Rothbard avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Reed.
Reed wants to control but Rothbard is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reed throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Reed not doing much here.
Reed throwing shots but Rothbard is blocking nicely.
Reed scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Reed winds up and cracks Rothbard with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Reed thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rothbard's head.
Reed lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Rothbard has hold of Reed's hands but Reed slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Reed trying to advance position but Rothbard counters by regaining guard.
Reed throwing strikes from guard but Rothbard blocks nicely.
Rothbard keeping moving, preventing Reed from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Reed missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rothbard keeping moving, preventing Reed from controlling successfully.
Reed missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Reed throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Reed trying to control the position from guard on top but Rothbard is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Reed works over Rothbard with some ground and pound from guard.
Reed throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Reed loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Reed accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rothbard misses with a shot to the body

and Reed counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rothbard won't be happy with that.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Howland Reed dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Reed shoots and misses
and Rothbard counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Rothbard lands with a kick to the ribs.
Reed scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.

It looks like Murray Rothbard has been cut.
Rothbard throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Reed misses with a takedown attempt
and Rothbard counters with a low kick, right behind Reed 's knee.

Reed shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Rothbard manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Reed wants to control from the top but Rothbard keeps moving.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Reed stands up over Rothbard, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Rothbard working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Reed.
Rothbard pulls Reed in to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reed loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Reed trying to control but Rothbard is working from the bottom.
Reed scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Rothbard has momentary wrist control but Reed slips an elbow through the middle.
Reed throws a big right hand that misses.
Reed distracts Rothbard with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Reed is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Rothbard avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Reed throws a big elbow that misses.
Reed has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Reed content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Reed throwing strikes but missing.
Rothbard is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reed missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Reed shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Rothbard counters with a slapping leg kick.
Murray Rothbard has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Howland Reed.
Rothbard keeps the fight on the outside.
A telegraphed right hand from Reed misses the target.
Rothbard throwing a counter right hand but Reed manages to avoid it.
Rothbard uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Reed.
Rothbard is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Reed.
Rothbard throws a head kick that misses.
Reed goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reed misses with a double jab.
Rothbard was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Reed swings for the body but Rothbard moves out of range.
A swing and a miss from Reed.
Reed wants to clinch but Rothbard slips to the side
and Rothbard counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Rothbard throws a poor cross that misses

and Reed counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Rothbard avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Rothbard utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Reed postures up in Rothbard's guard and throws a big left but Rothbard blocks it.
Rothbard keeping moving, preventing Reed from controlling successfully.
Reed content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Reed with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Reed keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Rothbard's head.
Rothbard knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Reed on the ground.
Rothbard wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Reed forces his way into half guard.
Reed lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Howland Reed has got the better of the ground game so far.
Reed lands with a punch from half guard.
Reed lands strikes from half guard.
Rothbard avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Reed.
Rothbard is looking to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Howland Reed showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Murray Rothbard's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Rothbard keeps the fight on the outside.
Reed punishes Rothbard's body with a nice straight punch.

Reed clinches.
Reed leaning his opponent against the cage.
Rothbard lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Rothbard scores with a shoulder strike.
Stalling in the clinch from Rothbard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Reed wants a takedown but no success here.
Rothbard tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Reed's elbow.
Rothbard lands with a short head shot on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Rothbard fails to land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rothbard stops a takedown attempt from Reed.

Reed's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rothbard connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Reed shoots in but no luck this time.
Murray Rothbard has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Howland Reed.
Rothbard avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Reed tries to clinch there but Rothbard circles away.
Rothbard smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Rothbard lands the left hand.
Reed goes for a double leg but Rothbard avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Rothbard continues to drive forward.
Reed cracks Rothbard with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A decent looking cross lands there for Rothbard.
Reed changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Rothbard tries to avoid it but Reed manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Rothbard to the ground. Rothbard escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Murray Rothbard is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Jab, jab by Reed - just one landing.
Rothbard connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Reed drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Reed looks to score with a jab to the body but Rothbard is just out of range.
A quick step to the side and Rothbard tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Rothbard jabs at Reed's body.
Reed will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Reed misses with an uppercut
and Reed takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reed moves away from the strike by Rothbard.
Reed has his takedown stuffed
and Reed takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Reed takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Howland Reed is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
A swing and a miss from Reed.
A bone on bone clash there as Reed blocks the leg kick.
Reed shoots in but no luck this time.
Reed takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Reed gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Rothbard counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Reed takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice jab there from Rothbard.
Reed with a poor takedown
and Rothbard counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Reed is rocked!
Reed throws a combination that misses
and Rothbard counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Reed lands with an uppercut that bounces Rothbard off the cage and back into range.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Reed walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Rothbard lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Reed is still on wobbly legs! Can Rothbard finish him?
Rothbard weaves into range and cracks Reed right on the temple with a beautiful overhand right! Reed goes down! He's out cold! Wow, what a beautiful knockout! Rothbard is strutting round the canvas like a movie star as the camera bulbs flash frantically.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Murray Rothbard!
Murray Rothbard thanked the fans post fight for their support.