PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Riley Roth (ranked 5940 p4p, 0 weight class) and Abhishek Sharma (ranked 5909 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.

Roth
vs
Sharma

209 cm
18
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

182 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Riley Roth!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Abhishek Sharma!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Leandro Rodrigues and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sharma pivots, looking for a leg kick but Roth is out of range and Sharma settles back down.
Roth fires out a quick counter leg kick but Sharma just manages to avoid it.

Roth gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Sharma to score an easy takedown into full guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Roth holds on and takes a little breather.
Sharma sitting in guard here, content to control.
Roth is pulling down on Sharma's head to control his posture.
Roth will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sharma is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Roth is controlling Sharma's posture.
Roth throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Roth throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Roth lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Roth working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Roth with a flurry of punches that miss.
Roth missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Roth trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Sharma is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Roth is controlling him.
Sharma preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Roth connects with a couple of short punches.
Roth trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Roth really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sharma is looking to stand up but Roth isn't so interested in that idea.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Roth drives through and clinches with Sharma against the cage.
Roth wants to break free but Sharma has control.
Roth has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Roth pressing his opponent against the cage.
Roth is pushing Sharma up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Stalling in the clinch from Roth.
Roth gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Sharma fails to land.
Roth avoiding damage.
Roth working hard to break the clinch.

Sharma manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Roth sitting in guard here, content to control.

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

Sharma stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Roth swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sharma showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Sharma passes Roth's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Roth trying to control here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Roth is looking to improve his position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Sharma wants to free his trapped foot but Roth is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Sharma not doing much here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Abhishek Sharma will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Sharma misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Roth looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Roth throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Roth is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Roth throwing strikes from guard but Sharma blocks nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Roth stops Sharma from standing up.
Roth trying to control but Sharma is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Roth controls from within his opponent's guard.
Roth loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Roth slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Roth rushes Sharma and presses him up against the cage.
Roth is struggling to control the position.
Sharma is trying to drag Roth to the mat but Roth just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Roth tries to land a knee to the head but Sharma blocks with his arms.
Roth pressing his opponent against the cage.
Roth with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Roth is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.

Sharma has clasped his hands together around Roth's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roth tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Sharma wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Sharma staying calm.
Roth is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Sharma works his way into full mount!
Sharma looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Roth gets back to half guard.
Sharma wants to take a breather but Roth is having none of it.
Roth is looking for a sweep. Sharma is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Sharma content to control rather than advance.
Sharma wants to get back to his feet.
Sharma works his way into full mount!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Sharma working for a guillotine from mount but Roth is in no mood to give up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Riley Roth dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Sharma.
Riley Roth seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
A frustrated look appears on Sharma's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Roth stops a takedown attempt from Sharma.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Roth taking a breather.
Roth leaning his opponent against the cage.
Sharma jumps guard but Roth stands there with Sharma around his waist. Sharma gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Riley Roth has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Abhishek Sharma.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Roth leaning against his opponent.
Roth throws a knee to the head but misses.
Sharma has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Roth after a bit of a struggle.
Sharma being controlled against the cage.
Roth holding his opponent close, against the cage.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Roth for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.

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.
Roth has had enough of the clinch but Sharma keeps him there for the moment.
Roth working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Sharma looking for a takedown.

Roth manages to break the clinch.

Sharma closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Roth did well to prevent Sharma getting side control.
Roth has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Sharma is working away from the top position though.
Sharma wants to pass to mount but Roth is defending the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sharma seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Roth does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Sharma content to control rather than advance.
Roth is trying to control but can't.
Roth desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Sharma passes to full mount!
Sharma looking to control and managing it successfully.

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.
Sharma tries to control but Roth wriggling away.
Roth wants to hold on but Sharma pushes him away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sharma controlling his opponent.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Sharma's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Roth tries to hold on but Sharma postures up.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Abhishek Sharma.
I think Sharma has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 28:29
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 29:29
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!