PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Riaq Rowanda (ranked 4137 p4p, 409 weight class) and Bornas Lopette (ranked 2553 p4p, 288 weight class). Lopette has chosen Root Of All Evil as his entrance music. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Rowanda
vs
Lopette

170 cm
36
173 lbs
12 - 8 - 3

190 cm
41
183 lbs
34 - 21 - 3

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class MT
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 12 - 8 - 3, fighting out of Montreal, Riaq Rowanda!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 34 - 21 - 3, fighting out of New York, Bornas Lopette!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Elvis Blanc and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lopette feints and then cracks Rowanda's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Rowanda down.
Lopette connects with a jab.
Rowanda moves out of range as Lopette strikes.
Rowanda is looking to counter punch.
Lopette is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Rowanda.
Rowanda is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Lopette.
Both fighters circling a little - Rowanda finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Rowanda swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Lopette lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Rowanda explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Rowanda tests Lopette's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Rowanda connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Lopette keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Rowanda 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!
Lopette throws a front kick aimed at Rowanda's knee but Rowanda avoids it well.
Rowanda tried to counter with a leg kick but Lopette avoided it.
Rowanda misses with a straight left.
Lopette throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Rowanda counters with a stiff right hand.
Rowanda jabs at Lopette's body.
Rowanda walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Lopette checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Rowanda swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Rowanda throws a jab but it's blocked by Lopette.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rowanda fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Lopette checks it well.
Rowanda throws an overhand right that lands on Lopette's shoulder, as Lopette tries to avoid the shot.
Lopette swats away the attempt to clinch by Rowanda.
Rowanda misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Lopette.
Nice shot by Rowanda.
Lopette fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rowanda manages to avoid it.
A little feinted left hand from Rowanda on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Lopette uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Rowanda.
Lopette with a jab.
Rowanda keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Lopette.
Lopette ducks right into an uppercut from Rowanda.
Lopette slips a jab from Rowanda.
Rowanda throws a body kick that misses.
Rowanda misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Lopette.
Rowanda on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Lopette. Lopette obviously looking to wear him down.
Rowanda scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Rowanda wants to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rowanda throws a hook but Lopette blocks it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rowanda scores with the left hand. Lopette knows he should have avoided that one.
Rowanda fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Lopette on the side of the head.
Rowanda turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Rowanda is looking to clinch but Lopette is avoiding it.
Lopette ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Rowanda checks a leg kick.
Lopette throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Rowanda sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Lopette misses with a wild body shot.
Lopette blocks the body kick.
Lopette throws an overhand right that lands on Rowanda's shoulder, as Rowanda tries to avoid the shot.
Rowanda throws a hook but Lopette blocks it.
Rowanda throws the left hand but Lopette avoids the punch easily.
Rowanda throws a quick inside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rowanda gets in close and instigates a clinch.
A body shot lands from Rowanda.
Rowanda working aggressively here.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Lopette.
Rowanda avoids the elbow strike from Lopette, against the cage.
Rowanda lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Rowanda throws a head punch that misses.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Lopette.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Rowanda.
Still in the clinch, Rowanda scores with a nice short uppercut.
Still in the clinch, Rowanda scores with a nice short uppercut.
Rowanda misses with some punches.
Lopette blocks an uppercut.
Lopette blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Rowanda misses with the head strike.
Rowanda lands a knee to the body.
Lopette lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Rowanda backwards.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Lopette lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Lopette struggles to land a body shot inside as Rowanda controls his hands.
Rowanda misses with a body punch.
Rowanda scores with a shoulder strike.
Rowanda works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rowanda gets through Lopette's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Rowanda can't find room to land a body shot as Lopette controls the action.
Lopette using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Lopette missing with knees to the body.
Rowanda lands with a short shot to the head.
Lopette avoids a wild elbow strike from Rowanda.
A nice right hand lands inside from Lopette.
Rowanda blocks a body shot from Lopette.
Lopette tries to throw a body punch but Rowanda avoids it by throwing Lopette back against the cage.
Lopette throws an elbow but it misses.
Rowanda lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Good body shot from Rowanda.
Rowanda lands a hook to the side of the head.
Rowanda lands a hook that snaps the head of Lopette backwards.
Rowanda misses with the head strike.
Lopette blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rowanda lands a nice uppercut.
Rowanda pushes Lopette back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Lopette avoids the elbow strike from Rowanda, against the cage.
Rowanda lands with a short shot to the head.
Rowanda working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Rowanda lands with a light punch inside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Lopette misses with a series of wild punches.
Rowanda tries to clinch but Lopette moves out of range.
Lopette feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Rowandas jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Lopette has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Rowanda misses with an uppercut.
Lopette only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Rowanda is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Lopette.
Rowanda ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Lopette jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Rowanda displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Lopette throws out the jab.
Rowanda swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Rowanda is looking to chop away at Lopette's legs.
Rowanda fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rowanda stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Lopette.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rowanda connects with a solid leg kick.
Rowanda misses the jab.
Lopette feints and then cracks Rowanda's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Rowanda down.
Rowanda takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Rowanda avoids the head kick by Lopette.
It looked like Rowanda wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rowanda connects with a right hand. Lopette shakes it off.
Rowanda throws a hook but Lopette avoids it easily.
Rowanda lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Lopette throws a good cross that connects.
Rowanda throws a hook but Lopette avoids it easily.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Rowanda connects with a nice looking jab.
Rowanda uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Lopette.
Rowanda scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Lopette checks the leg kick nicely there.

Rowanda gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Lopette can't find room to land a body shot as Rowanda controls the action.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Rowanda.
Rowanda lands a shoulder strike.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rowanda lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Lopette.
A short left from Rowanda.
Lopette blocks an elbow strike from Rowanda.
Lopette misses with a punch to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lopette scores with a knee to the head.
Lopette wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Rowanda is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Lopette can do to turn this around?
Rowanda lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Rowanda has a couple of punches blocked by Lopette.

Lopette's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rowanda cracks a nice hook into Lopette's ribs.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rowanda. Lopette does a little dance to reset his feet.
Lopette buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Lopette pivots, looking for a leg kick but Rowanda is out of range and Lopette settles back down.
Rowanda tries to clinch up but Lopette circles away and keeps his distance.
Lopette looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Donk. Rowanda catches Lopette right on the button with a cross.
Rowanda misses with an attempted mid kick.
Lopette slips a jab from Rowanda.
Lopette moves away from the strike by Rowanda.
Lopette scores with a sloppy right hand. Rowanda should have avoided that one.

Rowanda clinches up against the cage.
Rowanda misses with some punches.
Rowanda misses with some punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Lopette.
Rowanda throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Rowanda misses with some punches.
Lopette lands a left hand that snaps the head of Rowanda backwards.
Rowanda misses with a punch on the inside.
Rowanda tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Rowanda takes an elbow to the forehead.
Lopette works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Lopette.
Rowanda softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Rowanda lands a nice elbow.
Rowanda throws an elbow but it misses.
Lopette blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Rowanda misses with a hook from the clinch.
Riaq Rowanda has scored more points in the clinch so far.
With the fighters up against the cage, Rowanda throws an elbow but misses.
Rowanda blocks a body shot from Lopette.
Rowanda tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Lopette goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Lopette lands a body shot.
Lopette scores with a nice hook to the head.
Rowanda blocking some punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lopette creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Rowanda's defenses.
Lopette lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Rowanda has a couple of punches blocked by Lopette.
Rowanda lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Rowanda pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

Lopette breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rowanda steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Lopette.
Rowanda missing with a left hand there. Lopette was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Lopette throws the kick towards the body but Rowanda avoids it.
Rowanda throws out a leg kick but Lopette moves out of range and Rowanda only half commits.
Lopette fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Rowanda.
Lopette slips a jab from Rowanda.
A swing and a miss from Lopette.
Rowanda is looking to counter punch.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lopette is looking to land body kicks.
Rowanda lands with a kick to the ribs.
Lopette avoids the body shot from Rowanda.
Rowanda feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Lopette's calf.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Riaq Rowanda will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Rowanda connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Lopette's hands.
The fighters circling - Rowanda throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Lopette takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Lopette connects with a good right hand that stumbles Rowanda. Rowanda circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Rowanda throws out a loose jab but Lopette uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rowanda pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
A head kick misses from Lopette.
Lopette throws a low kick but it's checked well by Rowanda.
Rowanda fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Lopette, right into the meat.
Rowanda tries to clinch there but Lopette circles away.
Rowanda is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lopette throws a leg kick which misses Rowanda's front leg but catches the back leg as Rowanda tries to avoid it.
Rowanda takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Rowanda bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Lopette's head backwards.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rowanda cracks Lopette with an open hand slap.
A nice leg kick lands there from Rowanda.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jab by Lopette.
Lopette ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Riaq Rowanda is winning the standup battle so far.
Lopette throws the kick towards the body but Rowanda avoids it.
Lopette uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Rowanda.
Lopette misses with a head kick.
Rowanda scoring well with a low kick there.
Rowanda lands with an overhand left.
Lopette scores with a spinning back kick!
Lopette clobbers Rowanda with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Lopette smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Lopette bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Lopette appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Lopette waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Rowanda.
An inside leg kick from Rowanda misses.
Rowanda misses with a jab to the body
and Lopette counters with a straight right hand.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Lopette cracks Rowanda with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Lopette is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Bornas Lopette has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rowanda throws a lazy uppercut
and Lopette counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Lopette slips under a jab from Rowanda.
Lopette displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Rowanda throws out the jab.
Lopette throws a leg kick which misses Rowanda's front leg but catches the back leg as Rowanda tries to avoid it.
A shot to the liver by Rowanda. Beautiful body shot.
Rowanda is looking to clinch but Lopette is avoiding it.
Lopette steps in looking to counter with the mid kick but it doesn't connect.

Rowanda clinches up with Lopette and pushes him back against the cage.
Rowanda throws a punch but it's blocked by Lopette.
Lopette lands an elbow just above Rowanda 's eye.
Rowanda pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Rowanda throws a head punch that misses.
Rowanda working aggressively here.
Rowanda takes a knee right on the jaw!
Rowanda misses with a hook from the clinch.
Lopette using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Rowanda blocks a body shot from Lopette.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopette drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Lopette pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Rowanda buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Rowanda on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Rowanda jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Rowanda swings for the body but Lopette moves out of range.
Lopette misses with an attempted mid kick.
Lopette throws a lazy right hand but Rowanda sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Riaq Rowanda is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The fighters circling - Rowanda throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Lopette throws a solid leg kick but Rowanda takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Lopette.
Lopette swings for the body but Rowanda moves out of range.
Rowanda scoring well with a low kick there.
Rowanda checks a low kick from Lopette.
Nice cross by Rowanda.
Lopette keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Rowanda.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lopette bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Lopette tries to bum rush Rowanda with a series of wild strikes but Rowanda uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Rowanda connects with a right hand. Lopette shakes it off.
Rowanda scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Lopette doesn't seem bothered though.
Lopette smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Rowanda tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Lopette was well out of range. Poor timing from Rowanda.
Rowanda misses with a low kick as Lopette jumps back.
Lopette slips under a jab from Rowanda.
Lopette throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Rowanda jabs Lopette right on the nose. Lopette blinks but takes it well.
Rowanda has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Lopette.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Lopette.
Lopette is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Lopette looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Rowanda getting the better of the striking in that exchange.

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 Riaq Rowanda.
Well Rowanda has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Robert Douchet scores the fight 28:29
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Riaq Rowanda!
A victorious Riaq Rowanda thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.
Bornas Lopette spoke after the fight, saying 'I'll Train Harder And Win My Next Fight Fans, Sorry For My Loss. '.