PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Morgan Roth (ranked 4802 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Briggs (ranked 4794 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
Briggs

224 cm
21
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

192 cm
22
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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, Morgan 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, Joe Briggs!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Thiago Cunha and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A jab from Roth misses.

Roth shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Briggs is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Briggs wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

Briggs escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Roth gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Briggs is trying to keep Roth in close.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Roth controls from within his opponent's guard.
Roth has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Briggs is proving hard to escape from.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Briggs utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Roth working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Briggs's head.
Roth controls from within his opponent's guard.
Roth missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Roth content to stall in guard here.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Briggs's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Briggs duly obliges.

It looks like Morgan Roth has been cut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Danga de danga de dang - Briggs scores with a four punch combination!

Roth darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Briggs wants to get back to full guard.

Briggs looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Roth is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Briggs is just riding it out for now. Roth eventually gives up the hold.
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!
Roth thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roth tries to stand but can't do so whilst Briggs controls his leg.
Briggs wants to get back to full guard.
Briggs is positioning himself well to prevent Roth advancing to mount.
Briggs trying to hold on to Roth's head to control him but Roth postures up.
Roth with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's four 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.

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

Roth closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Briggs quickly recovers to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Briggs trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Roth manages to pass to mount!

Roth working for a submission but Briggs is keeping him at bay.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Briggs tries to get back to half guard but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Morgan Roth will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Morgan Roth's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Briggs shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Roth's guard.

Roth pushes Briggs off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

Briggs clinches up against the cage.
Briggs wants to break the clinch but can't.

Briggs manages to break the clinch.
Roth moves out of range of the body kick.

Briggs drives through and clinches with Roth against the cage.

Roth drags the fight down to the ground.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Briggs won't allow Roth to sweep him here.
Briggs looking to pass the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Roth has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Briggs can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Roth wants to get back to his feet but Briggs passes into half guard.
Roth trying to control but Briggs postures up.
Briggs trying to control the pace.
Roth tries to get to full guard but Briggs has control of the leg.

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 is refusing to be controlled, as Briggs sits in half guard.
Roth is trying to get back to full guard.
Briggs is thwarting Roth's attempts to control the position.
Briggs with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Roth enables Briggs to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Roth manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Roth looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

Roth working for a triangle but Briggs defends it easily.
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.

Roth scrambles and gets back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Briggs moves into the clinch.
Roth tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Roth tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Briggs just stands there and leans against the cage.

Briggs has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Roth is trying to keep an underhook but Briggs manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Roth is trying to get back to full guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Briggs passes to full mount!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Roth looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Briggs showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Morgan Roth's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Briggs drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Roth throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!

Briggs drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Briggs controls from within his opponent's guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Briggs trying to control the position from guard on top but Roth is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Roth throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Roth throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Briggs trying to control but Roth is working from the bottom.
Roth has momentary wrist control but Briggs slips an elbow through the middle.
Briggs wants to control from the top but Roth keeps moving.
Roth will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

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

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.

Briggs shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Roth has his hands on Briggs's head, controlling the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Briggs accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Roth wants to sweep but no luck.
Roth thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Roth pulls Briggs in close to his closed guard and prevents Briggs from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roth wants to get back to his feet but Briggs is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Briggs in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

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

Briggs shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Briggs showed some decent athleticism there.
Briggs trying to control from half guard but Roth is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Roth trying to control from the bottom.
Briggs tries to stand and escape but Roth is controlling the position.
Roth regains full guard. Nicely done.
Roth has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Briggs has passed into side control.
Roth is trying to get back to half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Briggs decides to stand up, so the ref orders Roth to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Joe Briggs.
I think Briggs 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joe Briggs!