PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Reese Rockhold (ranked 2962 p4p, 0 weight class) and Noreiga Caine (ranked 4678 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.

Rockhold
vs
Caine

181 cm
25
196 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
25
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Good chin

BJJ Blue 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 The Island, Reese Rockhold!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Noreiga Caine!
The judges for this bout are David Hoff, Bart Greer and Santiago Holmes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Caine fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Rockhold throws a head kick that misses.
Caine shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Rockhold pinned against the cage. Rockhold gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Caine tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Rockhold defends well and Caine ends up having to push Rockhold into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Reese Rockhold has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Noreiga Caine.
Caine looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
A head kick by Rockhold misses
and Caine counters with a left and a right that stings Rockhold.
Caine avoids the head kick by Rockhold.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rockhold misses with a head kick.

Rockhold instigates a clinch.

Caine pulls guard successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Caine wants to sweep here but Rockhold controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Caine keeping moving, preventing Rockhold from controlling successfully.
Rockhold trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Caine working a defensive guard here.
Caine wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Rockhold trying to control but Caine is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Rockhold wanted to stand there but Caine had control of the position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Caine defending well as Rockhold loads up on a big left hand.
Rockhold throws a shot from downtown. Caine moves away and avoids it.
As Rockhold backs off Caine throws a huge counter combo but Rockhold manages to avoid it all.

Caine clinches with his opponent.
Rockhold wants to break the clinch but can't.

Rockhold turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Rockhold manages to end up in side control.
Rockhold trying to control the action but Caine is working from the bottom.
A lull in the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Caine manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Caine manages to get to full guard.
Rockhold trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Caine is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Caine works his foot free and advances to mount.

Caine looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Rockhold on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Rockhold tries to get out of the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Caine looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Rockhold is bucking up trying to escape but Caine cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

Caine looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.

Caine is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Rockhold can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Rockhold reaches up to try and control the position but Caine seems to have an arm triangle now! Uh oh! Rockhold rolls and tries to escape and now Caine has his back!

Caine looking for the RNC.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Noreiga Caine 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.

Rockhold keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Caine is defended easily by Rockhold.
Rockhold works over Caine's head and body with a nice combination.
Caine misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A head kick misses from Caine.
Rockhold tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rockhold lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Caine circles away quickly and effectively.
Caine shoots in looking for a takedown. Rockhold tries to sprawl out of it but Caine keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Rockhold manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Reese Rockhold has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Noreiga Caine.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Rockhold.
Nice shot by Rockhold.
Rockhold throws a hook to the side of Caine's head but Caine sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Rockhold throws a jab when Caine was well out of range.
Rockhold fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Caine looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

Caine shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Rockhold is looking to control Caine's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Rockhold avoid being mounted?
Rockhold is trying to stand up here but Caine is controlling him well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Caine wants to work for an arm triangle but Rockhold is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Caine is working for a kimura but Rockhold is defending it quite comfortably.
Caine seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Rockhold does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Caine is working for a kimura but Rockhold is defending it quite comfortably.
Rockhold is refusing to be controlled, as Caine sits in half guard.
Rockhold is looking for a sweep. Caine is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rockhold is not content to let Caine control the position.
Caine throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Caine is keen to just control but Rockhold is a slippery customer.
Rockhold is positioning himself well to prevent Caine advancing to mount.
Rockhold is looking to control Caine's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Rockhold avoid being mounted?
Caine passes to side control.

Caine is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Rockhold is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Caine thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Caine is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Rockhold is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Rockhold is looking for a sweep.

Caine is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Rockhold knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Rockhold tries to improve position but can't.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Caine trying to control the position but Rockhold is working away.
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 Reese Rockhold will probably get the nod.
That's time! Rockhold's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Caine slips a jab and a cross from Rockhold.
Rockhold slaps away a takedown attempt from Caine, before circling back to the center of the mat.
A swing and a miss from Rockhold.
No luck for Caine with that takedown attempt.
Caine looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
It looked like Rockhold was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Reese Rockhold has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Noreiga Caine.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rockhold's jab looks to have found its range, popping Caine under the eye.
Caine ducks right into an uppercut from Rockhold.
Rockhold lands a head kick!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rockhold lands a nice shot to the body.
Caine fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Rockhold seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Reese Rockhold is winning the standup battle so far.
Good leg kick by Rockhold there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Rockhold throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rockhold scoring well with a low kick there.
Caine shoots in but no luck this time.
Rockhold swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Caine tries to counter by closing the distance.
Rockhold throws a lazy uppercut

and Caine counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Caine.

Caine successfully pulls guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rockhold not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Caine controlling the position.
Caine trying to control the position.
Caine might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Rockhold haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

Caine is looking for a triangle but Rockhold pushes his legs off easily.
Rockhold has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Caine takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Caine looking to hit a scissor sweep but Rockhold is one step ahead there.
Rockhold wants to stand and escape but instead Caine has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Caine is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Rockhold being controlled here, momentarily.
Rockhold looking to control but Caine passes into half guard.
Noreiga Caine has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rockhold is trying to maintain the position but Caine is very close to passing his half guard.

Caine looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Rockhold is trying to stand.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Caine seems to be looking for submissions.
Rockhold tries to get to full guard but Caine has control of the leg.

And that's the end of the fight!
Reese Rockhold showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Rockhold 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 David Hoff scores the fight 29:28
Judge Bart Greer scores the fight 29:28
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Reese Rockhold!