PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Papa Legba (ranked 1265 p4p, 168 weight class) and Jared Roughneck (ranked 1825 p4p, 222 weight class). On his way into the cage it seems that Papa Legba has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Papa Legba seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Legba
vs
Roughneck

178 cm
21
185 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

185 cm
19
197 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Basic striking
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Knockout power

Urban Fighter

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Papa Legba!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jared Roughneck!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Tiny Johnson and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Legba shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Roughneck sprawls well. Roughneck wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Legba gets slowly back to his feet.
A looping hook to the body misses from Roughneck. Legba does a little dance to reset his feet.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Legba.
Legba uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Roughneck.

Legba shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Roughneck's guard.
Legba is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Roughneck wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Legba trying to control the position from guard on top but Roughneck is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Roughneck is looking for a triangle here but Legba uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Legba is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Roughneck has escaped the position, nice work there.
Roughneck felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Roughneck is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Legba off and has taken his back!
Legba looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Roughneck trying to control.
Legba avoids the strikes from Roughneck.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Despite being in a bad position, Legba is controlling the hands, preventing any submission attempts.
Legba turns into Roughneck and is now in his guard.
Legba looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Roughneck is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Legba tries to free his leg and advance position but Roughneck is retaining full guard.
Legba trying to control but Roughneck is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roughneck looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Roughneck keeping moving, preventing Legba from controlling successfully.
Legba has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Roughneck looking to hit a scissor sweep but Legba is one step ahead there.

Legba 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.
Legba controlling from the top position.
Legba won't allow Roughneck to sweep him here.

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.
Legba sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Roughneck looking for a sweep. Not yet Roughneck, not yet.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Legba thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Legba trying to control but Roughneck is working from the bottom.

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

Legba shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Legba seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Roughneck stuffs the takedown.
Roughneck throws a big shot that misses.
Legba fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Roughneck avoids it really well and circles away.

Legba closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Roughneck can't do much from the bottom here.
Roughneck throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Legba happy to just control the position for now.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.

Legba is trying to get an arm triangle but Roughneck is defending well.
Legba wants to control but Roughneck is keeping him busy.
Roughneck is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's two 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.

Legba swings around for an armbar but Roughneck sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Legba's guard.
Legba looking to control.
Legba utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Roughneck is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Papa Legba overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Roughneck postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Legba trying to keep a closed guard but Roughneck is proving a slippery customer.

Roughneck got a little sloppy there for a moment and Legba has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Roughneck has managed to get both his arms back between Legba's legs - danger averted.
Roughneck loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roughneck scoring with punches to the head and body.
Legba avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Legba working for a triangle but Roughneck defends it easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Legba keeping full guard, as Roughneck tries to pass.

Roughneck stands up over his opponent, looking to dive in with a big punch. Here he comes, superman style! Oh, the punch misses and Legba has got him in a triangle choke for good measure! Oh no! Roughneck manages to get his head free but now Legba has transitioned to an armbar! Roughneck grimaces and is forced to tap! Beautiful Jiu Jitsu from Legba! I'd be surprised if that didn't end up as submission of the night!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Papa Legba!
Papa Legba retains his middleweight title!
Papa Legba decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.