PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Reno Rocca (ranked 514 p4p, 0 weight class) and KJ Marshal (ranked 2048 p4p, 0 weight class). Rocca comes to the cage accompanied by Avenues and Alleyways/Rancid. I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Rocca
vs
Marshal

178 cm
27
193 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

178 cm
27
188 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Very strong

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Good gas tank

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 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Reno Rocca!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, KJ Marshal!
The judges for this bout are Peter Branson, Sandra Marshall and Santiago Holmes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rocca moves in looking to clinch but Marshal pushes him off.
Marshal throws out a loose jab but Rocca uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rocca misses with a straight left.
Marshal swings for the body but Rocca moves out of range.

Marshal darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rocca is staying active underneath Marshal, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Rocca trying to control from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Marshal thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Rocca is looking for a sweep. Marshal is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rocca is working hard here to advance position.

Rocca actively working from the bottom here.
Rocca is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marshal wants to pass the guard but Rocca is defending well.
Marshal missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Marshal landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Marshal wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rocca keeps working.
Rocca pushes Marshal off looking to stand but Marshal dives back in and keeps control.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Marshal connects with a nice short shot to Rocca's temple.
Marshal uses his free foot to push down on Rocca's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Rocca.
Rocca tries to lock up and control but Marshal gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marshal lands a big elbow.
Rocca is wriggling around trying to escape.
Marshal dominating with strikes here.
Rocca is in all sorts of trouble here.
Marshal looking to control but Rocca is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
BOOM! Marshal connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rocca is trying to escape the mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marshal controlling from the full mount.
Marshal's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Rocca is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Marshal landing punches.
Rocca wants to control but Marshal is having none of it.
Marshal has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Buoy Training. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Marshal takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Marshal lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marshal has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Rocca's face.
Marshal avoids the attempt from Rocca to control.
Rocca takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Rocca is in all sorts of trouble here.
Marshal lands with some strikes.
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!
Rocca in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Marshal trying to control but Rocca is having none of it.
Marshal raining down hammerfists from mount.
Marshal scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Rocca?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

KJ Marshal dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Rocca clinches up with Marshal and pushes him back against the cage.
Rocca lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Marshal or not.
Marshal misses with a hook to the ribs.
Marshal misses with a body punch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Marshal.
Rocca tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Rocca stalling in the clinch but Marshal improves position.
Marshal is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Rocca is defending well.

Marshal manages to pull guard.

Marshal escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rocca gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Rocca landing with the ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Marshal wants to sweep but no luck.
Rocca postures up.
Marshal wants to sweep but no luck.
Rocca trying to control but Marshal is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rocca slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Rocca throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Rocca tries to stand but Marshal is controlling his head.

Rocca looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Marshal is looking for a sweep.
Rocca trying to control the position but Marshal is working away.
Marshal manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marshal wants to control but Rocca is keeping him busy.
Marshal stalling away here and it's allowed Rocca to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Rocca controls Marshal momentarily but Marshal frees himself.
Marshal throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Rocca works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Marshal scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Marshal wants to control from the top but Rocca keeps moving.
Marshal working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Rocca utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Marshal won't allow Rocca to sweep him here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marshal postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Rocca is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Rocca preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Marshal postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Rocca manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Marshal manages to get himself to full guard.

Rocca passes Marshal's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Marshal trying to hold on to Rocca's head to control him but Rocca postures up.
Marshal wants to get back to full guard.
Marshal is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Marshal slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Marshal has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marshal keeping moving, preventing Rocca from controlling successfully.

Marshal working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Rocca doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Rocca manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Rocca is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rocca trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Rocca trying to control the position from guard on top but Marshal is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but KJ Marshal will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Marshal looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Rocca is looking for a sweep. Marshal is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Marshal thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Rocca blocking the ground and pound attempt from Marshal.
Marshal prevents Rocca from improving his position.
Ground and pound from Marshal.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Marshal not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Marshal slips a nice elbow through Rocca's hands, connecting with Rocca's forehead.
Rocca trying to control but Marshal postures up.
Marshal not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marshal seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Marshal is looking to pass Rocca's guard but actually Rocca recovers to full guard.
Rocca controls Marshal momentarily but Marshal frees himself.
Marshal content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Marshal wants to control from the top but Rocca keeps moving.
Marshal with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rocca is trying to keep Marshal in close.
Marshal loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Marshal throws a big elbow that misses.
Rocca is trying to keep Marshal in close.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Marshal lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Marshal cracks Rocca with a solid left hand.
Rocca looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Marshal scoring with punches to the head and body.
Well,Rocca is on his way to losing a decision here. Can he use his experience to pull something off in the closing minutes?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rocca is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Marshal slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Check out the look on Marshal's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Marshal working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.

Marshal wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Rocca, who protects the arm well.
Marshal working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Rocca is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marshal working the head and body with strikes.
Marshal looks up at the clock and then as Rocca takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Marshal smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Marshal trying to control the action but Rocca is working from the bottom.
KJ Marshal has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rocca is trying to get back to half guard.
Reno Rocca has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Marshal lands a few punches from side control.
Marshal scoring with punches and elbows.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rocca trying to remain calm as Marshal controls from the top position.
Marshal working the head and body with strikes.
KJ Marshal is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Marshal scoring with punches and elbows.

And that's the end of the fight!
KJ Marshal comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Marshal winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Peter Branson scores the fight for KJ Marshal!
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight for KJ Marshal!
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight for KJ Marshal!

KJ Marshal wins by unanimous decision!