PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rohith Sharma (ranked 6656 p4p, 583 weight class) and Martez Lopez (ranked 2399 p4p, 298 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Sharma
vs
Lopez

192 cm
27
212 lbs
12 - 11 - 0

178 cm
33
220 lbs
19 - 14 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

KAISER Nutrition - Q160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rohith Sharma!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Martez Lopez!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Yuuki Gou and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lopez tries to clinch but Sharma is having none of it.
Sharma moves out of range as Lopez throws a body kick.
Sharma was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Sharma misses with a left hand
and Lopez counters with a left to the body.

Lopez scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Sharma managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Lopez.
You can see the frustration on Sharma's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Lopez tries to move into full mount but can't pass Sharma's legs.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Lopez is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Sharma is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
You can see the frustration on Sharma's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lopez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sharma keeps working.

Lopez looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Sharma is looking for a sweep.
Lopez tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Sharma is looking to reverse the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Lopez content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Sharma avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Lopez.
Sharma is letting Lopez control him for a moment.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Sharma tries to bench press Lopez off him but Lopez keeps the position.
Lopez trying to control the action but Sharma is working from the bottom.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lopez clinches.
Lopez fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Lopez breaks from the clinch.
Sharma seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.

Lopez looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Sharma!
The strikes coming from Lopez are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Sharma trying his best to control but Lopez has mounted him.
Lopez controlling from mount.
Lopez tries to control but Sharma wriggling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lopez breaks from Sharma's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Sharma is squirming around, avoiding Lopez's attempts to control the action.
Sharma tries to hold on but Lopez postures up.
Lopez landing strikes from the mount.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sharma is in all sorts of trouble here.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Lopez fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Martez Lopez dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Sharma takes a swing at Lopez's ribcage but misses.
Lopez gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Lopez takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Lopez misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Sharma throws a leg kick that misses.
Lopez looks to land a combination but Sharma avoids it well.
Sharma swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Lopez tries for a takedown but Sharma circles away easily
enabling Sharma to counter with a crisp jab.
Sharma throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Lopez sees it coming and avoids it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Lopez has Sharma up against the cage in a clinch.
Sharma has had enough of the clinch but Lopez keeps him there for the moment.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Sharma takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lopez pulls Sharma into guard.

Sharma stands and steps away. Lopez gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Sharma throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

Lopez drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Lopez has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Sharma is trying to keep Lopez in close.
Lopez with a flurry of punches that miss.
Lopez is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Lopez preventing the sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lopez controlling from the top position.
Lopez working some strikes from top position.
Lopez trying to control but Sharma is working from the bottom.
Lopez controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sharma is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Lopez is aware though and is defending well.
Sharma keeping moving, preventing Lopez from controlling successfully.
Sharma is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Lopez wanted to stand there but Sharma had control of the position.

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

Sharma gets tackled into the cage by Lopez. Lopez maintains the clinch.

Lopez manages to break the clinch.

That's four 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.
A jab lands there for Sharma.

It looks like Martez Lopez has been cut.
Martez Lopez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sharma keeps the fight on the outside.
Lopez moves out of range of the leg kick from Sharma.

Sharma gets caught napping as Lopez dives in and scores a takedown. Sharma manages to retain guard.

Sharma is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Sharma has had enough of the clinch but Lopez keeps him there for the moment.
Sharma trying to control the position but instead, Lopez has worked for underhooks and has pushed Sharma into the cage.
Lopez has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Sharma struggles to land a body shot inside as Lopez controls his hands.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sharma throws a punch but it's blocked by Lopez.
Lopez tries to pull guard but Sharma forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rohith Sharma dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Martez Lopez's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Sharma keeps the fight on the outside.
Lopez closes this distance looking for a takedown but Sharma circles away.
Sharma throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Sharma cracks Lopez with a right hand to the side of the head.
Lopez tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Sharma defends well and Lopez ends up having to push Sharma into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Lopez misses with a leg kick
and Sharma counters with a stiff right hand.

Lopez looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Sharma!
Sharma struggling a bit here.
Lopez wants to control but Sharma is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sharma struggling a bit here.
Lopez wants to control but Sharma is keeping him busy.
Sharma is looking for a sweep.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Sharma can't do much from the bottom here.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

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.
Lopez goes for a double leg but Sharma avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Sharma continues to drive forward.
Sharma was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Rohith Sharma has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Martez Lopez.
Sharma misses with a body shot.

Lopez shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Sharma kicks off Lopez and gets to his feet.

Lopez gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Lopez wants to take the fight to the mat but Sharma manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Lopez can't get the takedown.
Lopez is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Sharma gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Sharma misses with a hook to the ribs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sharma stalling against the cage.
Lopez fails to pull guard.

Lopez manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Martez Lopez has got the better of the ground game so far.
Lopez is looking to stand up but Sharma isn't so interested in that idea.
Sharma sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Sharma will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Sharma stands and steps away. Lopez gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Jab from Sharma.
Lopez shoots in but no luck this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Sharma.
Sharma throws a big shot that misses.
Sharma feints and then cracks Lopez's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Lopez down.
Lopez is looking to clinch but Sharma is avoiding it.
Sharma misses with a straight right.
Lopez closes the distance but Sharma moves to the side
and Sharma counters with a stiff right hand.
Sharma keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
An attempted straight right counter from Sharma misses the target.
Martez Lopez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Lopez has closed the distance and engaged Sharma in a clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rohith Sharma showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Sharma 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rohith Sharma!
Jumping up and down and very excited, Rohith Sharma waved his t-shirt featuring Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing's logo in front of the cameras.