PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Reno Rocca (ranked 2046 p4p, 2280 weight class) and Joe Senior (ranked 276 p4p, 301 weight class). Rocca comes to the cage accompanied by Avenues and Alleyways/Rancid. This should be fireworks!

Rocca
vs
Senior

178 cm
30
193
11 - 6 - 0

180 cm
27
194
5 - 3 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Knockout power

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 11 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Reno Rocca!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Joe Senior!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fray, Josh West and Paul Gruel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rocca tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Senior was well out of range. Poor timing from Rocca.
Senior drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Rocca defends it well.

Rocca clinches up with Senior and pushes him back against the cage.
Rocca trying to land knees to the body.
Senior prevents a body shot from Rocca.
A right hand to the body from Rocca.
Rocca lands an elbow just above Senior 's eye.

It looks like Joe Senior has been cut.
Rocca lands with a right to the head.
Rocca lands a hook to the side of the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Rocca.

Rocca escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rocca lands the left hand.
Senior is looking to clinch but Rocca is avoiding it.
Senior avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rocca is looking to clinch.
A head kick by Rocca misses

and Senior counters with a shoot takedown. Rocca fights it but they end up in guard.
Senior wants to control from the top but Rocca keeps moving.
Rocca tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Rocca looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Rocca is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Senior defends well.
Senior looking to sit in guard and control but Rocca gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Rocca stopping the sweep attempt from Senior.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Senior is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Rocca is looking to stand up but Senior won't let him.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Senior looking for a sweep. Not yet Senior, not yet.
Rocca is stalling in the full guard.
Rocca stopping the sweep attempt from Senior.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rocca is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Senior is trying to control the position but Rocca postures up.
Rocca would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Senior is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Rocca looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Rocca has Senior up against the cage in a clinch.
Rocca displaying some good clinch control by pressing Senior up against the cage.
A short uppercut from Rocca.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rocca lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Senior or not.
Nice body punch from Rocca - that landed with a thud.
I was talking to Rocca's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.

Rocca's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Reno Rocca dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Joe Senior's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Senior.

Rocca throws Senior to one side and escapes!
Rocca catches Senior with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Rocca tries to close the distance and clinch but Senior swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Senior avoids a punch combination nicely.
Rocca lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Reno Rocca is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Rocca tries to sprawl but Senior drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Rocca is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Senior wants to control but Rocca is keeping him busy.
Senior is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Rocca is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Senior can do to turn this around?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Senior trying to pass the guard but Rocca defending well.

Rocca is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Senior pulls his head out easily.

Rocca looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Senior wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rocca keeps working.
Rocca is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Rocca wants to get back to his feet.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Senior working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.

Rocca actively working from the bottom here.

Senior is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Senior wants to control but Rocca is keeping him busy.
Senior trying to mount his opponent but Rocca defends it.
Rocca wants to get back to his feet.
Senior looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Rocca trying to control but Senior postures up.
Senior missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Senior is trying to control. Rocca wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Senior seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

Senior is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Senior trying to control from half guard but Rocca is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Senior is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Senior is trying to control. Rocca wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Rocca actively working from the bottom here.

Rocca is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Senior pulls his head out easily.

Senior is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Rocca doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Senior.

Senior has hold of the far side arm. He's working for the Kimura, can Rocca defend it? Senior steps over the head and cranks it - Rocca is tapping out! That was textbook stuff right there - nice submission victory for Senior!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:53 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Joe Senior!