PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rokken Roll (ranked 1530 p4p, 2555 weight class) and Rico Axelrod (ranked 203 p4p, 311 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Roll
vs
Axelrod

178 cm
19
159
5 - 1 - 0

178 cm
19
155
3 - 3 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

FF Gear
Vegan Gains

Vegan Gains

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Rokken Roll!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rico Axelrod!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, Columbo Gatti and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Axelrod walks into a stiff left hand from Roll.
Roll connects with a looping right hand.
Rokken Roll seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Roll swinging wildly here.
Axelrod looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Axelrod uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Roll.
Axelrod takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Axelrod takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Axelrod misses with a hook. Roll ducked under it nicely.
It looked like Roll wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Roll looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Roll darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Roll misses with a body shot.
Axelrod lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Roll dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Axelrod lands a lovely overhand right.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Roll pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Axelrod back to the cage. Roll follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Roll throws a series of punches but Axelrod avoids them all with ease.
Nice shot by Roll.
Roll ducks under a wild hook from Axelrod.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Roll sizes up Axelrod with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Roll tests Axelrod's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Axelrod tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Roll was well out of range. Poor timing from Axelrod.
Axelrod throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Roll on the side of the head.
A telegraphed right hand from Roll misses the target.
Axelrod looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Roll throws a nice looking combination but Axelrod bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Axelrod lands with a right hand.
Roll connects with a crisp jab.
Axelrod showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Roll.
Roll swings for the body but Axelrod moves out of range.
Roll lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Axelrod walks into a stiff left hand from Roll.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Axelrod misses with a body punch
and Roll counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Axelrod uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Roll.
Roll misses with a looping left.
A swing and a miss from Roll.
Roll waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Axelrod.
Axelrod now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Axelrod takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Axelrod pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Roll clinches with his opponent.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Roll.
Roll scores with a shoulder strike.
Roll doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Roll's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Roll moves into the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Roll fails to land.
Roll swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Roll blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A short uppercut from Axelrod.

Roll breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Axelrod takes a jab right on the kisser.
Axelrod misses with a body shot.
Axelrod slips under a jab from Roll.
It seemed like Axelrod was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Roll throws a hook to the side of Axelrod's head but Axelrod sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Axelrod swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Axelrod ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Roll moves away.
Roll swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Roll ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Roll avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Roll throws a hook but Axelrod blocks it.
Axelrod on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Roll tries to clinch up.
Roll keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Roll is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
A jab from Roll misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Roll lands with a shot to the body.
Roll misses with a wild body shot.
Roll jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Axelrod looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Roll stalks Axelrod and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Axelrod's face. Axelrod staggers backwards, shaken.
Axelrod fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Roll manages to avoid it.
Axelrod on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Axelrod dodges the punch combination from Roll.
Axelrod appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Roll checks a leg kick.
Axelrod moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Roll throws a shot from downtown. Axelrod moves away and avoids it.
Axelrod swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Roll misses with an uppercut.
Roll is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Rokken Roll dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Roll throws a hook but Axelrod blocks it.
Axelrod swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Roll lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Roll works Axelrod's body with a nice hook.
Roll lands with a right hand.
Axelrod misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Roll lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Roll connects with a body shot.
Roll misses with a jab, cross combination.
Rokken Roll is winning the standup battle so far.
Roll tries to clinch up but Axelrod circles away and keeps his distance.
It seemed like Axelrod was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Left hook, right uppercut from Roll.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Roll lands a nice shot that snaps Axelrod's head back.
A big left from Axelrod misses.
Axelrod looks to land a left hand but Roll moved out of range nicely.
Roll swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Roll scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Roll misses with a body shot
and Axelrod counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
The fighters circling - Roll throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Roll throws a body shot but no joy.
Axelrod misses with an uppercut. Roll saw that one coming.
Roll looks to throw the jab but Axelrod is out of range.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Axelrod lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Roll has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Roll and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Axelrod fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Roll takes a swing at Axelrod's ribcage but misses.
Axelrod swings and misses with a shot to the body
enabling Roll to counter with a crisp jab.
Axelrod throws a big shot that misses.
Roll misses with an uppercut.
Axelrod is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Roll with a body shot.
Roll moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
A left lands for Roll.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Axelrod swings for the body but Roll moves out of range.
Axelrod just misses with a punch to the body.
Roll lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Axelrod has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Roll stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.

Roll closes the distance and clinches.
Roll lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
A short uppercut from Axelrod.
Axelrod misses with the head strike.
Roll cracks Axelrod with a nice body shot.
Axelrod throws a punch but it's blocked by Roll.
Axelrod blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Roll pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Roll lands with a shot to the body.
Axelrod takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Axelrod looks to throw the jab but Roll is out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Axelrod keeps the fight on the outside.
Roll throws a big shot that misses.
Axelrod throws out a loose jab but Roll uses good head movement to avoid it.
Roll digs a good hook to Axelrod's body.
Roll thuds his right hand into Axelrod's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Axelrod throws a body shot but no joy.
Roll lands a jab to the nose.
Roll displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Roll connects with a single shot there.
Roll lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

Roll forces Axelrod back against the cage and clinches.
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!
Axelrod misses with a punch on the inside.
Roll swings away with an uppercut that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A right hand to the body from Axelrod.
Axelrod has a couple of punches blocked by Roll.
Roll misses with some punches.
Rokken Roll has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Roll misses with a hook from the clinch.
Axelrod misses with a hook from the clinch.
Roll fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Axelrod working aggressively here.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Roll.
Axelrod swings wildly with an uppercut but Roll uses good head movement to avoid it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Axelrod.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Roll.
Nice body punch from Roll - that landed with a thud.
Roll lands a body punch.

Roll breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Roll lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Roll throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Axelrod looks like he wants to counter punch here.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Axelrod throws a big shot that misses.
Axelrod moves forwards but Roll connects with a nice, crisp jab.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Rokken Roll dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Axelrod misses the shot to the body.
Axelrod takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Axelrod slips under a jab from Roll.
Axelrod looks to throw the jab but Roll is out of range.
Axelrod throws a body shot but no joy.
Roll scores with a nice right hand.
Roll thows a left - swing and a miss!
Axelrod moves out of range of the strikes.
Axelrod uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Roll.
Axelrod appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Axelrod is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Roll.
Axelrod misses the shot to the body.
A decent looking cross lands there for Roll.
Axelrod with a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Roll misses with a hook
and Roll takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Roll ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Axelrod moves away.
Roll looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Roll swings for the body but Axelrod moves out of range.
Roll misses with an uppercut.
Roll dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Axelrod pivots, looking for a leg kick but Roll is out of range and Axelrod settles back down.
Axelrod misses with an uppercut

and Roll moves into the clinch.
Roll is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Axelrod can do to turn this around?
Axelrod looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Roll's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Axelrod uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Roll.

Roll fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Axelrod, pushing him back against the cage.
Roll is working Axelrod over against the cage.
Axelrod swings wildly with an uppercut but Roll uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Axelrod tries to work over Roll's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Axelrod lands a right hand that snaps the head of Roll backwards.
A head punch on the inside from Roll fails to land.

Roll manages to break the clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Axelrod lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Roll just misses with a punch to the body.
Roll with a hook.
Roll waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Axelrod.
Roll throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Axelrod throws a front kick aimed at Roll's knee but Roll avoids it well.
Axelrod falls off balance throwing a combination
and Roll counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Axelrod loads up on a big right hand but Roll slips the punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roll lands a right hook to the body.
Roll connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Roll lunges at Axelrod with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Axelrod's hand.
Roll is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Roll has Axelrod up against the cage in a clinch.
Axelrod softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

Roll breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Roll scores with a jab to the body.
A cross from Roll lands.
Roll wants to clinch up but Axelrod keeps it at a distance.

Roll has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A short left from Axelrod.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Axelrod tries to work over Roll's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Axelrod tries to work over Roll's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Axelrod tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Roll's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Axelrod just misses with a punch to the body.
Rico Axelrod has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Roll drives through and clinches with Axelrod against the cage.
Axelrod lands with a left to the head.
Roll misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Axelrod misses with some punches.
Axelrod blocking some punches.
Roll tries to throw a body punch but Axelrod avoids it by throwing Roll back against the cage.
Axelrod working aggressively here.
Axelrod is trying to break free.
Axelrod lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Roll backwards.
Axelrod misses with a hook from the clinch.
Axelrod fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Roll gets through Axelrod's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

Roll breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rokken Roll showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Roll has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rokken Roll!
Rokken Roll decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.