PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Lala Payash (ranked 4686 p4p, 3881 weight class) and Pookie Rogers (ranked 520 p4p, 470 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Payash
vs
Rogers

166 cm
25
177
1 - 1 - 0

180 cm
25
185
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Great elbows
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Lala Payash!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Pookie Rogers!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Tiny Johnson and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rogers looks to throw the jab but Payash is out of range.
Rogers throws a body shot but no joy.
Rogers misses with a straight right.
Payash tries to close the distance and clinch but Rogers swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rogers pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Rogers misses with a right hand

and Payash counters by clinching up.
Rogers tries to throw a body punch but Payash avoids it by throwing Rogers back against the cage.

Rogers escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Jab, jab by Rogers - just one landing.
Payash is looking to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Rogers clinches with his opponent.
Payash is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Payash content to slow the pace in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rogers misses with some punches.

Rogers breaks the clinch.
Payash walks into a straight right hand from Rogers.

Rogers looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Payash has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Rogers off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Payash bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A low kick from Rogers misses

and Payash counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rogers won't be happy with that.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rogers pushes Payash away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Payash gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Payash working the ground and pound but Rogers is defending the strikes.
Rogers is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Payash has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Payash misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Payash tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Rogers wants to get back to his feet.
Payash looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Rogers is avoiding damage well.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rogers wants to get back to his feet.
Rogers defending against the ground and pound.
Rogers wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Payash in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Payash working away.
Rogers is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Payash has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Rogers is trying to control Payash's posture but Payash avoids it.

Rogers throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
Payash wants to clinch up but Rogers keeps it at a distance.
Rogers closes the distance and lands a one-two.

Payash is rocked!

It looks like Lala Payash has been cut.
It's a brutal combination of punches from Rogers! Payash is backing up but he can't get away as Rogers lands with one final shot to the jaw that drops Payash and ends the fight. Great knockout.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:55 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Pookie Rogers!