PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Mason Rogers (ranked 1972 p4p, 4117 weight class) and Ono Kuronoa (ranked 259 p4p, 452 weight class). Ono Kuronoa has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Rogers
vs
Kuronoa

168 cm
37
152
17 - 14 - 0

150 cm
38
130
12 - 17 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

BJJ Red Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Fantasy Threads

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 17 - 14 - 0, fighting out of London, Mason Rogers!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 17 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ono Kuronoa!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Taro Takaoka and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rogers is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Kuronoa.

Rogers rushes Kuronoa and presses him up against the cage.
Rogers connects with a knee to the head.

It looks like Ono Kuronoa has been cut.
Rogers prevents a body shot from Kuronoa.
Rogers misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Kuronoa.
A left hand lands to the body for Kuronoa.
Kuronoa tries to throw a body punch but Rogers avoids it by throwing Kuronoa back against the cage.
Rogers throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Kuronoas head.

Kuronoa pulls Rogers into guard.

Kuronoa working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Rogers doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Rogers manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Kuronoa has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Rogers can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Rogers postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Rogers will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rogers controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Rogers trying to control but Kuronoa is working from the bottom.
Kuronoa trying to control the position.

Rogers got a little sloppy there for a moment and Kuronoa has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Rogers has managed to get both his arms back between Kuronoa's legs - danger averted.
Kuronoa looking to control.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Rogers's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Rogers working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Kuronoa's head.
Rogers postures up and lands a big shot to Kuronoa's brow.
Rogers landing with the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rogers trying to control the position from guard on top but Kuronoa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Our spies down at at Crapollas Gym inform us that Kuronoa has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?

Kuronoa looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Rogers connects with a couple of short punches.
Rogers lands a couple of digs.
Rogers is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Rogers postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Rogers wants to control from the top but Kuronoa keeps moving.

Kuronoa throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kuronoa working for submissions but it's allowed Rogers to get to half guard.
Rogers seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Kuronoa does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Rogers keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Rogers with the ground and pound but Kuronoa uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Rogers trying to control the position from guard on top but Kuronoa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rogers postures up in Kuronoa's guard and throws a big left but Kuronoa blocks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Rogers keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Kuronoa's head.
Rogers stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kuronoa swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Kuronoa is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Rogers lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Rogers controlling from the top position.
Kuronoa keeping moving, preventing Rogers from controlling successfully.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Mason Rogers dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ono Kuronoa's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Kuronoa checks a leg kick.
Rogers looks for the body kick but Kuronoa saw that one coming.
Kuronoa pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Kuronoa darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Kuronoa throws a quick inside leg kick.
Kuronoa takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Kuronoa misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rogers.
Rogers looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
Kuronoa with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A thudding body kick lands there by Kuronoa!
Kuronoa closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Rogers misses with a series of wild punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick by Rogers misses

and Kuronoa counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Kuronoa jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Rogers walks away with a smile on his face. Kuronoa gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Kuronoa bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Kuronoa tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rogers takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Rogers slips under a jab.
Rogers blocks a head kick by Kuronoa.
Rogers quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Rogers tries to clinch up but Kuronoa circles away and keeps his distance.
Kuronoa looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Kuronoa throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rogers lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Rogers looks to land a right hand but Kuronoa moved out of range.
Ono Kuronoa seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rogers goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

Rogers shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Kuronoa manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Rogers connects with a couple of short punches.
Rogers looking to sit in guard and control but Kuronoa gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

This has been an exciting period of action!
Kuronoa trying to control the position from guard on top but Rogers is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kuronoa might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Rogers haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

Rogers looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Kuronoa passes into side control.
Kuronoa is looking to take a break and control but Rogers is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rogers is looking for a sweep.
Rogers wants to control but Kuronoa postures up.

Kuronoa working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Kuronoa tries to move into full mount but can't pass Rogers's legs.

Kuronoa tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Kuronoa has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Rogers is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Rogers looking for a sweep but Kuronoa has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Rogers manages to regain half guard. Good work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rogers has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Kuronoa is working away from the top position though.
Rogers is not content to let Kuronoa control the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ono Kuronoa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Ono Kuronoa's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Nice cross by Kuronoa.
Rogers connects with a jab.
Kuronoa throws a push kick but Rogers slaps the foot to one side.
Kuronoa tried to score with a low kick but Rogers checks it.
As Kuronoa looks to move away, Rogers throws a big counter combo but Kuronoa just gets out of the way.
Kuronoa misses the shot to the body.
Kuronoa misses with a jab, cross combination.
Rogers ducks under a wild hook from Kuronoa.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rogers does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Rogers throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kuronoa tries to counter by closing the distance.
Kuronoa throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rogers tries to clinch but Kuronoa moves out of range.
Kuronoa walks forward, straight into a front kick from Rogers.
Kuronoa misses with a body shot
and Rogers counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Kuronoa misses with a double jab.
Rogers takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Kuronoa wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Kuronoa connects with an inside leg kick.
Rogers moves out of range of the leg kick from Kuronoa.
Ono Kuronoa is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Kuronoa moves into range and connects with a jab.
Kuronoa lands a nice looking body kick.
Rogers blocks the body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kuronoa throws a quick inside leg kick.
Rogers misses with a wild body shot.
Kuronoa misses with a looping right.
Rogers appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Kuronoa takes one on the chin but seems OK.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kuronoa bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Rogers is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Kuronoa.
Kuronoa wants to counter the offense by Rogers and move into the clinch position.
Rogers works over Kuronoa's head and body with a nice combination.
Rogers tries to clinch up but Kuronoa circles away and keeps his distance.
Kuronoa defending well as Rogers loads up on a big left hand.
Kuronoa moves out of range as Rogers throws a body kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kuronoa swings widly with a right hand
and Rogers counters with a thumping low kick.
Kuronoa ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rogers moves away.
Rogers throws a big counter combination but Kuronoa scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Rogers misses with a head kick.
Kuronoa wants to counter with a clinch but Rogers pushes him away.
Kuronoa looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Kuronoa misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rogers.
Kuronoa leaves Rogers with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Kuronoa is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Rogers rather than just go for the knockout.
Rogers uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Kuronoa.
Rogers slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Kuronoa walks into a left hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kuronoa jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Kuronoa throws a leg kick
and Rogers counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Rogers throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Kuronoa fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Rogers.
Kuronoa throws a head kick but Rogers moves out of range.
Rogers wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Rogers seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Rogers looks to land a right hand but Kuronoa moved out of range.

Kuronoa moves into the clinch successfully.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Kuronoa lands with a short head shot on the inside.
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!
Kuronoa throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Rogers tries to land knees in the clinch but Kuronoa avoids the damage to the body.
Kuronoa is trying to pull guard but Rogers turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Kuronoa tries to pull guard but Rogers holds him up against the cage and eventually Kuronoa drops back down to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ono Kuronoa.
I think Kuronoa has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 29:29
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a draw!