PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Joe Rogers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gaylord Butts (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rogers comes to the cage accompanied by For Whom The Bell Tolls by Metallica. 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.

Rogers
vs
Butts

206 cm
24
265 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

200 cm
21
230 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Joe Rogers!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Gaylord Butts!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rogers closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Butts prevents Rogers from breaking the clinch.
Butts using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Rogers has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Rogers has hold of one of Butts's legs. Butts is fighting the takedown attempt but Rogers gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Rogers sitting in guard here, content to control.
Butts is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Butts can do anything to dispel that myth.

Rogers decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Butts, up you get!
Rogers dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Butts looks gassed!
Butts ducks under a wild hook from Rogers.
Butts tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rogers paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Gaylord Butts seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rogers stuffs the takedown.
Rogers tries to bum rush Butts with a series of wild strikes but Butts uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Rogers gets caught flat footed, as Butts shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rogers has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

Rogers has his feet on Butts's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Rogers darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Butts scores with a takedown into Rogers's guard.

Rogers pushes Butts off and scrambles back to his feet.
Rogers lands a jab to Butts's midsection.
Butts walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Butts takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Rogers smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rogers misses with a jab, cross combination.
Rogers cracks a nice hook into Butts's ribs.
Butts drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Rogers lands with a right hand.
Rogers with a nice cross.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rogers scores with a punch to the head.
Butts shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Rogers pinned against the cage. Rogers gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Rogers lands a jab to the nose.
Rogers lands a lovely overhand right.
Butts avoids a punch combination nicely.
The fighters circle momentarily. Rogers darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Butts wants to clinch but Rogers slips to the side

and Rogers counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Butts!
Butts throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Butts throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Butts throws some wild strikes from the bottom.
Rogers controlling his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rogers looking to control but Butts is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Butts working to try and regain half guard.
Rogers content just to control the position here.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Rogers gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!

Butts closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Rogers is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Butts lands some shots froms side control.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Butts looks up at the clock and then as Rogers takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Butts smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Butts cracks Rogers with an elbow. That is naaassty.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Butts shoots and misses
and Rogers counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Rogers lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Butts at a distance.
Rogers getting the better of the striking in that exchange.

Rogers bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Rogers remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

Rogers decides to stand back up.
Butts shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Rogers counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Butts moves out of range of the strikes.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Butts tries for a takedown but Rogers circles away easily
and Rogers counters with a stiff right hand.
Joe Rogers has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gaylord Butts.
Rogers throws out a loose jab but Butts uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Butts with a poor takedown
and Rogers counters with a stiff right hand.
Butts changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Rogers tries to avoid it but Butts manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Rogers to the ground. Rogers escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Butts with a poor takedown
and Rogers counters with a nice uppercut.
Rogers misses with a jab, cross combination.
Butts fails with the takedown
letting Rogers counter with a right hand.
Butts tries to clinch
and Rogers counters with a two punch combo.
Butts misses with a takedown attempt
and Rogers counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Butts on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Butts has his takedown stuffed

and Rogers counters by moving into the clinch.
Rogers wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Butts with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Butts creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Butts using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Rogers has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Rogers wants to break the clinch but can't.

That's two 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.
Butts misses with a knee to the head.
Butts tries to score a body lock takedown but Rogers shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Rogers blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Rogers avoids a wild elbow strike from Butts.
Butts using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Rogers has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Butts comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Rogers can't break the clinch.
Rogers can't break the clinch.
Butts using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Butts can't get the takedown.
Butts looking to throw knees to the head but Rogers is blocking nicely.
Butts with a knee to the head.
Butts tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Rogers smiles and moves away.

Butts closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Rogers wants to get back to his feet but Butts drags him back down.
Butts landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Rogers's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Butts tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Rogers sneaks back into half guard.

Rogers manages to escape and get back to his feet!
The fight stays on the outside here - Rogers looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Butts shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Butts showed some decent athleticism there.
Rogers pushes Butts off looking to stand but Butts dives back in and keeps control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rogers trying to control but Butts postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Butts prevents Rogers from standing back up.
Joe Rogers overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rogers avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Butts.
Butts throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Rogers kicks Butts off and gets back to his feet.
Butts fails in his attempt to clinch.
Butts shoots and misses
and Rogers counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Butts fails with an attempt to clinch.
Butts slips a straight right by Rogers.
Rogers keeps the fight on the outside.
Rogers connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Rogers dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

A slow jab from Rogers misses its intended target.
Butts has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Butts misses with a takedown

and Rogers counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Rogers gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Butts misses with a takedown
and Rogers counters with a two punch combo.
Butts is looking to clinch but Rogers is avoiding it.
Butts shoots and misses
and Rogers counters with a left to the body.
Joe Rogers has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gaylord Butts.

Butts shoots in and bounces Rogers off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Butts tries to stand but Rogers is controlling from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rogers manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Joe Rogers is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Butts displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Rogers throws out the jab.
Butts tries to clinch but Rogers moves away
and Rogers counters with a left and a right that stings Butts.

Butts shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Rogers napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Rogers can't do much from the bottom here.
Butts lands a few punches from side control.
Rogers is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Butts tries to pass to full mount but Rogers defends it.
Rogers is trying to stand up here but Butts is controlling him well.
Rogers is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Butts scores with a couple of nice shots.
Butts tries to pass to full mount but Rogers defends it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rogers kicks Butts off and gets back to his feet.
Butts takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Rogers stuffs the takedown attempt from Butts. Butts gets slowly back to his feet.
Rogers lands the left hand.

Butts shoots in and bounces Rogers off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Butts tries to free his leg and advance position but Rogers is retaining full guard.

Rogers pushes Butts off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Butts shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Rogers defends it nicely.

Butts scores a takedown into full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rogers sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Rogers trying to hold on to Butts's head to control him but Butts postures up.
Butts wants to get back to his feet.
Butts throwing shots but Rogers is blocking nicely.

Rogers makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Butts wants to clinch
and Butts takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Butts looks to clinch
and Rogers counters with a stiff right hand.
Butts dodges the punch combination from Rogers.

Butts takes the fight into the clinch.
Butts tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Butts has Rogers pressed against the cage, preventing Rogers from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Rogers wants to break the clinch but can't.
Butts pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Joe Rogers is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Butts throws a knee to the head but misses.
Butts looking to throw knees to the head but Rogers is blocking nicely.
Rogers wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Butts has Rogers pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Rogers manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Butts looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Gaylord Butts has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rogers is trying to break the clinch but Butts has him pressed against the cage.
Butts keeps control of Rogers as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Butts looking to throw knees to the head but Rogers is blocking nicely.
Butts trying to land knees to the body.
Butts tries to pull guard but Rogers holds him up against the cage and eventually Butts drops back down to his feet.
Butts tries a knee to the head but Rogers blocks it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joe Rogers showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Rogers 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joe Rogers!