PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kukina Maluga (ranked 2442 p4p, 2439 weight class) and Royce Rosario (ranked 305 p4p, 304 weight class). Royce Rosario has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Maluga
vs
Rosario

198 cm
26
275
3 - 5 - 0

189 cm
26
250
4 - 2 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent MT
Very strong

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Kukina Maluga!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Royce Rosario!
The judges for this bout are Santiago Holmes, Bart Greer and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rosario drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Rosario throws out a loose jab but Maluga uses good head movement to avoid it.
Maluga wants to clinch up but Rosario keeps it at a distance.
Rosario misses the jab.
Maluga keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Kukina Maluga seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Maluga throws an overhand right that lands on Rosario's shoulder, as Rosario tries to avoid the shot.
Maluga connects with a body shot that sends Rosario's belly button to the back.
Maluga swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
A countering left hand to the body from Rosario misses.
Maluga avoids a punch combination nicely.
Maluga fails to land the takedown.
Rosario now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Rosario ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Maluga moves away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rosario takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

It looks like Royce Rosario has been cut.
Maluga misses with a left hand
and Rosario counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Maluga shoots in looking for a takedown. Rosario tries to sprawl out of it but Maluga keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Rosario manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Maluga shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Rosario manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maluga stays in close to Rosario's body and controls the position.
Rosario looking to control.
Rosario 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.
Maluga definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Rosario bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Maluga's guard.

Rosario being controlled here momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Rosario trying to control but Maluga is working from the bottom.
Rosario would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Maluga looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Maluga looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rosario tries to stand but Maluga is controlling from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Maluga shoots in for a takedown but Rosario shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kukina Maluga. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Maluga thuds his right hand into Rosario's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
A slow jab from Maluga misses its intended target.
Rosario throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Maluga throws a hook but Rosario blocks it.

Maluga fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Rosario, pushing him back against the cage.
Rosario tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Maluga's elbow.
Rosario tries to throw a body punch but Maluga avoids it by throwing Rosario back against the cage.
Rosario tries to throw a body punch but Maluga avoids it by throwing Rosario back against the cage.
Rosario misses with a punch on the inside.
Rosario lands a body punch.
Rosario wants to get back to striking at distance but Maluga won't allow it.
We've been informed that Rosario has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Rosario.
Rosario struggles to land a body shot inside as Maluga controls his hands.
Maluga blocking some punches.
Rosario tries a body shot but Maluga blocks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maluga lands a body punch.
Maluga prevents a body shot from Rosario.
Rosario lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Maluga or not.
Maluga is breathing heavily.
Rosario tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Rosario tries a body shot but Maluga blocks it.
Maluga lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Rosario backwards.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Maluga misses with a body punch.
Maluga lands with a left to the head.
Still in the clinch, Rosario scores with a nice short uppercut.
Rosario blocking some punches.
Rosario throws a punch but it's blocked by Maluga.
Maluga lands with a left to the head.
Maluga misses with a hook from the clinch.
A short right from Maluga.
Rosario lands with a left to the head.
Rosario works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Maluga blocks a body shot from Rosario.
Rosario scores with a shot to the side of Maluga's head.
Maluga blocking some punches.
A nice right hand lands inside from Maluga.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Kukina Maluga will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Royce Rosario's cut.
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.

Jab from Maluga.
Rosario takes one on the button.
Maluga will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Horrible takedown attempt by Maluga or perhaps it was just good defense by Rosario, which made it look bad.
Rosario misses with a looping left.
Maluga throws a jab but it's blocked by Rosario.
The crowd cheers as Maluga lands an impressive looking overhand right. Rosario doesn't seem phased though.
Rosario misses with a looping left.
Rosario avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Rosario! But no joy.
Rosario throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rosario takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Maluga shoots for a double leg takedown but Rosario sprawls well. He's pushed Maluga's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kukina Maluga. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Maluga fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Rosario avoids it really well and circles away.
Rosario throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Maluga stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maluga throws a right hand that misses
enabling Rosario to counter with a crisp jab.
Maluga is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Maluga misses with a takedown attempt
and Maluga takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Rosario lands with a hook. Maluga tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Rosario slips under a jab from Maluga.
Rosario thows a left - swing and a miss!
Maluga slips under a jab.
Rosario misses with an uppercut. Maluga saw that one coming.
Maluga with a lazy takedown attempt
letting Rosario counter with a right hand.

It looks like Kukina Maluga has been cut.
Rosario circles and sees the opportunity to plant his feet and throw a really nice straight left hand that drops Maluga to the canvas! Maluga doesn't know where he is but he's trying to survive - Rosario keeps piling on the pressure and forces the referee to step in! This one is aaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:46 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Royce Rosario!