PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Rogan Botch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Felipe Pacquiao (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Felipe Pacquiao has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Botch
vs
Pacquiao

169 cm
20
135 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

165 cm
18
135 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rogan Botch!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Felipe Pacquiao!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Botch clinches up against the cage.
Pacquiao tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Pacquiao is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Botch is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Botch blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Botch avoiding damage as Pacquiao throws knees to the body.
Pacquiao prevents Botch from breaking the clinch.
Pacquiao is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Pacquiao tries to pull guard but Botch forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Botch wants to break free but Pacquiao has control.
A right hook to the body lands for Botch.
Pacquiao pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Pacquiao is trying to maintain a safe position but Botch gets an underhook and turns Pacquiao into the cage.

Botch manages to pull guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Botch pulls Pacquiao in close to his closed guard and prevents Pacquiao from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pacquiao preventing the sweep.

Botch looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Botch has control of Pacquiao's left arm, preventing Pacquiao from doing any damage.
Pacquiao has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Botch is proving hard to escape from.

Pacquiao decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Botch, up you get!
Botch tries to land a front kick but Pacquiao steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Botch slaps away a takedown attempt from Pacquiao, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Rogan Botch has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Felipe Pacquiao.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pacquiao shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Botch defends it nicely.
Botch looks to land a combination but Pacquiao avoids it well.
Felipe Pacquiao seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pacquiao fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Botch rushes Pacquiao and presses him up against the cage.
Pacquiao taking a breather.
Pacquiao jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Botch walks away with a smile on his face. Pacquiao gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Botch has a takedown stuffed.

Botch fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Pacquiao, pushing him back against the cage.
Pacquiao tries to pull guard but Botch holds him up against the cage and eventually Pacquiao drops back down to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pacquiao tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Botch using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Pacquiao has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Pacquiao jumps guard but Botch turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Pacquiao tries to pull guard but Botch won't allow it.
Botch wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Pacquiao has him pressed against the cage.
Botch can't break the clinch.

Botch ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Botch no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Botch is adopting a defensive guard.
Pacquiao looking to sit in guard and control but Botch gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Botch seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pacquiao controls Botch momentarily but Botch frees himself.
Botch stays in close to Pacquiao's body and controls the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Rogan Botch wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Botch swats away the attempt to clinch by Pacquiao.

Botch takes the fight into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rogan Botch dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Botch closes the distance and clinches.
Pacquiao looking to slow down the pace here.
Botch displaying some good clinch control by pressing Pacquiao up against the cage.
Botch tries to break free but Pacquiao pushes him back against the cage.
Botch avoids a wild elbow strike from Pacquiao.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

Botch decides to pull guard.
Pacquiao wanted to stand there but Botch had control of the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pacquiao trying to control but Botch is working from the bottom.

Pacquiao drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Botch manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Pacquiao has Botch in his guard.
Botch missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Pacquiao tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Botch pushes down on Pacquiao's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Pacquiao trying to hold on to Botch's head to control him but Botch postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pacquiao tries to kick Botch off but Botch keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Pacquiao has hold of Botch's hands but Botch slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Botch throwing shots but Pacquiao is blocking nicely.
Pacquiao wants to get back to full guard.
Botch not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Botch wants to pass to mount but Pacquiao is defending the position.
Botch passes to side control.

Botch thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Botch in the domination position with Pacquiao hanging on.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Botch working away.
Rogan Botch overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The strikes coming from Botch are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Botch is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Pacquiao will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Pacquiao is looking to regain half guard here but Botch keeps moving and retains side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Botch working the strikes but Pacquiao uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Pacquiao works his way to full guard. Good work.
Botch pushes down on Pacquiao's leg and manages to get into half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Botch wants to free his trapped foot but Pacquiao is holding on for dear life with his legs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rogan Botch dominated that second round.
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. This is the final round!

Pacquiao showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Botch.
Botch stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Botch wants it to stay on the feet.
Pacquiao closes this distance looking for a takedown but Botch circles away.

Botch clinches up against the cage.
Botch tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Pacquiao smiles and moves away.

Botch takes the fight into the clinch.

Botch jumps guard and drags Pacquiao to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Pacquiao trying to control but Botch is working from the bottom.
Botch wants to sweep here but Pacquiao controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Botch showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Botch throwing strikes from guard but Pacquiao blocks nicely.
Pacquiao keeping full guard, as Botch tries to pass.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Botch stands up from Pacquiao's guard - Botch perhaps looking for a knockout.
Botch misses with a few strikes there.
Pacquiao closes the distance and clinches up with Botch, looking for a takedown. Pacquiao pushes Botch against the cage but Botch circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Rogan Botch has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Felipe Pacquiao.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pacquiao with a lazy takedown attempt

and Botch moves into the clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Botch breaks the clinch.
Pacquiao shoots in but no luck this time.
Pacquiao takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Botch pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Pacquiao back to the cage. Botch follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.

It looks like Felipe Pacquiao has been cut.
Pacquiao shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Botch but Botch pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Botch has closed the distance and engaged Pacquiao in a clinch.
Rogan Botch has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Botch is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Pacquiao is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Pacquiao tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Botch successfully pulls guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Botch pushes Pacquiao off and gets back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Botch clinches with his opponent.
Botch effectively controlling the action here.

Botch decides to pull guard.
Botch trying to strike off his back.
Botch lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Pacquiao!
Botch looking to finish with strikes here!
Felipe Pacquiao has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rogan Botch is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pacquiao swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rogan Botch showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Botch 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight for Rogan Botch!
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight for Rogan Botch!
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight for Rogan Botch!

Rogan Botch wins by unanimous decision!