PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Brad Finley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ilan Rotberg (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Finley comes to the cage accompanied by Welcome to the Jungle. Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Ilan Rotberg enters the cage!

Finley
vs
Rotberg

180 cm
26
197 lbs
12 - 13 - 0

183 cm
32
199 lbs
18 - 16 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Charlie Wang's Tattered Rags & 95% Laundry

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Brad Finley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ilan Rotberg!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Finley throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Rotberg tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Finley is in Rotberg's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Finley trying to control but Rotberg is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Finley trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Finley postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Finley has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Finley loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Finley looking to sit in guard and control but Rotberg gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Rotberg postures up.

Finley is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Rotberg trying to control but Finley is working from the bottom.
Finley is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Finley had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Rotberg defends it easily.

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

Finley is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Rotberg is pushing down on Finley's leg trying to pass to half guard. Finley is fighting to maintain full guard but Rotberg has managed to sneak the leg through.
Finley wants to control but Rotberg is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Rotberg is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Finley sees it coming and defends easily.
Rotberg missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Finley slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Finley controls Rotberg momentarily but Rotberg frees himself.

Finley is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Finley controls Rotberg momentarily but Rotberg frees himself.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Finley is on top in guard.
Finley missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Finley throws a big elbow that misses.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Rotberg holds on and takes a little breather.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rotberg looking for a sweep. Not yet Rotberg, not yet.
Finley trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rotberg has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Finley has passed into side control.
Rotberg keeping his opponent close.
Rotberg is looking to reverse the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rotberg is not content to let Finley control the position.
Finley in side control, throwing shots but Rotberg defends.
Finley lands a nice forearm strike.
Finley postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Finley throws an elbow but Rotberg slips to the side and avoids it well.
Finley lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Rotberg down.
Finley working the head with strikes.
Finley in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Finley is looking to take a break and control but Rotberg is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Finley working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!
Finley working the strikes but Rotberg uses the opportunity to regain half guard.

Finley is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Rotberg makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Rotberg.
Rotberg looking to control.
Finley throwing strikes but missing.
Rotberg looking to hit a scissor sweep but Finley is one step ahead there.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rotberg trying to keep a closed guard but Finley is proving a slippery customer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brad Finley dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Finley swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Rotberg.

Finley darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Finley sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Rotberg defending well though.
Rotberg is trying is best to control the position here.
Rotberg avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Finley.
Rotberg has hold of Finley's hands but Finley slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Rotberg wants to improve his position but Finley is controlling well.
Finley perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Finley takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Finley works his way into full mount!
Rotberg sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Brad Finley overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Finley throws a strike but Rotberg avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Finley pushes down on Rotberg's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Rotberg trying to control here.
Finley trying to control from half guard but Rotberg is working away.
Rotberg blocking the ground and pound attempt from Finley.
Finley looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Rotberg with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rotberg keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Finley is keen to just control but Rotberg is a slippery customer.
Finley thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Finley thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rotberg's head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Finley is looking for a kimura here.
Rotberg tries to get to full guard but Finley has control of the leg.
Rotberg is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Finley is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rotberg is defending against the submission attempts here by Finley.
Rotberg is staying active underneath Finley, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Rotberg is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Finley missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Rotberg wants to improve his position but Finley is controlling well.
Finley trying to control the action but Rotberg is working from the bottom.

Finley seems to be working for a kimura but Rotberg defends the submission attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Finley is trying to control. Rotberg wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Finley throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Rotberg tries to get to full guard but Finley has control of the leg.
Nice strikes from Finley there.
Finley is looking to take a break and control but Rotberg is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Finley landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rotberg moves into full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brad Finley dominated that second round.
That's time! Finley's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Rotberg waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Finley.
Rotberg defending well as Finley loads up on a big left hand.

Finley manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Rotberg on his heels. He'll look to pass Rotberg's guard now, I'm sure.
Finley tries to free his leg and advance position but Rotberg is retaining full guard.
Rotberg working a defensive guard here.
Finley trying to control but Rotberg is working from the bottom.
Rotberg preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rotberg trying to keep a closed guard but Finley is proving a slippery customer.
Finley slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Rotberg misses the jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rotberg gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Rotberg looking to hit a scissor sweep but Finley is one step ahead there.
Finley throwing strikes from guard but Rotberg blocks nicely.
Finley trying to control but Rotberg is working from the bottom.
Rotberg is pulling down on Finley's head to control his posture.
Rotberg looking to hit a scissor sweep but Finley is one step ahead there.
Rotberg keeping moving, preventing Finley from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Brad Finley just wasn't active enough.
A swing and a miss from Rotberg.
Rotberg throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Finley rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Rotberg moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A jab lands there for Rotberg.
Sloppy strikes from Rotberg. Those never looked like landing.
Rotberg misses with a left hand

and Finley holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Ilan Rotberg has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Finley can't find room to land a body shot as Rotberg controls the action.

Rotberg has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Finley is trying to keep an underhook but Rotberg manages to get the takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rotberg trying to control the action but Finley is working from the bottom.

Finley looking for submissions off his back.
Rotberg working over Finley with some ground and pound. Finley looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Rotberg is looking to take a break and control but Finley is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Brad Finley is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Finley wants to control but Rotberg is keeping busy.
Finley works his way to full guard. Good work.
Finley is pulling down on Rotberg's head to control his posture.
Rotberg trying to control but Finley is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Finley looking to control.
Finley trying to control the position here.
Rotberg distracts Finley with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Finley has his foot on Rotberg's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Rotberg works his way back into a safe position though.
Rotberg distracts Finley with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rotberg wants to pass the guard but Finley is keeping the position.
Rotberg wants to control from the top but Finley keeps moving.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Finley controls Rotberg momentarily but Rotberg frees himself.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Brad Finley.
Well Finley 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Brad Finley!