PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Steve Rogers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kazushi Rakusaba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Rakusaba's choice of entrance music: David Bowie - Suffragette City. Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Kazushi Rakusaba enters the ring!

Rogers
vs
Rakusaba

190 cm
36
178 lbs
23 - 24 - 0

183 cm
34
181 lbs
17 - 11 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 23 - 24 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Steve Rogers!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kazushi Rakusaba!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Saam Ante and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rogers throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Rogers misses with a two punch combination.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rakusaba is defended easily by Rogers.
Rakusaba on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Rogers. Rogers obviously looking to wear him down.
Rakusaba has a takedown stuffed.

Rogers closes the distance and clinches.

Rogers breaks the clinch.
Horrible takedown by Rakusaba or perhaps it was just good defense by Rogers which made him look bad.
Steve Rogers has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kazushi Rakusaba.

Rogers gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Rakusaba fails to pull guard.

Rogers escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Rakusaba.
Rakusaba has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

It looks like Kazushi Rakusaba has been cut.
Rogers throws a chopping leg kick but Rakusaba manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Rogers feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Rakusaba's calf.
A combination from Rogers does no damage.
Rakusaba misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Rogers lands a two punch combo.
Rakusaba checks a leg kick nicely.
Rogers looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
A cross from Rogers lands.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rogers misses with a low kick.
Rakusaba on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Rogers misses with a low kick.
Steve Rogers seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rogers moves into the clinch.
Rakusaba can't get the takedown.
Rogers is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Rakusaba is keeping busy.
Rakusaba drops down looking for an ankle pick but Rogers pulls his leg out and moves away.

Rogers gets caught napping as Rakusaba dives in and scores a takedown. Rogers manages to retain guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Rogers is on top in guard.
Rakusaba has momentary wrist control but Rogers slips an elbow through the middle.
Rakusaba looking for a sweep. Not yet Rakusaba, not yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rogers stands and throws Rakusaba's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Rogers throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

Rogers is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Rakusaba has escaped the position, nice work there.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

Rogers decides to stand back up.

Rogers closes the distance and pushes Rakusaba back into the ropes.
Rogers pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the ropes.
Rogers has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rogers breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rakusaba takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Rogers throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rakusaba.

Rogers closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Rogers controlling the position.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Rogers looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rogers is working Rakusaba over with some ground and pound from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Rogers dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Kazushi Rakusaba's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

Rogers tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Rakusaba is able to avoid easily.
Rogers wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Rogers throws a right hand that Rakusaba ducks under and follows up with a left that Rakusaba also avoids with ease.

Rogers closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Rakusaba's guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Rogers wants to get up but he can't break Rakusaba's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Rogers advances position into side control!

Rogers tries for a kimura but Rakusaba is defending well.
Rakusaba is trying to control Rogers's posture but Rogers avoids it.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rogers wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rakusaba keeps working.
Rogers misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Rogers trying to control the position but Rakusaba is working away.
Rogers with the ground and pound but Rakusaba regains half guard under the barage of strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rogers is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Rogers throwing shots but Rakusaba is blocking nicely.
Rogers wants to control but Rakusaba is keeping him busy.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Rogers looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Rogers is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Rakusaba defends it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rogers is keen to just control but Rakusaba is a slippery customer.

Rogers is looking for a kimura but Rakusaba is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Rogers to get the leverage.
Rogers is just content to waste time from the top position. Rakusaba takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Rogers is looking to work some ground and pound but Rakusaba has wrist control.
Rakusaba wants to stand but Rogers is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rogers missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rakusaba utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Rogers stands and steps away. Rakusaba gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Rakusaba shoots and misses
and Rogers counters with a straight right hand.
A punch combination from Rogers misses.
A solid leg kick lands there for Rogers.
Rogers throws a right and a left that both miss.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rakusaba misses with a takedown attempt - Rogers sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Rogers gets caught flat footed, as Rakusaba shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Rogers dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Kazushi Rakusaba'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. This is the final round!

Rogers clinches with his opponent.
Nice body punch from Rogers - that landed with a thud.
Rakusaba drops down looking for an ankle pick but Rogers pulls his leg out and moves away.

Rogers drives through with a takedown into Rakusaba's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Rakusaba keeping moving, preventing Rogers from controlling successfully.
Rogers forces his way into half guard.
Rakusaba takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Rogers is working for a submission of some sort.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rogers missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Rogers is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Rakusaba defends it well.
Rogers is trying to control. Rakusaba wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Rakusaba blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rogers.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rakusaba avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Rogers.
Rogers moves into full mount! Rakusaba won't be happy about that!
Rakusaba is bucking up trying to escape but Rogers cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Rogers is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Rakusaba can do to turn this around?
Rogers wants to control the pace but Rakusaba is squirming around nicely.
Rogers misses with a head shot.
Rogers wants to control but instead Rakusaba manages to regain half guard.
Rogers not doing much here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rogers is just content to waste time from the top position. Rakusaba takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Rakusaba keeping moving, preventing Rogers from controlling successfully.

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.
Rakusaba utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Kazushi Rakusaba has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rogers wants to stand and escape but instead Rakusaba has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Rogers wants to stand up but Rakusaba is controlling him.
Steve Rogers is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rogers working a defensive guard here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rogers utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
Steve 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 Daniel Blasius scores the fight 30:27
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steve Rogers!
Steve Rogers seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.