PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Joey Roberts (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cub Swanson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Roberts
vs
Swanson

177 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

176 cm
22
153 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Inexperienced

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Demonic Drugs
Demonic Drugs

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Joey Roberts!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Cub Swanson!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Swanson throws a half hearted mid kick.

Roberts fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Swanson, pushing him back against the cage.
Swanson is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Roberts pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Swanson stops a takedown attempt from Roberts.
Roberts looking for a takedown.

Swanson manages to break the clinch.

Swanson scores with a takedown into Roberts's guard.
Swanson sitting in guard here, content to control.
Swanson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Roberts swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Swanson trying to control but Roberts is working from the bottom.
Swanson not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Swanson has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Roberts is proving hard to escape from.
Roberts is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Roberts looking for a sweep. Not yet Roberts, not yet.
Swanson won't allow Roberts to get back to his feet.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Swanson shoots in for a double leg but Roberts sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Cub Swanson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Roberts drives through with a takedown into guard.
Roberts tries to free his leg and advance position but Swanson is retaining full guard.
Roberts trying to control the position from guard on top but Swanson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Roberts thows a big elbow that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Roberts wants to get up but he can't break Swanson's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Swanson looking for a sweep. Not yet Swanson, not yet.
Roberts throws a strike but Swanson rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Swanson gets to his feet - Roberts follows without any prompting.
Roberts is breathing heavily.
Swanson fails with an attempt to clinch.
Roberts is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Swanson tries for a takedown but Roberts circles away easily
and Roberts counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Joey Roberts has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cub Swanson.

Roberts darts in and clinches Swanson up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roberts prevents Swanson from breaking the clinch.
Swanson's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Swanson can't break the clinch.

Roberts lands a takedown into guard.
Roberts wants to control from the top but Swanson keeps moving.
Swanson trying to control the position.
Roberts stays in close to Swanson's body and controls the position.
Swanson is looking to sweep but instead, Roberts has passed into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Roberts not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Swanson trying to control but Roberts postures up.
Roberts trying to control the action but Swanson is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Swanson makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Swanson.
Swanson keeping moving, preventing Roberts from controlling successfully.
Swanson wants to sweep here but Roberts controlling him for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joey Roberts dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Swanson fails with the takedown

and Roberts counters with a nice double leg into side control. Swanson won't be happy with that.
Roberts works to advance to full mount. Swanson defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Swanson wants to hold on but Roberts pushes him away.
Roberts prevents Swanson from getting the reversal.
Roberts looking to control but Swanson is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Swanson regains half guard.
Roberts is keen to just control but Swanson is a slippery customer.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Roberts wants to pass the guard but Swanson is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Roberts trying to control from half guard but Swanson is working away.
Ground and pound from Roberts.
Roberts wants to take a breather but Swanson is having none of it.
Swanson manages to get to full guard.
Roberts trying to control but Swanson is working from the bottom.
Swanson scores with a nice shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Swanson pulls Roberts in close to prevent any damage.
Roberts trying to stand up but can't free himself from Swanson's guard.
Roberts looking to sit in guard and control but Swanson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Swanson stands up from Roberts's guard - Swanson perhaps looking for a knockout.
Roberts will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Horrible takedown by Roberts or perhaps it was just good defense by Swanson which made him look bad.

Roberts looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Swanson keeping moving, preventing Roberts from controlling successfully.
Roberts pushes down on Swanson's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Roberts is taking a breather. Swanson says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Roberts is tying to control. Swanson wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Roberts sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Roberts not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Roberts wants to free his trapped foot but Swanson is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Swanson wants to control but Roberts is keeping busy.
Roberts seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Roberts wants to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joey Roberts dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Roberts misses with a takedown

and Swanson counters by moving into the clinch.
Swanson goes for a takedown in the clinch but Roberts prevents it.
Roberts gets underhooks to prevent Swanson's takedown attempt.
Roberts can't break the clinch.

Swanson breaks from the clinch.
Swanson looks to clinch
and Roberts counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Swanson connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Roberts lands a jab-cross combination.
Swanson shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Roberts as he avoids it easily.
Joey Roberts has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cub Swanson.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Roberts changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Swanson tries to avoid it but Roberts manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Swanson to the ground. Swanson escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Roberts throws a head kick but Swanson moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Roberts shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Swanson as he jumps to the side.
Roberts will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Roberts will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Roberts connects with a jab.
Roberts throws a low kick, looking for Swanson's leg but Swanson calmly moves out of range.
Roberts tries to bum rush Swanson with a series of wild strikes but Swanson uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Swanson misses with a body kick.

Roberts shoots in and bounces Swanson off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Roberts trying to control but Swanson is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Roberts gets to his feet - Swanson follows without any prompting.
Swanson tries for a takedown but Roberts circles away easily

and Roberts counters with a shoot takedown. Swanson fights it but they end up in guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Roberts wants to control from the top but Swanson keeps moving.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Swanson holds on and takes a little breather.
Swanson trying to keep a closed guard but Roberts is proving a slippery customer.
Swanson thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Roberts wants to stand and escape but instead Swanson has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roberts can't keep his opponent in guard - Swanson advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Swanson not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Roberts wants to control but Swanson is keeping busy.
Roberts is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Swanson is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Roberts moves into full guard.
Swanson wants to control from the top but Roberts keeps moving.
Swanson is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Swanson preventing the sweep.
Swanson landing some decent shots from guard.
Roberts keeping moving, preventing Swanson from controlling successfully.
Roberts is trying to keep Swanson in close.
Swanson sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Cub Swanson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Swanson gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joey Roberts showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Roberts 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... Joey Roberts!