PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Steve Rogers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Thompson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rogers
vs
Thompson

190 cm
37
178 lbs
27 - 25 - 0

180 cm
28
176 lbs
13 - 9 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

ADCC Champion
Excellent MT
Heavy handed

Crippler's Corner

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 27 - 25 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Steve Rogers!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Thompson!
The judges for this bout are Paulsen Ambrosius, Paul Aken and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Thompson gets the takedown into side control.
Rogers manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

Thompson is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Rogers pulls his head out easily.
Thompson is looking for a sweep. Rogers is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Rogers missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Rogers working the head and body with strikes.

Rogers seems to be working for a kimura but Thompson defends the submission attempt.
Rogers missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Rogers is looking to take a break and control but Thompson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rogers is pressing down on Thompson's thigh, looking to free his foot. Thompson is holding on for now.
Thompson trying to control but Rogers postures up.
Thompson keeping hold of Rogers's head, controlling as best he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thompson slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Rogers has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Rogers wants to pass the guard but Thompson is keeping the position.
Rogers with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rogers tries to free his leg and advance position but Thompson is retaining full guard.
Rogers in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rogers accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Thompson keeping moving, preventing Rogers from controlling successfully.
Rogers postures up in Thompson's guard and throws a big left but Thompson blocks it.
Thompson looking to control.

Thompson looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Rogers throwing strikes but missing.

Thompson is looking for a triangle but Rogers pushes his legs off easily.
Rogers trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Thompson keeping moving, preventing Rogers from controlling successfully.
Rogers tries to stand but Thompson is controlling from the bottom.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rogers throws a big elbow that misses.
Rogers won't allow Thompson to sweep him here.
Thompson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Thompson keeping moving, preventing Rogers from controlling successfully.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Thompson manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Thompson jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Rogers manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Rogers is not content to let Thompson control the position.

Thompson looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Thompson is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Rogers knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Rogers manages to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rogers is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Thompson's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Thompson's back!
Rogers doesn't have the hooks in and Thompson manages to turn into his guard.
Thompson is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Rogers is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Thompson won't allow Rogers to sweep him here.
Rogers can't keep his opponent in guard - Thompson advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Rogers trying to hold on to Thompson's head to control him but Thompson postures up.
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.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Rogers actively working from the bottom here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but John Thompson will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

Thompson changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Rogers looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Rogers gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Rogers regains full guard. Nicely done.
Thompson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Rogers throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Rogers looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Thompson puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Thompson blocks the strikes from Rogers.
Thompson is thwarting Rogers's attempts to control the position.

Thompson seems to be working for a kimura but Rogers defends the submission attempt.
Thompson moves into full mount! Rogers won't be happy about that!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thompson tries to control but Rogers wriggling away.
Rogers tries to hold on but Thompson pushes him away.
Thompson controlling the pace for now.
Thompson trying to control but Rogers is having none of it.

Thompson goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Rogers turns into him and now he's in Thompson's guard.
Rogers missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rogers stopping the sweep attempt from Thompson.
Rogers postures up.
Rogers has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Thompson is proving hard to escape from.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Thompson working a defensive guard but Rogers passes into half guard.
Thompson regains full guard. Nicely done.
Rogers looking to sit in guard and control but Thompson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Rogers looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Thompson passes into half guard.
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!
Rogers is trying to control but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Rogers is trying to get back to full guard.

Thompson is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Rogers is looking to improve his position.
Thompson controlling the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thompson wants to control but Rogers is keeping him busy.

Thompson is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Rogers doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Thompson.

Rogers is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Thompson pulls his head out easily.
Thompson passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Rogers!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rogers is squirming around, avoiding Thompson's attempts to control the action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Thompson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! And we move into the final round!

Rogers shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Thompson scores with a three punch combo!
Rogers fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Thompson checks it well.
Thompson blocks a low kick nicely.
Rogers shoots in looking for a takedown. Thompson tries to sprawl out of it but Rogers keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the ropes. Thompson manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Thompson looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Thompson trying to control from half guard but Rogers is working away.
Thompson frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Thompson controlling his opponent.
Rogers really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rogers sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Rogers wants to control but Thompson is keeping busy.
Thompson is looking to take a break and control but Rogers is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Thompson trying to pass the guard but Rogers defending well.
Thompson is looking to take a break and control but Rogers is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Thompson is working for a kimura but Rogers is defending it quite comfortably.
Rogers tries to roll over but Thompson keeps him under control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rogers is trying to maintain the position but Thompson is very close to passing his half guard.

Rogers looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Thompson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rogers keeps working.
Rogers is looking to escape.
Thompson content to control rather than advance.
Rogers is not content to let Thompson control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rogers looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Rogers is not content to let Thompson control the position.

Thompson is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Rogers defends it well.
Rogers pushes Thompson off looking to stand but Thompson dives back in and keeps control.

Thompson seems to be looking for submissions.
Thompson keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rogers won't allow Thompson to pass to mount.
Rogers works his way to full guard. Good work.
Steve Rogers has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rogers looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Thompson passes Rogers's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

Thompson is looking for a kimura here.
Rogers wants to improve his position but Thompson is controlling well.

Thompson is working for a kimura but Rogers is defending it quite comfortably.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rogers throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Thompson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Thompson has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Thompson!
John Thompson decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.