PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Joe Rogers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Benny Rickson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rogers comes to the cage accompanied by For Whom The Bell Tolls by Metallica. Benny Rickson has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Joe Rogers's chin.

Rogers
vs
Rickson

206 cm
23
265 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

210 cm
19
220 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Self confident

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Joe Rogers!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Benny Rickson!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rickson throws a head kick that misses.
Rogers drops Rickson with a hook right on the temple. He thinks about going to the ground but Rickson looks back up at him and smiles so Rogers waves him back to his feet - he obviously thinks he can knock him out after that shot landed.

Rickson is rocked!

It looks like Benny Rickson has been cut.
Rickson misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rickson is still on wobbly legs! Can Rogers finish him?
Rickson lands with a slapping head kick.
Rickson misses with a head kick.
Rickson seems to have recovered his senses.
Rogers tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rogers avoids the head kick by Rickson.
Rogers avoids the head kick by Rickson.
A chopping leg kick lands by Rickson.
Rickson clinches but Rogers breaks the clinch

and Rogers counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Rogers.
Rickson is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Rogers gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Rogers gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Rickson.

Rogers has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Rickson clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Rogers tightening his grip on Rickson, looking for the choke.
Rogers has good solid back control here.
Rickson can't escape the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rickson is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Rickson tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Rogers takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Rogers prevents Rickson from getting the reversal.
Rogers content just to control the position here.

Rogers stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.
Rickson tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Rogers counters with a left and a right that hurts Rickson! He wobbles and falls to the floor - he's in big trouble! Rogers jumps into full mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rogers gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
Rickson looks gassed!
A head kick misses from Rickson.
Rogers loads up on a big right hand but Rickson slips the punch.
Rickson tries to clinch but Rogers moves away
and Rogers counters with a left to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rickson moves out of range as Rogers strikes.
Rogers throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Benny Rickson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rickson tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rickson throws a sloppy head kick and Rogers moves out of range easily.
Rickson slips a jab and a cross from Rogers.
Rickson pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rogers uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Rickson.
Rickson ducks under a wild hook from Rogers.
Rogers swings for the body but Rickson moves out of range.
Rickson is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Rogers swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Rickson throws a sloppy head kick and Rogers moves out of range easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rickson defending well as Rogers loads up on a big left hand.
Rogers misses with a wild body shot.
Rickson closes the distance looking to clinch

and Rogers counters with a takedown into side control.
Rickson manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Rogers takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Rogers escapes and gets back to his feet.
Rogers swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Rogers swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Rogers circles away from the clinch attempt
letting Rogers counter with a right hand.
Rogers takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Rickson dodges the punch combination from Rogers.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rogers gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Rickson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rickson throws a strike but Rogers rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Rickson is working an open guard so Rogers takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rickson misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rickson throws a sloppy head kick and Rogers moves out of range easily.
Rogers rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Rickson moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rickson throws a sloppy head kick and Rogers moves out of range easily.
Rogers throws a big shot that misses.
Rickson slips a straight right by Rogers.
Rickson tries to clinch but Rogers is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Rogers dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Benny Rickson's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Rogers throws a hook but Rickson blocks it.
Rickson avoids a punch combination nicely.
A head kick misses from Rickson.
Rickson throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rogers avoids the head kick by Rickson.
Rickson changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Rogers tries to avoid it but Rickson manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Rogers to the ground. Rogers escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Rogers misses the shot to the body.
Rickson tries to clinch up
and Rogers counters with a two punch combo.
Rickson throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rickson wants to clinch but Rogers slips to the side
and Rogers connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Rogers takes a kick to the side of the head.
Rogers avoids the head kick by Rickson.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rogers is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Rickson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rogers throws a hook but Rickson blocks it.
Rickson fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Rickson throws a sloppy head kick and Rogers moves out of range easily.
Rogers throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Rickson fails to land with a series of punches.
Rickson keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Rogers avoids the head kick by Rickson.
Joe Rogers is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rickson doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Rogers counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Rickson!

Rogers working for a guillotine from mount but Rickson is in no mood to give up.
Rickson is wriggling around trying to escape.
Rogers controlling his opponent.
Rogers tries to control but Rickson wriggling away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rickson blocking the ground and pound.
Rickson is looking to improve his position but Rogers isn't that keen on the idea.
Rogers takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Rickson is looking to get to half guard.
Rogers controlling his opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rickson is working to get back to half guard.
Rickson really wants to buck Rogers off and get back to his feet.

Rickson defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Rogers.
Rickson is controlling an arm, preventing Rogers from taking his back. Although keeping him in mount is no better to be honest.
Rickson flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Rogers controlling from the full mount.

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.
Rickson is desperately trying to improve his position but Rogers has a good base and remains in mount.
Rogers looking to control and managing it successfully.
Rickson is in all sorts of trouble here.
Rogers controlling from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Rogers dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Benny Rickson'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!

Rickson connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Rogers fails to land with a series of punches.
Rickson throws a head kick but Rogers moves out of range.
Rogers misses with a body shot.

Rogers shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Rogers showed some decent athleticism there.
Rickson is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Rogers decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rickson misses with a head kick.
Rickson tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Rogers counters by clinching up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rogers breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rickson keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Rickson tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Rogers counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Rogers trying to control the action but Rickson is working from the bottom.
Rickson tries to get to full guard but Rogers has control of the leg.
Rogers trying to control the pace.
Rickson tries to roll over but Rogers keeps him under control.

Rickson is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Rogers pulls his head out easily.
Rogers slows the pace down in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rogers decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Rickson tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Rogers counters with a shoot takedown. Rickson fights it but they end up in guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Rogers is stalling in the full guard.

Rogers stands up and waves to Rickson to follow him.
Rogers takes a head kick and keeps coming.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rogers thows a left - swing and a miss!
Rogers misses with a jab, cross combination.
Rickson looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Rogers feints and as Rickson raises his hands in defense, Rogers changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Rickson looking for a sweep. Not yet Rickson, not yet.
Rogers content to stall in guard here.
Rogers is pushing down on Rickson's leg trying to pass to half guard. Rickson is fighting to maintain full guard but Rogers has managed to sneak the leg through.
Rogers trying to mount his opponent but Rickson defends it.
Rogers is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Rickson gets full guard.

Rickson is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Rogers gets to his feet - Rickson follows without any prompting.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rickson throws a sloppy head kick and Rogers moves out of range easily.
Rogers throws a series of punches but Rickson moves out of range.
Rogers walks into a jab.
Rogers fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rickson throws a head kick that misses.
Rickson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rogers tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Rickson swivels and escapes.
Rickson lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Rogers misses with a wild body shot.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rickson scores with a head kick.
Benny Rickson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rickson wants to clinch but Rogers slips to the side

and Rogers counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rogers blocks the strikes from Rickson.
Rickson wants to get back to full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joe 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joe Rogers!