PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Micah Braxton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Roger de la Fuente (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Braxton comes to the cage accompanied by Bring Da Pain. Roger de la Fuente is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Braxton
vs
de la Fuente

180 cm
22
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

178 cm
22
169 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Tends to cut

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Micah Braxton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Roger de la Fuente!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Konstantin Menshow and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Braxton tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
de la Fuente fails in his attempt to clinch.
de la Fuente shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Braxton but Braxton pushes him off and we're back to square one.
de la Fuente shoots in looking for a takedown. Braxton tries to sprawl out of it but de la Fuente keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Braxton manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
A punch combination from Braxton misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Some bone on bone action there as de la Fuente checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Braxton feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Braxton thows a big elbow that misses.
Braxton 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.
Braxton wants to pass the guard but de la Fuente is keeping the position.
de la Fuente utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Braxton throws a strike but de la Fuente rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Braxton will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Braxton keeping moving, preventing de la Fuente from controlling successfully.
Braxton doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Braxton circles away from the clinch attempt.

Braxton fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. de la Fuente sprawls well initially but Braxton persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Braxton seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but de la Fuente does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
de la Fuente is looking to escape.
Braxton throwing shots but de la Fuente is blocking nicely.
Braxton trying to pass the guard but de la Fuente defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Braxton slips a nice elbow through de la Fuente's hands, connecting with de la Fuente's forehead.

Braxton decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
de la Fuente checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
de la Fuente fails with an attempt to clinch.

de la Fuente shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
de la Fuente stopping the sweep attempt from Braxton.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Braxton doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

de la Fuente gets to his feet. Braxton looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Braxton clinches but de la Fuente breaks the clinch

and de la Fuente counters with a nice double leg into guard.
de la Fuente wants to stand but Braxton is controlling his posture from full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Roger de la Fuente will probably get the nod.
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.

de la Fuente misses with a takedown

and Braxton counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Braxton wants to pass the guard but de la Fuente is defending well.
Braxton throwing shots but de la Fuente is blocking nicely.
Braxton throws a strike but de la Fuente avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Braxton looking to sit in guard and control but de la Fuente gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Braxton is looking for a triangle but de la Fuente pushes his legs off easily.
de la Fuente must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Braxton tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Braxton tries to strike from the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Braxton fails with the takedown.
Braxton throws a lazy head kick

and de la Fuente counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by de la Fuente.
Braxton is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
de la Fuente trying to control but Braxton is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

de la Fuente stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Braxton doesn't succeed with the takedown

and de la Fuente counters by moving into the clinch.
de la Fuente is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Knees in the clinch landing for de la Fuente.
de la Fuente with a knee to the head.
de la Fuente with a knee to the head.

de la Fuente breaks the clinch.
Braxton fails with the takedown

and de la Fuente counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Micah Braxton. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
de la Fuente is controlling the pace.
Braxton tries to get to full guard but de la Fuente has control of the leg.

Braxton looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
de la Fuente slows the pace down in half guard.
Braxton is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
de la Fuente is figuring out what he wants to do next.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roger de la Fuente 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! This is the final round!

Braxton shoots and misses

and de la Fuente counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
de la Fuente landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
de la Fuente scores with a knee to the head.
de la Fuente scores with a knee to the head.
de la Fuente scores with a nice hook to the head.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
A right handed body shot lands from de la Fuente.
de la Fuente taking a breather.

de la Fuente escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
de la Fuente with a poor takedown

and Braxton counters with a nice double leg into guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Braxton postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! de la Fuente is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Braxton, into his guard.
Braxton can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as de la Fuente controls the pace.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Braxton trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
de la Fuente controlling from the top position.

de la Fuente gets to his feet. Braxton looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

That's two 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.
Braxton fails with the takedown

and de la Fuente counters with a takedown into side control.
Braxton is looking to work his way out of this bad position but de la Fuente is controlling him well.
Braxton is looking to regain half guard here but de la Fuente keeps moving and retains side control.

de la Fuente decides to take the fight back to the feet.

de la Fuente moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
de la Fuente gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
de la Fuente scores with a knee to the head.
Braxton takes a knee right on the jaw!
Braxton is looking to break free of the clinch but de la Fuente has double underhooks.
de la Fuente with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Braxton wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but de la Fuente has him pressed against the cage.
de la Fuente wants to stall.
de la Fuente misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Braxton.
Braxton goes for a takedown in the clinch but de la Fuente prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Micah Braxton. That's going to take a lot out of him.
de la Fuente tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
de la Fuente is pressed up against the cage. Braxton has hold of a leg and is looking to drag de la Fuente down to the mat. de la Fuente avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

de la Fuente feints and as Braxton raises his hands in defense, de la Fuente changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Braxton is looking to stand up but de la Fuente isn't so interested in that idea.

Braxton has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes de la Fuente off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Braxton has his takedown stuffed

and de la Fuente counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Micah Braxton has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Braxton wants to sweep here but de la Fuente controlling him for the moment.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Braxton isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. de la Fuente stacks Braxton on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by de la Fuente!

And that's the end of the fight!
Roger de la Fuente comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well de la Fuente 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 27:30
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 27:30
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Roger de la Fuente!