PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Joesph Ely (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bobby Roach (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Ely
vs
Roach

176 cm
24
145 lbs
12 - 2 - 0

175 cm
23
148 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Good knees
Cardio machine

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
Good gas tank

TFP Graphics - Pit Inc

TFP Graphics - Pit Inc
The Dark Side

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Joesph Ely!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Bobby Roach!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Paul Gruel and Colin Fray.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Roach tries for a takedown but Ely circles away easily
and Ely cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Roach misses with a body shot.
Ely blocks a head kick by Roach.

Ely clinches with his opponent.

Ely has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Roach clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Roach is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Ely trying to control momentarily.
Ely has the hooks in. Roach is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Roach breaks Ely's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.

Ely escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Roach gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Roach throwing strikes but missing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Roach is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Ely keeping full guard, as Roach tries to pass.
Roach trying to control the position from guard on top but Ely is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Roach preventing the sweep.
Roach wants to pass the guard but Ely is keeping the position.
Roach loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Roach won't allow Ely to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Roach slips nicely into half guard.
Ely moves into full guard.

Roach is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Ely is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Ely has escaped and now he's on top!
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Roach is on top in guard.

Ely has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Roach can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Roach drops back looking for a leg! Ely is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Ely manages to kick Roach off! Roach jumps back into Ely's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ely is pulling down on Roach's head to control his posture.
Ely looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Ely seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
Roach is pushing down on Ely's leg trying to pass to half guard. Ely is fighting to maintain full guard but Roach has managed to sneak the leg through.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ely slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Ely is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Roach engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Roach scoring with some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Roach trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Roach trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Ely manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Ely preventing the sweep.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Roach is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Ely trying to control but Roach is working from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Roach looking for a sweep. Not yet Roach, not yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Bobby Roach will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Some wild striking there from Ely.
Ely tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Roach manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Nice defenses there by Ely.
Ely looks to score with a jab to the body but Roach is just out of range.
Roach has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Ely moves in looking to clinch but Roach pushes him off.
Ely steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Roach.
Joesph Ely is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Roach throws a hook but Ely blocks it.
Ely lands with a shot to the body.
Roach swats away the attempt to clinch by Ely.
Ely with a poor takedown

and Roach counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Roach.
Ely wants to improve his position but instead Roach has moved into half guard.
Ely trying to control here.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ely looks like he's trying to stand up.
Ely is looking for a sweep. Roach is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Ely is trying to control but Roach passes into side control!
Ely manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Roach tries to roll over but Ely keeps him under control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ely stops Roach from getting back to his feet.
Roach is trying to control but can't.
Bobby Roach has got the better of the ground game so far.
Roach controlling the position for now.

Roach looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Roach tries to roll over but Ely keeps him under control.
Roach gets back to full guard.

Roach had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Ely defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ely throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Ely is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Roach looking to control.
Roach managing to control the position.
Ely wants to control from the top but Roach keeps moving.

Roach is looking for a triangle but Ely pushes his legs off easily.

Roach looking for a guillotine here but Ely defends easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ely trying to control the position from guard on top but Roach is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Roach manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Ely manages to get himself to full guard.
Roach trying to control the position from guard on top but Ely is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Ely throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Roach trying to control but Ely is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bobby Roach showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Roach misses with a body kick.
Roach misses with a hook.
Ely misses with a series of wild punches.
Roach misses with a body kick.
Ely lands a head shot.
Ely tries to close the distance and clinch but Roach swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Ely throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Roach was covering up waiting for the punch and Ely finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Roach is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Ely wants to control from the top but Roach keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ely postures up.

Roach is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Roach looking for a guillotine here but Ely defends easily.
Roach not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Roach working a defensive guard but Ely manages to pass into side control anyway.

Ely thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Ely trying to control the action but Roach is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Roach striking from the bottom but nothing landed.
Roach manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Roach is keen to just control but Ely is a slippery customer.

Roach seems to be working for a kimura but Ely defends the submission attempt.
Ely wants to improve his position but Roach is controlling well.
Ely is trying to stand up here but Roach is controlling him well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roach missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Roach tries to pass to full mount but Ely defends it.
Roach prevents Ely from standing back up.
Roach is taking a breather. Ely 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.

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

Roach is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Roach is working for a kimura but Ely is defending it quite comfortably.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ely slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Ely keeping moving, preventing Roach from controlling successfully.
Ely pulls Roach in close to prevent any damage.
Roach postures up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Roach trying to control the position from guard on top but Ely is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Roach wants to pass the guard but Ely is keeping the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Bobby Roach.
I've got Roach winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Roger Salmon scores the fight for Bobby Roach!
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight for Bobby Roach!
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight for Bobby Roach!

Bobby Roach wins by unanimous decision!
Jumping up and down and very excited, Bobby Roach waved his t-shirt featuring TFP Graphics - Pit Inc's logo in front of the cameras.