PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Keven Finley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hulk Rogan (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.

Finley
vs
Rogan

152 cm
24
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

187 cm
25
186 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Likes musicals

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Keven Finley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Hulk Rogan!
The judges for this bout are Micheangelo Fripello, Ryoma Takatsuka and Colin Fray.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rogan pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Finley tries to keep at a distance but Rogan has taken the fight into the clinch.
Finley is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Rogan to keep the fight standing.
Finley could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Rogan jumps into guard, dragging Finley to the mat.

Rogan manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Rogan tries a head kick but it misses.

Finley tries to sprawl but Rogan drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Finley is controlling Rogan's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Finley misses with some strikes from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Finley gets full guard.
Rogan is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
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!
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rogan accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rogan controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Finley controls Rogan momentarily but Rogan frees himself.
Finley is looking to stand up but Rogan isn't so interested in that idea.
Finley has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Keven Finley.

Rogan forces Finley back against the cage and clinches.

Rogan gets control of Finley's arms and successfully pulls guard. Rogan will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Rogan has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Finley throws a big right hand that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rogan throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Rogan wants to stand up but Finley is controlling him.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Rogan holds on and takes a little breather.
Finley has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Rogan is looking for a triangle but Finley pushes his legs off easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rogan wants to sweep here but Finley controlling him for the moment.
Finley postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Finley working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Finley is looking to work some ground and pound but Rogan has wrist control.
Rogan 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.
Rogan working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Finley.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Finley stopping the sweep attempt from Rogan.
Rogan has momentary wrist control but Finley slips an elbow through the middle.
Finley trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rogan preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Finley with a nice head shot there.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rogan looking for a sweep. Not yet Rogan, not yet.

Finley decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Hulk Rogan will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Rogan circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rogan tries to close the distance and clinch but Finley swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Finley shoots in for a takedown but Rogan shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Finley shoots in but no luck this time.
Finley changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Rogan tries to avoid it but Finley manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Rogan to the ground. Rogan escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Keven Finley. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Finley tries for a takedown but Rogan sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Rogan shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Hulk Rogan has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rogan stalling.
Finley is not content to let Rogan control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Finley is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Finley looks like he's trying to stand up.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Rogan looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Hulk Rogan has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Finley swats away the attempt to clinch by Rogan.

Rogan bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Rogan controls the position.
Finley tries to improve position but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rogan controlling from side mount.
You can see the frustration on Finley's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Finley tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Rogan wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Rogan tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Finley is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Rogan asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Finley might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Rogan throws a strike aimed at the side of Finley's head but Finley avoids it well.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Finley is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Finley prevents Rogan from moving into mount.
Finley manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Rogan is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Rogan is trying to stand back up but Finley is controlling him
Finley wants to control but Rogan is keeping him busy.
Rogan tries to kick Finley off but Finley keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Rogan keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Keven Finley has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Rogan scores with a crisp jab that stopped Finley in his tracks.

Rogan closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Rogan lands in his opponent's guard.
Rogan slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Rogan in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rogan postures up in Finley's guard and throws a big left but Finley blocks it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Finley wants to control but Rogan passes easily into half guard.
Rogan thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Finley's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hulk Rogan showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Finley looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rogan is fending him off so far but Finley persists. Nope, Rogan circles away and we're back to standing.

Rogan instigates a clinch.

Rogan manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Rogan throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Rogan looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Rogan controlling Finley's posture.
Finley scoring with punches to the head and body.
Rogan avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rogan is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Finley is controlling him.

Rogan throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Rogan is controlling Finley's posture.
Rogan wants to stand up but Finley is controlling him.

Rogan looking for subs off his back but Finley has passed one foot through into half guard.
Rogan takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Finley seems to be looking for submissions.
Rogan trying to hold on to Finley's head to control him but Finley postures up.

Rogan is defending against the submission attempts here by Finley.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rogan works his way to full guard. Good work.
Rogan is pulling down on Finley's head. It's preventing any offense from Finley, at least for the moment.
Rogan working a defensive guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rogan is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Finley defends well.
Finley working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Rogan's head.

Rogan looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Finley throwing strikes but missing.
Keven Finley has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hulk Rogan is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Finley has gone for a leg lock! Rogan slips out almost immediately though and dives into Finley's guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hulk Rogan comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Rogan 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 Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 27:30
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hulk Rogan!