PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Nick Rowler (ranked 25535 p4p, 0 weight class) and Juan Gonzalez (ranked 7895 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Rowler
vs
Gonzalez

177 cm
25
158 lbs
1 - 6 - 0

175 cm
25
156 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Nick Rowler!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Juan Gonzalez!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gonzalez tries to clinch but Rowler is having none of it.
Gonzalez slips a straight right by Rowler.
Gonzalez feints the counter takedown.
Rowler avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rowler tries to counter with a takedown but Gonzalez is quick to defend against it.
Rowler misses with a wild combination.
Gonzalez shoots in looking for a takedown but Rowler manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Gonzalez's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Rowler shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Gonzalez sprawls well. Gonzalez wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Rowler gets slowly back to his feet.
Rowler tries a head kick but it misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gonzalez lands a nice hook to Rowler's body. Rowler takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Gonzalez shoots in looking for a takedown. Rowler tries to sprawl out of it but Gonzalez keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Rowler manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Rowler tries a head kick but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rowler tries to clinch up but Gonzalez circles away and keeps his distance.
Gonzalez avoids the head kick by Rowler.
Gonzalez fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Nick Rowler has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Juan Gonzalez.
Rowler will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Gonzalez sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.

Rowler fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Gonzalez, pushing him back against the cage.
Rowler is trying to pull guard but Gonzalez has him pressed against the cage.
Gonzalez fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Gonzalez goes for a takedown attempt but Rowler pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Gonzalez closes the distance and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rowler lands with a short head shot on the inside.

Rowler drags the fight down to the ground.
Gonzalez wants to stand but Rowler has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Rowler is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Rowler is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Gonzalez is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Gonzalez stands up over Rowler, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gonzalez is stalling in the full guard.
Gonzalez being controlled here momentarily.
Rowler keeping moving, preventing Gonzalez from controlling successfully.
Gonzalez passes easily into side control. Nice work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rowler gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!

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.
Gonzalez takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Rowler is trying desperately to improve position.
Gonzalez controlling from mount.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gonzalez misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Rowler dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Gonzalez's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Gonzalez duly obliges.

Gonzalez has taken the fight to the clinch.
Gonzalez holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Rowler lands a hook that snaps the head of Gonzalez backwards.
Rowler jumps guard but Gonzalez stands there with Rowler around his waist. Rowler gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Gonzalez jumps into guard, dragging Rowler to the mat.
Rowler postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rowler trying to control but Gonzalez is working from the bottom.

Gonzalez looking for a guillotine here but Rowler defends easily.
Gonzalez is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gonzalez tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Rowler looking to pass the guard.

Gonzalez has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Rowler can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Rowler trying to control the position from guard on top but Gonzalez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Rowler avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Gonzalez keeping moving, preventing Rowler from controlling successfully.
Gonzalez trying to strike off his back.

Gonzalez is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Rowler looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rowler is working hard here to advance position.
Rowler slips nicely into half guard.
Rowler looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Rowler missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Gonzalez wants to get back to full guard.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Gonzalez stuffs the takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Rowler stuffs the takedown.
Rowler shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Gonzalez as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nick Rowler. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rowler connects with a body shot.
Nick Rowler is winning the standup battle so far.
Rowler lands a jab-cross combination.
Rowler takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Rowler stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Rowler wants it to stay on the feet.
Rowler tries to clinch up but Gonzalez circles away and keeps his distance.
Gonzalez wants to counter with a clinch but Rowler pushes him away.
Rowler misses with a body shot.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Gonzalez moves into the clinch.

Rowler breaks the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Juan Gonzalez will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Gonzalez tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Gonzalez looks for a takedown but Rowler sprawls well.
Rowler tries to clinch up.

Gonzalez is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Rowler's half guard.
Rowler is trying to maintain the position but Gonzalez is very close to passing his half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gonzalez works his foot free and advances to mount.
Gonzalez punching from mount but Rowler doing a good job of avoiding damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rowler is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Rowler tries to hold on but Gonzalez postures up.
Gonzalez lands a heavy elbow.
Gonzalez looking to finish with strikes here!
Gonzalez controlling the pace for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gonzalez tries to stand up but he's trapped just for the moment.
Rowler trying desperately to get to his feet.
Gonzalez controlling his opponent.
Rowler is trying to stand.
Gonzalez looking to control and managing it successfully.
Let's hope that Gonzalez has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gonzalez working for a submission but Rowler is keeping him at bay.

Gonzalez goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Rowler turns into him and now he's in Gonzalez's guard.
Rowler trying to control but Gonzalez is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gonzalez managing to control the position.
Rowler knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Gonzalez on the ground.
Gonzalez keeping moving, preventing Rowler from controlling successfully.

Gonzalez throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Gonzalez holds on and takes a little breather.

And that's the end of the fight!
Juan Gonzalez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Gonzalez has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Juan Gonzalez!