PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Gordon Masten (ranked 4253 p4p, 3312 weight class) and Alfonso Rojas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rojas has a niggling injury. He would have liked to come in 100% fit but that's not always possible. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Masten
vs
Rojas

171 cm
18
187
1 - 0 - 0

187 cm
25
187
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Solid chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Gordon Masten!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Alfonso Rojas!
The judges for this bout are Paulsen Ambrosius, Saam Ante and Paul Aken.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rojas looks to score with a jab to the body but Masten is just out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Masten. Rojas does a little dance to reset his feet.
Rojas is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Masten is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Rojas.
Rojas steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Masten.
Masten lands with a straight right. Rojas didn't see that one coming.
A big left from Masten misses.
Rojas gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Masten pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
The fighters circling - Masten throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Rojas is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.

Rojas closes the distance and clinches.
Masten tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Masten softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Rojas's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Masten can't find room to land a body shot as Rojas controls the action.
Masten misses with a body punch.
Rojas tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Masten's elbow.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Masten.
Masten has a couple of punches blocked by Rojas.
Rojas swings wildly with an uppercut but Masten uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rojas misses with a punch on the inside.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Masten works on Rojas's body with a couple of short punches.
Rojas looks winded!
Masten tries a body shot but Rojas blocks it.
Masten lands on the inside with an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rojas swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Masten swings wildly with an uppercut but Rojas uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rojas throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Mastens head.
Rojas struggles to land a body shot inside as Masten controls his hands.

Masten manages to pull guard.
Masten pulls Rojas in to control the position.
Masten has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.

Masten had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Rojas defends it easily.

Masten looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Masten bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rojas's guard.

Masten passes Rojas's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Masten looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Masten could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Rojas keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Masten passes the guard and advances to mount!
Masten controlling the position easily from mount.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Rojas can do anything to dispel that myth.

Masten is working for a guillotine from mount but Rojas frees his head quite easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Masten throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Masten looking to ground and pound but Rojas is blocking nicely.
Masten controlling his opponent.
Masten continues to stall.
Masten with shots to the head and body - Rojas looks very uncomfortable down there.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Masten looking to ground and pound but Rojas is blocking nicely.
Rojas wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Masten.
Masten throwing strikes here but Rojas is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Masten throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Rojas because Masten loaded up on that one.
Masten connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Masten lands with some strikes.
Masten content just to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Masten lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Masten looking to control and managing it successfully.
Masten won't let Rojas get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Masten 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.
Masten misses with a head shot.
Masten throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Rojas is squirming around, avoiding Masten's attempts to control the action.
Masten unloads with some shots from mount but Rojas bucks and avoids them well.
Rojas wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Masten.
Masten thowing shots but they're missing.
Rojas wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Masten.
The referee warns Rojas that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Masten controlling from mount.
Masten can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Rojas is looking to escape.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Masten controlling his opponent.
Masten has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Masten throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Rojas because Masten loaded up on that one.
Rojas avoids a series of strikes thrown by Masten.
Masten throwing strikes here but Rojas is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Masten thowing shots but they're missing.
Masten controlling his opponent.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gordon Masten dominated that round.
That's time! Masten's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Masten moves into the clinch.
Rojas fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Masten tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Rojas's elbow.
Masten pushes Rojas back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Rojas misses with a hook to the ribs.
Masten cracks Rojas with a nice body shot.
Rojas working aggressively here.
Masten working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Masten fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Masten is leaning against Rojas and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Masten lands an uppercut.
Masten is leaning against Rojas and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Masten lands a body punch.
Rojas misses with a punch on the inside.
Masten lands a hook that snaps the head of Rojas backwards.
Rojas misses with the head strike.
Masten throws a head punch that misses.
Masten swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Masten lands with a left to the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rojas blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Rojas blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Rojas is breathing heavily.
Masten lands an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A short body shot lands from Masten as the two fighters clinch.
Masten lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Masten lands a left hand that snaps the head of Rojas backwards.
Masten misses with a punch on the inside.
Masten misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Masten misses with a hook from the clinch.
Masten lands with a right to the head.
Masten works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Masten.
Nice body punch from Masten.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Masten.
Gordon Masten has scored more points in the clinch so far.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rojas.
A short uppercut from Masten.
Masten throws a punch but it's blocked by Rojas.
Masten lands a right hand that snaps the head of Rojas backwards.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Masten.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Masten successfully pulls guard.
Rojas is fighting to break Masten's control of his arms but Masten is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Masten manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Rojas manages to get himself to full guard.

Rojas really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Masten. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Masten content to stall in guard here.
Masten is looking to work some ground and pound but Rojas has wrist control.
Masten slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Masten is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Rojas can do to turn this around?
This is a sustained period of stalling by Masten.
Masten missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Masten controlling from the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rojas keeping full guard, as Masten tries to pass.
Rojas can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Masten controls the pace.
Rojas is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Masten is controlling him.
Masten postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Masten wants to control from the top but Rojas keeps moving.
Masten is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Rojas preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Masten trying to control the position from guard on top but Rojas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Masten moves away from the strike by Rojas.

Rojas has taken the fight to the clinch.
A short body shot lands from Masten as the two fighters clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rojas blocking some punches.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Masten.
Rojas swings wildly with an uppercut but Masten uses good head movement to avoid it.
Masten lands a body punch.
A right handed body shot lands from Masten.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Masten.
Masten lands a body shot in the clinch.
A short right from Masten on the inside.
Rojas blocking some punches.
A short body shot lands from Masten as the two fighters clinch.
Masten scores with a shoulder strike.

Masten successfully pulls guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Masten bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rojas's guard.

Masten stays in close to Rojas's body and controls the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gordon Masten dominated that second round.
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!

A big left from Masten misses.
A decent looking cross lands there for Masten.
Rojas slips under a jab from Masten.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Masten fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rojas manages to avoid it.
Nice uppercut lands for Masten. That snapped Rojas's head back.
Rojas slips a jab from Masten.
Masten waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Rojas.
Masten is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Rojas takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Masten defending well as Rojas loads up on a big left hand.
Masten throws a hook to the side of Rojas's head but Rojas sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Rojas lands a slapping body shot.

Masten closes the distance and clinches.
Rojas blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Rojas blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Rojas tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

Masten manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Masten looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Masten is adopting a defensive guard.
Masten might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Rojas takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Masten 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Masten is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Masten lands with a punch from half guard.
Masten with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Masten winds up and cracks Rojas with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Masten thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rojas's head.
Masten is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Rojas avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Masten.
Masten lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Masten content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Gordon Masten overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Masten throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Alfonso Rojas has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Masten keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Masten trying to pass the guard but Rojas defending well.
Masten works his way into side control.
Masten scoring with punches and elbows.
Masten is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Rojas will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Sloppy strikes there by Masten.
Rojas managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Masten.
Sloppy strikes there by Masten.
Masten wants to control but Rojas is keeping him busy.
Masten is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Rojas's shoulder. That is not cool.
Masten tries to score with some ground and pound. Rojas controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Masten sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Rojas is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

Masten looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Rojas is trying to escape the position but Masten is controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Masten wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Rojas, who protects the arm well.
Masten takes a little break here. Rojas wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Masten postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Masten moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
An elbow from Masten crashes against the mat.
Masten looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Rojas is avoiding damage well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Masten controls the position.

Rojas throws Masten to one side and escapes!
Good shot there by Masten.
Masten misses the jab.
Rojas just misses with a punch to the body.
Masten scores with a body shot.
Masten dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Masten avoids the body shot from Rojas.
Masten throws a shot from downtown. Rojas moves away and avoids it.
Masten comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Rojas staying out of range there.
Gordon Masten is winning the standup battle so far.
Masten lands a slapping body shot.
Masten looks to land a left hand but Rojas moved out of range nicely.
Masten misses with a looping right.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gordon Masten showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Masten 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 Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 30:27
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gordon Masten!
Gordon Masten decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.