PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Bentley Rocha (ranked 2781 p4p, 3656 weight class) and Diego Lopes (ranked 203 p4p, 241 weight class). Lopes has chosen Por Mi Mexico Remix as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rocha
vs
Lopes

173 cm
26
153
2 - 1 - 0

180 cm
26
150
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Bentley Rocha!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Diego Lopes!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lopes shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.

Rocha drives through with a takedown into Lopes's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Rocha is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Lopes utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Lopes can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Rocha controls the pace.
Rocha has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Rocha's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Rocha engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lopes preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rocha wants to control from the top but Lopes keeps moving.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Rocha will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.

Lopes rushes Rocha and presses him up against the cage.
Lopes is trying to pull guard but Rocha turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Rocha gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Rocha throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rocha thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Lopes's head.

Lopes is defending against the submission attempts here by Rocha.
Rocha trying to control the pace.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.

Rocha is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rocha frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Rocha definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Rocha with a couple of short strikes.
Lopes sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Rocha stalling.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rocha throwing shots but Lopes is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rocha throwing shots but Lopes is blocking nicely.
Rocha is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Rocha is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

Lopes looking for submissions off his back.
Rocha lands with a punch from half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ground and pound from Rocha.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Bentley Rocha dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Rocha takes one on the button.
Lopes throws a series of punches but Rocha avoids them all with ease.
Rocha avoids the head kick by Lopes.
Rocha throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Lopes slips a jab from Rocha.
Lopes throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Lopes wants to clinch up but Rocha keeps it at a distance.

Rocha has Lopes up against the cage in a clinch.

Rocha pulls guard effortlessly.
Rocha throwing rabbit punches from the bottom - showing the judges that he's keeping busy.
Lopes passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Rocha regains half guard.
Rocha is concentrating on defense, preventing Lopes from advancing position.
Rocha landing small, sideways elbows.
Rocha misses with some strikes from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rocha moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Lopes throws a big right hand that misses.

Rocha has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Lopes can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Rocha is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Lopes throws a strike but Rocha rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Our spies down at at The Jungle Room inform us that Lopes has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?
Rocha throws a big elbow that misses.
Rocha lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Rocha trying to control but Lopes is working from the bottom.
Rocha postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rocha chips away with some ground and pound.
Rocha postures up in Lopes's guard and throws a big left but Lopes blocks it.
Rocha 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.
Rocha is in close to Lopes's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Rocha throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rocha controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Rocha is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Lopes can do to turn this around?
Rocha landing some decent shots from guard.
Rocha wants to control from the top but Lopes keeps moving.
Rocha scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopes preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rocha stays in close to Lopes's body and controls the position.
Rocha with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Rocha showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Lopes preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Lopes throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rocha.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Rocha misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Diego Lopes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Rocha moves into the clinch successfully.
Rocha fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Lopes is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Rocha to keep the fight standing.
Rocha throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Lopess head.

Rocha jumps into guard, dragging Lopes to the mat.
Lopes won't allow Rocha to sweep him here.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Rocha is on top in guard.

Rocha is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Rocha trying to control but Lopes is working from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rocha sitting in guard here, content to control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Bentley Rocha dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Rocha moves out of range as Lopes strikes.

Rocha takes the fight into the clinch.

Rocha has Lopes pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Rocha pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Lopes tumbling to the mat - Rocha dives into Lopes's guard.
Rocha is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rocha trying to control but Lopes is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rocha sitting in guard here, content to control.
Lopes keeping moving, preventing Rocha from controlling successfully.
Lopes keeping full guard, as Rocha tries to pass.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Rocha is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Lopes blocks a head kick by Rocha.
Lopes lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Lopes.

It looks like Bentley Rocha has been cut.

Rocha closes the distance and pushes Lopes back into the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rocha breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Lopes fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Rocha, pushing him back against the cage.
Lopes is trying to pull guard but Rocha has him pressed against the cage.

Rocha gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Rocha thows a huge punch but Lopes dodges it nicely.
Rocha trying to pass the guard but Lopes defending well.
Rocha is taking a breather. Lopes 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.
Rocha scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rocha throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Rocha takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice strikes from Rocha there.
Rocha not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Rocha missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Rocha is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Lopes taking some punishment here, with Rocha in his half guard.
Bentley Rocha is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rocha content to control rather than advance.
This is a sustained period of stalling by Rocha.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rocha working over Lopes with some ground and pound. Lopes looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Rocha sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Rocha's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Diego Lopes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rocha seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Lopes for as long as he can get away with.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rocha is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bentley Rocha showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Rocha, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bentley Rocha!
Bentley Rocha spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.