PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Brett Rogers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and steve warlow (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.

Rogers
vs
warlow

196 cm
22
260 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

167 cm
22
225 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Likes ground

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Brett Rogers!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, steve warlow!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rogers closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
warlow wants to get back to full guard.
Rogers will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Rogers tries to stand and escape but warlow is controlling the position.
Rogers knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for warlow on the ground.

Rogers decides to return to a standing position.
warlow misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
warlow has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

warlow fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Rogers sprawls well initially but warlow persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Rogers is looking for a sweep. warlow is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Rogers on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
warlow throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Rogers avoiding damage under a succession of punches from warlow.
warlow not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
warlow is looking to take a break and control but Rogers is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
warlow working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rogers is trying to stand back up but warlow is controlling him
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - warlow has eaten all the pies!
warlow wants to control but Rogers is keeping him busy.
Rogers avoiding damage under a succession of punches from warlow.
warlow wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rogers keeps working.
warlow drops an elbow to the side of Rogers's head.
Rogers keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
warlow thows a huge punch but Rogers dodges it nicely.
Rogers keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
No joy there for Rogers, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
warlow tries for a takedown but Rogers circles away easily
and Rogers counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
warlow looks gassed!
warlow is looking to clinch.

Rogers shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
warlow is looking to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rogers wants to get back to his feet.
warlow won't allow Rogers to pass to mount.
warlow is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Rogers's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Rogers's back!
warlow somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Rogers tries to escape but warlow has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Rogers is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
warlow scores with punches and elbows.
I really don't envy Rogers right now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rogers is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
warlow is looking to control Rogers but Rogers is wriggling around and keeping busy.
warlow has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Rogers grimaces as he takes a shot to the body.
You can see the frustration on Rogers's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Rogers covering up well under a barage of strikes.
warlow missing with strikes.
Rogers wants to escape the position.
warlow throwing sloppy strikes.
warlow missing with strikes from the back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rogers has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from warlow.
Rogers looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
warlow missing with punches from the back.
warlow misses with a punch to the head.
Rogers avoids the strikes from warlow.
warlow missing with punches from the back.
Rogers covering up well and avoiding damage.
Rogers has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from warlow.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Even with his hooks in, warlow manages to miss with strikes from the back.
Rogers is trying to break free.
Rogers is working hard here to advance position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brett Rogers dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

warlow with a lazy takedown attempt

and Rogers counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Rogers wants to control from the top but warlow keeps moving.
Rogers tries to free his leg and advance position but warlow is retaining full guard.
Rogers scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
warlow throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
warlow bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rogers's guard.
warlow landing with the ground and pound.

Rogers is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. warlow is aware though and is defending well.
warlow stopping the sweep attempt from Rogers.
warlow lands a couple of elbows.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
warlow slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Rogers takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Rogers taking punishment in the form of punches.
Rogers on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Rogers tries to get out of the position.
warlow wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rogers keeps working.
Rogers takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
warlow in side control, throwing shots but Rogers defends.
Rogers tries to escape but warlow is in control.
warlow grinds an elbow into Rogers's temple.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Nice body punch from Rogers.

warlow drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rogers pulls warlow in to control the position.

warlow got a little sloppy there for a moment and Rogers has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, warlow has managed to get both his arms back between Rogers's legs - danger averted.
warlow throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rogers avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Rogers lands a good elbow from the bottom.
Rogers wants to stand up but warlow is controlling him.
warlow works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Rogers is trying to get back to full guard.
warlow is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Rogers throws a combination but it was largely blocked by warlow.
warlow scores with a hook.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
warlow tries to clinch up but Rogers circles away and keeps his distance.
Rogers scores with a jab to the body.
Rogers throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Rogers misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Rogers decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
warlow moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Rogers won't allow warlow to sweep him here.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now warlow is on top in guard.
warlow preventing the sweep.
warlow takes a decent strike to the side of the head.
warlow lands a couple of decent looking shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
warlow throwing strikes but missing.
warlow working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
warlow throws a big right hand that misses.
warlow with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rogers trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A combination from Rogers does no damage.
steve warlow seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
warlow ducks right into an uppercut from Rogers.
warlow tries for a takedown but Rogers circles away easily
and Rogers counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
warlow takes a shot to the body in his stride.
warlow dodges the punch combination from Rogers.
warlow takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Brett Rogers will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Rogers lands a right hook to the body.
warlow with a poor takedown
and Rogers counters with a nice body shot.

Rogers shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Rogers was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Rogers raining down shots from the mount!
warlow taking shots to the head.
warlow wants to hold on but Rogers pushes him away.
Rogers is landing with some decent strikes but warlow is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Rogers looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Rogers lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Rogers working the ground and pound effectively.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rogers has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of warlow's face.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
warlow keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
warlow is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Rogers scoring with strikes but warlow is staying in there.
Rogers landing strikes from the mount.
warlow keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
warlow swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Rogers prevents warlow from getting the reversal.
Rogers avoids the attempt from warlow to control.
Rogers with a couple of short strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Rogers prevents warlow from getting the reversal.
Rogers is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. warlow can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Rogers punishing his opponent with strikes.
warlow is working to get back to half guard.
warlow takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Rogers unloading with bombs!
warlow gets back to half guard.
Rogers is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
warlow gets full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rogers is on the wrong end of a couple of strikes there.

Rogers stands up and waves to warlow to follow him.
warlow has his takedown stuffed

and Rogers counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
warlow is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Rogers is trying to stand up here but warlow is controlling him well.
Rogers avoiding damage under a succession of punches from warlow.
warlow seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Rogers does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
warlow missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
warlow thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rogers's head.
warlow not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Rogers tries to kick warlow off but warlow keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
warlow wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rogers keeps working.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Rogers misses with a double jab.
Rogers is looking to wear down warlow with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Rogers throws a jab when warlow was well out of range.
Rogers fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
warlow has his takedown stuffed
and Rogers makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Brett Rogers has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of steve warlow.
Rogers misses with the combination.
Brett Rogers is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
warlow shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
steve warlow has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Brett Rogers is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rogers throws a series of strikes that have warlow backpedaling.

And that's the end of the fight!
Brett Rogers showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Rogers 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 Shigeki Sano scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Brett Rogers!