PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Alex Shea (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Rogain (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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?

Shea
vs
Rogain

168 cm
22
155 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

174 cm
22
163 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Good knees
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Granite 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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Alex Shea!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Joe Rogain!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, John Roberts and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shea looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Rogain fails with the takedown.

Shea moves into the clinch.
Shea tries a knee to the head but Rogain blocks it.
Shea gets underhooks to prevent Rogain's takedown attempt.
Shea effectively controlling the action here.

Shea escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Shea explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.

Shea has Rogain up against the cage in a clinch.
Rogain can't get the takedown.
Alex Shea has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joe Rogain.
Shea lands a knee to the head.

Shea breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Shea throws a head kick that misses.
A solid body kick from Shea.
Rogain shoots in for a double leg but Shea sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Shea turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Shea fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shea throws the kick towards the body but Rogain avoids it.
Shea tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rogain swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Alex Shea seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Shea goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

Shea clinches.
Rogain takes a knee right on the jaw!
Rogain tries to pull guard but Shea holds him up against the cage and eventually Rogain drops back down to his feet.

Shea pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Rogain looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Shea is breathing heavily.
Still in half guard, Rogain seems content to control.
Shea avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Rogain.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rogain is taking a breather. Shea 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.
Shea controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Rogain stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shea trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Rogain controlling the pace for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rogain looking to control but Shea is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Rogain is going olschool here, as he tries to force Shea to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Shea shrugs it off.
Rogain takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

Shea defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Rogain.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Shea dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Shea has Rogain up against the cage in a clinch.
Rogain drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Shea breaks the clinch.
Shea tries to clinch there but Rogain circles away.
Rogain tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Shea swivels and escapes.
Shea throws the kick towards the body but Rogain avoids it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rogain circles away from the clinch attempt.

Shea moves into range and clinches up with Rogain.
Shea gets underhooks to prevent Rogain's takedown attempt.
Alex Shea has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joe Rogain.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Shea slows down the pace here.
Shea tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Shea breaks the clinch.
Shea is looking to clinch.
Shea tries a head kick but it misses.
Shea fakes the leg kick and cracks Rogain in the body.
Shea defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Rogain.
Rogain circles away from the clinch attempt.
Shea avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Alex Shea is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rogain keeps the fight on the outside.
Rogain fails to land the takedown.
Shea darts in trying to clinch

and Rogain counters with a single leg into guard. Shea didn't expect that.
Shea on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Shea tries to get out of the position.
Rogain controlling from the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rogain's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Rogain tries to free his leg and advance position but Shea is retaining full guard.
Rogain trying to control but Shea is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rogain is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Let's hope that Rogain 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.
Rogain pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Shea is keeping the position for now.

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.
Rogain controlling from the top position.
Rogain won't allow Shea to get back to his feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rogain passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Rogain is trying to get an arm triangle but Shea is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Rogain showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Rogain drives through with a takedown into guard.
Rogain wants to pass the guard but Shea is keeping the position.
Rogain wants to control from the top but Shea keeps moving.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rogain content to stall in guard here.

Despite being in the dominant position, Joe Rogain just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Shea tries a head kick but it misses.

Rogain looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Rogain controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Shea knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Rogain on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rogain forces his way into half guard.
Rogain not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Rogain is working for a kimura but Shea is defending it quite comfortably.
Rogain is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joe Rogain comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Rogain 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 Jorge Garcia scores the fight 28:29
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 28:29
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joe Rogain!