PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Justin Roza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hiro Kobayashi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kobayashi is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: HBO Boxing 24/7 Original Theme . Justin Roza has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Roza
vs
Kobayashi

180 cm
20
163 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

177 cm
19
165 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

Final Strike Clothing
Final Strike Clothing

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 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Justin Roza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Hiro Kobayashi!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, Anthony Taglia and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Roza throws a nice looking combination but Kobayashi bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Roza lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Kobayashi backs up against the cage.

It looks like Hiro Kobayashi has been cut.
Roza lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Kobayashi circles away quickly and effectively.
Roza moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Roza throws a head kick that misses.
Roza scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Kobayashi doesn't seem bothered though.
Roza throws a lazy right hand but Kobayashi sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Roza looks to score with a jab to the body but Kobayashi is just out of range.
Roza uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Kobayashi.
Kobayashi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nice defenses there by Kobayashi.
Roza misses with a hook. Kobayashi ducked under it nicely.
Roza throws a right and a left that both miss.
Roza misses with the combination.
Kobayashi avoids a punch combination nicely.
Kobayashi throws a jab when Roza was well out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kobayashi slips a jab and a cross from Roza.
Roza looks to land a combination but Kobayashi avoids it well.
Kobayashi throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.

Kobayashi shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Roza manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Kobayashi slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Roza gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Roza is looking to escape.
Kobayashi missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Kobayashi drops an elbow to the side of Roza's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kobayashi prevents Roza from standing back up.
Roza wants to control but Kobayashi is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Kobayashi throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Roza tries to get to full guard but Kobayashi has control of the leg.
Kobayashi seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Roza does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Kobayashi thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Roza's head.
Roza trying to control from the bottom.
Kobayashi 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.
Roza is trying to get back to full guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Roza throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Kobayashi avoids the body shot from Roza.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kobayashi fails with a takedown attempt.
Nice jab there from Kobayashi.
Justin Roza seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Roza looks to land a right hand but Kobayashi moved out of range.
Kobayashi throws a lazy right hand but Roza sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Roza throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Kobayashi.
Roza throws a lazy right hand but Kobayashi sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Kobayashi blocks a low kick nicely.
Roza will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Kobayashi fails with a takedown attempt.
Kobayashi shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Kobayashi avoids a low kick by using good footwork.

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

Kobayashi scores with a takedown into Roza's guard.
Kobayashi is in close to Roza's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Kobayashi trying to control the position from guard on top but Roza is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kobayashi is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Kobayashi trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Roza doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Roza looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Kobayashi stops Roza from standing up.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Kobayashi throws a hook but Roza blocks it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Justin Roza will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Hiro Kobayashi's cut.
That's time! Roza's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Roza misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Roza misses with a two punch combination.
Roza misses with a leg kick.
Roza throws a right and a left that both miss.
Roza fails to land with a series of punches.
Roza comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
The fighters circling - Kobayashi throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Roza throws a series of punches but Kobayashi avoids them all with ease.

Kobayashi shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Kobayashi throwing strikes from guard but Roza blocks nicely.
Kobayashi throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Roza works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Roza is on top in guard.
Roza postures up in Kobayashi's guard and throws a big left but Kobayashi blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kobayashi is adopting a defensive guard.
Kobayashi bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Roza's guard.
Kobayashi with a flurry of punches that miss.
Kobayashi stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Roza swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Kobayashi missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Kobayashi prevents Roza from getting back to his feet.
Kobayashi throws and elbow that misses. Roza uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Kobayashi's guard. Nice move by Roza!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Kobayashi 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.
Kobayashi working a defensive guard here.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Kobayashi lands a with a good body shot.
Kobayashi fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Roza looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Kobayashi missing with a left hand there. Roza was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Kobayashi takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Roza throws a hook but Kobayashi blocks it.
Roza punishes Kobayashi's body with a nice straight punch.
Kobayashi swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Roza lands a nice shot to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roza throws a nice looking combination but Kobayashi bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Roza misses with the combination.
Justin Roza is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The fighters circling - Roza throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Roza catches Kobayashi with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Roza misses with a double jab.
Roza's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Roza duly obliges.
Roza comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Roza scores with the left hand. Kobayashi knows he should have avoided that one.
Kobayashi showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Roza.
Roza misses with a wild combination.
Roza fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kobayashi manages to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kobayashi throws a hook to the side of Roza's head but Roza sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Roza tries a head kick but it misses.
Justin Roza is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Roza misses with a wild body shot.
Roza's corner calls for a 1-2. Roza obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Kobayashi takes a jab right on the kisser.
Kobayashi throws a hook but Roza avoids it easily.
Kobayashi uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Roza.
Kobayashi moves forwards but Roza connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Roza scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

Kobayashi is rocked!
Look low, kick high! Roza uses the oldest trick in the book to send Kobayashi tumbling to the canvas, in a truly brutal knockout! Roza is absolutely delighted - when Kobayashi wakes up, I doubt he'll be quite so happy!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:47 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Justin Roza!