PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jake Sonnen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rocco Marchegiano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rocco Marchegiano has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Sonnen
vs
Marchegiano

193 cm
25
186 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

182 cm
22
199 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite 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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Jake Sonnen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Rocco Marchegiano!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Marchegiano throws a shot from downtown. Sonnen moves away and avoids it.
Sonnen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Marchegiano thows a left - swing and a miss!
Sonnen takes one to the chin there.
Marchegiano keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Sonnen throws a head kick but Marchegiano moves out of range.
Sonnen shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Marchegiano pinned against the cage. Marchegiano gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Marchegiano connects with a single shot there.
A punch combination from Sonnen misses.
Marchegiano thows a left - swing and a miss!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marchegiano lands with a good body shot.
Marchegiano fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sonnen manages to avoid it.
Sonnen throws a body kick that misses.
Sonnen fails to land the takedown.
Marchegiano throws a combination. Sonnen tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Marchegiano jabs Sonnen to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Sonnen looks for a takedown but Marchegiano sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jake Sonnen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sonnen moves forwards but Marchegiano connects with a nice, crisp jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marchegiano throws a right and a left that both miss.
Sonnen tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Marchegiano swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Marchegiano throws a combination. Sonnen tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Marchegiano will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Sonnen's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Marchegiano connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Sonnen scrambles back to his feet.
Marchegiano lands with a nice combination. Sonnen backs away looking to recover.
Sonnen doesn't manage to clinch there - Marchegiano circles away.
Marchegiano scores with a sloppy right hand. Sonnen should have avoided that one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen tries to close the distance and clinch but Marchegiano swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Sonnen shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Marchegiano defends it nicely.
Rocco Marchegiano is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Marchegiano swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Marchegiano swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Sonnen.
Marchegiano swings for the body but Sonnen moves out of range.
Marchegiano works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Sonnen.
Sonnen shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice straight punches there by Marchegiano. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Marchegiano.
Marchegiano stuffs the takedown.
Sonnen takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Marchegiano with a nice cross.
Sonnen tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Marchegiano manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Sonnen is looking to clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sonnen tries to clinch up but Marchegiano circles away and keeps his distance.
Sonnen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Sonnen keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Sonnen tries to score a power double leg takedown but Marchegiano sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Sonnen somewhat.
Marchegiano scores with a punch to the head.
Sonnen has a takedown stuffed.
Sonnen tries to clinch up.
Sonnen with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Marchegiano to score with a decent uppercut.
Marchegiano circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rocco Marchegiano seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Marchegiano thuds his right hand into Sonnen's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Marchegiano misses with a combination
and Sonnen counters with a body kick that stops Marchegiano in his tracks momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sonnen dodges the punch combination from Marchegiano.
Jake Sonnen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Marchegiano scores with a nice strike.
Marchegiano lands with a cross.
Marchegiano swats away the attempt to clinch by Sonnen.
Marchegiano connects with a single shot there.
Sonnen gets cracked there but stands up to it.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Sonnen. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marchegiano jabs Sonnen to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Marchegiano thows a left - swing and a miss!
Marchegiano lands a nice shot that snaps Sonnen's head back.
A swing and a miss from Marchegiano.
Sonnen misses with an uppercut. Marchegiano saw that one coming.
Left hook, right uppercut from Marchegiano.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sonnen moves in looking to clinch but Marchegiano pushes him off.
Sonnen slips a straight right by Marchegiano.
Marchegiano thows a body shot but no joy.
A swing and a miss from Marchegiano.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marchegiano pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Marchegiano will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Marchegiano throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Sonnen sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Marchegiano throws out a loose jab but Sonnen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Marchegiano misses with a double jab.
Marchegiano lands a nice shot that snaps Sonnen's head back.
Sonnen tries to clinch up but Marchegiano circles away and keeps his distance.
Marchegiano lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Sonnen avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Sonnen moves out of range of the strikes.
Marchegiano closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Sonnen looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Marchegiano throws a combination. Sonnen tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

Sonnen is rocked!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Marchegiano smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Oh Sonnen is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Marchegiano uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Sonnen has time to react.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sonnen slips a jab from Marchegiano.
Sonnen seems to have got his legs back now.
Marchegiano throws a good cross that connects.
Sonnen misses with a straight right.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rocco Marchegiano showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Marchegiano lands a left and a right that send Sonnen crashing to the mat, dazed. Marchegiano thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!
Marchegiano scores with a shot to the body.
Marchegiano dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Marchegiano lands a jab to the head.
A swing and a miss from Marchegiano.
Marchegiano avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sonnen scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Rocco Marchegiano seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Marchegiano connects with a looping right hand.
A big left from Marchegiano misses.
Sonnen tries to clinch but Marchegiano moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sonnen fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Marchegiano misses with an uppercut. Sonnen saw that one coming.
Jab, jab by Marchegiano - just one landing.
Sonnen walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Sonnen uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Marchegiano.
Marchegiano swinging wildly here.
Sonnen takes a shot to the body in his stride.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Marchegiano. No joy for Sonnen on that attempt.
Marchegiano has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
A punch combination from Marchegiano misses.
Marchegiano lands with a nice body punch.
Marchegiano throws a hook but Sonnen avoids it easily.
Sonnen tries to clinch up.
Sonnen looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Marchegiano scores with a jab to the head.
Sonnen wants to clinch up but Marchegiano keeps it at a distance.
Sonnen moves away from the strike by Marchegiano.
Marchegiano fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marchegiano lands a nice shot to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Marchegiano scores with a sloppy right hand. Sonnen should have avoided that one.
Marchegiano lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Marchegiano lands with an uppercut that bounces Sonnen off the cage and back into rage.
Sonnen tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Marchegiano swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jake Sonnen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Marchegiano with a hook.
Sonnen is looking to clinch but Marchegiano is avoiding it.
Nice body kick from Sonnen.
Sonnen takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Rocco Marchegiano is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nice body punch from Marchegiano.
Sonnen ducks right into an uppercut from Marchegiano.
Marchegiano dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Marchegiano uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Sonnen gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Marchegiano thuds his right hand into Sonnen's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Sonnen looks for a takedown but Marchegiano sprawls well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Marchegiano misses with the combination.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rocco Marchegiano comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Marchegiano has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 25:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 25:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rocco Marchegiano!