PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Alphonse Rosa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tom McGregor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tom McGregor told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Rosa
vs
McGregor

179 cm
20
190 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

185 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

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 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Alphonse Rosa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Tom McGregor!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rosa fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
McGregor lands a nice shot to the body.
McGregor tries to land a front kick but Rosa steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Rosa fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Nice sprawl there from McGregor as Rosa shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alphonse Rosa. That's going to take a lot out of him.

McGregor clinches with his opponent.
A bit of stalling here from McGregor.
A frustrated look appears on Rosa's face as he tries to break the clinch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Rosa tries to circle away but McGregor has him pinned against the cage.
McGregor is pushing Rosa up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Knees in the clinch landing for McGregor.
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!
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
McGregor receives a warning from the referee for stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.

McGregor pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
The fight stays on the outside here - McGregor looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Nice sprawl there from McGregor as Rosa shoots in.
Rosa tries to score a power double leg takedown but McGregor sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Rosa somewhat.
Rosa changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. McGregor tries to avoid it but Rosa manages to keep hold of a leg and drag McGregor to the ground. McGregor escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Rosa is breathing heavily.

McGregor has taken the fight to the clinch.
McGregor blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McGregor takes a knee to the side of the body.
Rosa misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from McGregor.
McGregor on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Rosa putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has McGregor in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Rosa tries to stall but McGregor uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Knees to the body from McGregor.
McGregor lands an elbow inside that Rosa shrugs off.
McGregor throws an elbow but it's blocked.
McGregor is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Rosa is defending well for now.
Rosa drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
McGregor lands with a light punch inside.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
McGregor throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Rosa blocks it with crossed arms.
Rosa tries to land knees in the clinch but McGregor avoids the damage to the body.
McGregor is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
McGregor is leaning against Rosa and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

McGregor decides to pull guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

McGregor scrambles and gets back to his feet.
McGregor tries to clinch up
and Rosa counters with an inside leg kick.
Rosa closes the distance and clinches up with McGregor, looking for a takedown. Rosa pushes McGregor against the cage but McGregor circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

McGregor clinches up with Rosa and pushes him back against the cage.
McGregor is struggling to control the position.
McGregor has Rosa pressed against the cage, preventing Rosa from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Rosa missing with knees to the body.
McGregor is pushing Rosa up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McGregor is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Rosa is defending well for now.
Rosa tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and McGregor avoids it.
McGregor effectively controlling the action here.
Rosa missing with knees to the body.
Rosa utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Rosa is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. McGregor is defending well for now.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
McGregor stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rosa drops down looking for an ankle pick but McGregor pulls his leg out and moves away.
McGregor tries to clinch but Rosa moves away
and Rosa counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. McGregor is lucky that one didn't land flush.
McGregor misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Rosa counters with a flying knee. Nice.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom McGregor dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Rosa fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Rosa is trying hard to land a takedown here. McGregor sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Rosa connects with a high kick.

McGregor forces Rosa back against the cage and clinches.
Rosa trying to land knees to the body.
McGregor lands a damaging elbow.

It looks like Alphonse Rosa has been cut.

Rosa breaks from the clinch.
McGregor tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Rosa manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
McGregor tries to close the distance and clinch but Rosa swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rosa shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with McGregor but McGregor pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alphonse Rosa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rosa looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

McGregor takes the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rosa managing to block the knees to the body from McGregor.
McGregor controlling the action here for a moment.
Rosa missing with knees to the body.
McGregor tries to land knees in the clinch but Rosa avoids the damage to the body.
McGregor managing to block the knees to the body from Rosa.
McGregor on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
McGregor unloads a knee to the mid-section. Rosa lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
McGregor controlling the action here for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

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

McGregor closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
McGregor blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
McGregor managing to block the knees to the body from Rosa.
McGregor misses with a knee strike.

McGregor is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Rosa can't fight it off and eventually McGregor manages to take the fight to the floor. Rosa looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Rosa is looking to stand up but McGregor isn't so interested in that idea.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rosa utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McGregor throws a big elbow that misses.
Rosa knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for McGregor on the ground.

McGregor stands and steps away. Rosa gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Tom McGregor is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

McGregor gets in close and instigates a clinch.
McGregor lands a nice knee to the body.
Rosa with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

McGregor pulls Rosa into guard.

McGregor is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Rosa missing with knees to the body.
McGregor scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Rosa takes a knee right on the jaw!
McGregor stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Rosa is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. McGregor is defending well for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McGregor avoiding damage as Rosa throws knees to the body.
Rosa trying to land knees to the body.
McGregor is pushing Rosa up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Rosa tries to break the clinch but McGregor is controlling the position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Come on McGregor - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
McGregor creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Rosa's defenses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
McGregor holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Rosa dodges an elbow strike from McGregor.
A bit of stalling here from McGregor.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom McGregor showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Alphonse Rosa's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Rosa is trying hard to land a takedown here. McGregor sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Rosa throws a head kick that McGregor semi-blocks.

It looks like Tom McGregor has been cut.

McGregor rushes Rosa and presses him up against the cage.
McGregor blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Rosa is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. McGregor is defending well for now.

McGregor manages to break the clinch.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rosa is defended easily by McGregor.
McGregor displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Rosa.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alphonse Rosa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
McGregor lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.

McGregor rushes Rosa and presses him up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McGregor stalling against the cage.
Rosa takes a knee right on the jaw!
McGregor digs a right hand underneath Rosa's ribcage. Rosa let out a lung full of air as it connected.
McGregor lands a nice elbow.
McGregor slowing the pace effectively.
McGregor lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Rosa tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and McGregor avoids it.
McGregor on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Tom McGregor seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

McGregor pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nice sprawl there from Rosa as McGregor shoots in.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McGregor is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Rosa unloads a knee to the mid-section. McGregor lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Rosa looking to throw knees to the head but McGregor is blocking nicely.
Rosa trying to land knees to the body.
McGregor just leaning against Rosa, taking a breather.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
McGregor tries a knee to the head but Rosa blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rosa is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. McGregor is defending well for now.
McGregor is struggling to control the position.
Rosa can't break the clinch.
Rosa is trying to break the clinch but McGregor has him pressed against the cage.
Rosa unloads a knee to the mid-section. McGregor lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Rosa misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from McGregor.

Rosa breaks from the clinch.
McGregor tries to clinch
and Rosa counters with a big head kick but McGregor shrugs it off.
McGregor tries to close the distance and clinch but Rosa swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
McGregor misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
McGregor wants to clinch up but Rosa keeps it at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rosa is defended easily by McGregor.

McGregor takes the fight into the clinch.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
McGregor on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rosa throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but McGregor blocks it with crossed arms.
McGregor pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Alphonse Rosa has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tom McGregor is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Rosa trying to land knees to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tom McGregor comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well McGregor 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tom McGregor!