PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Hugo Rossi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Volk Khan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rossi
vs
Khan

173 cm
25
153 lbs
12 - 3 - 1

174 cm
31
148 lbs
20 - 3 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Hugo Rossi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Volk Khan!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Patrick Alders and Albert Achterberg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Khan gets a double leg takedown into Rossi's guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Khan wants to pass the guard but Rossi is keeping the position.
Khan is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Rossi is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Rossi not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Khan trying to control the position from guard on top but Rossi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Khan drops back looking for a leg! Rossi is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Rossi manages to kick Khan off! Khan jumps back into Rossi's guard.
Rossi working a defensive guard here.

Khan drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Rossi manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Khan has Rossi in his guard.

Khan is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rossi trying to control the position from guard on top but Khan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Khan throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Rossi looking to pass the guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rossi postures up in Khan's guard and throws a big left but Khan blocks it.
Rossi throwing strikes but missing.
Khan has his hands on Rossi's head, controlling the position.
Khan keeping moving, preventing Rossi from controlling successfully.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Khan looking for a guillotine here but Rossi defends easily.
Rossi stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Khan swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Khan is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Khan is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Rossi wants to control from the top but Khan keeps moving.

Rossi thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Khan working a defensive guard here.
Khan keeping full guard, as Rossi tries to pass.

Khan escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rossi gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Khan had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Rossi defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Khan is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Rossi trying to control the position from guard on top but Khan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Khan working for a triangle but Rossi defends it easily.
Rossi loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Rossi drops back looking for a leg! Khan is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Khan manages to kick Rossi off! Rossi jumps back into Khan's guard.
Khan can't keep his opponent in guard - Rossi advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rossi looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Rossi is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Khan is just riding it out for now. Rossi eventually gives up the hold.

Rossi is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Khan slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Rossi is pushing down on Khan's leg trying to pass to half guard. Khan is fighting to maintain full guard but Rossi has managed to sneak the leg through.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Rossi is working for a kimura but Khan is defending it quite comfortably.

Rossi is working for a kimura but Khan is defending it quite comfortably.
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 Hugo Rossi will probably get the nod.
That's time! Rossi's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Rossi swinging wildly here.
Khan swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Rossi shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Rossi was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Rossi goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Khan is on top in guard.
Khan trying to control but Rossi is working from the bottom.

Khan drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Khan jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Khan tries to free his leg and advance position but Rossi is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rossi looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Khan wants to control from the top but Rossi keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Rossi is looking for a triangle but Khan pushes his legs off easily.

Rossi has his foot on Khan's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Khan works his way back into a safe position though.
Rossi keeping moving, preventing Khan from controlling successfully.
Khan might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Rossi kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

Rossi working for a triangle but Khan defends it easily.
Khan wants to control from the top but Rossi keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Khan slips nicely into half guard.
Rossi is trying to control but can't.

Rossi has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Khan escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Khan!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rossi is looking for a sweep.
Khan wants to control but Rossi is keeping him busy.
Hugo Rossi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Khan is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Rossi knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rossi manages to work his way to half guard, despite Khan's best efforts.
Rossi is looking for a sweep. Khan is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Khan moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Rossi.
Rossi tries to buck Khan off but Khan is having none of it.

Khan is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Rossi knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Rossi is trying to control Khan's posture but Khan avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rossi gets back to half guard.
Rossi is looking to control Khan's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Rossi avoid being mounted?
Khan is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Khan takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Rossi tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Khan working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.

Khan is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Rossi to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Rossi shrugs it off.
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!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Khan has control of Rossi's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Rossi regains control of the situation pretty easily.

Khan with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Volk Khan will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Rossi throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Khan was covering up waiting for the punch and Rossi finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Rossi trying to control the position from guard on top but Khan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Rossi avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Khan looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Rossi postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rossi is working for a kimura but Khan is defending it quite comfortably.

Rossi is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Khan doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Rossi.

Khan actively working from the bottom here.
Rossi trying to control from half guard but Khan is working away.
Rossi is controlling the pace.
Khan is pressing down on Rossi's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rossi trying to control but Khan is working from the bottom.
Khan keeping full guard, as Rossi tries to pass.
Rossi scoring with punches to the head and body.

Khan working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Rossi doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Rossi manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Rossi advances position into side control!
Khan tries to buck Rossi off but Rossi is having none of it.
Khan regains half guard there - taking advantage of Rossi's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Rossi passes the guard and advances to mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Khan is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Rossi throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Rossi content just to control the position here.
Khan keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

Rossi has control of Khan's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Khan regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Rossi prevents Khan from getting the reversal.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rossi can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Khan is looking to escape.
Khan taking shots to the head.
Khan tries to hold on but Rossi pushes him away.

Rossi working for a guillotine from mount but Khan is in no mood to give up.

Rossi goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Khan turns into him and now he's in Rossi's guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Rossi is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Khan wants to pass the guard but Rossi is keeping the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hugo Rossi showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Rossi 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 Aafke Stam scores the fight 29:28
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 29:28
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Hugo Rossi!
After the fight, Hugo Rossi was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.