PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Walter Rothko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Duane (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Mark Duane was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Rothko
vs
Duane

178 cm
25
147 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

156 cm
24
145 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Great elbows
Big heart

Decent wrestler
Dangerous knees
Granite chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Walter Rothko !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mark Duane !
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, George Francis and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rothko shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Duane but Duane pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Duane moves in looking to clinch but Rothko pushes him off.
Rothko looks for a takedown but Duane sprawls well.
Rothko lands a nice looking kick to the body. Duane takes a step back to recover.
Duane throws a sloppy head kick and Rothko moves out of range easily.
Duane throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Rothko 's head.
Duane tries to clinch up.
Rothko throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Duane .

Rothko pushes Duane up against the cage in a clinch.

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

Rothko gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
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.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rothko throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Duane really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Rothko . If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rothko is looking for a triangle but Duane pushes his legs off easily.
Rothko has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Rothko trying to control the position.

Rothko manages to escape and get back to his feet.

Duane shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Rothko 's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Duane got a little sloppy there for a moment and Rothko has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Duane has managed to get both his arms back between Rothko 's legs - danger averted.
Rothko looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Rothko is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Duane wants to improve his position but Rothko is controlling well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rothko content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Rothko is looking to take a break and control but Duane is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Rothko stands up out of the half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rothko gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Duane counters with a nice double leg into guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Walter Rothko . That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rothko not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rothko trying to control the position here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Duane trying to control but Rothko is working from the bottom.

Rothko has his foot on Duane 's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Duane works his way back into a safe position though.
Duane postures up.
Rothko keeping moving, preventing Duane from controlling successfully.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Rothko is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Duane closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Rothko 's guard.
Rothko is looking to stand up but Duane isn't so interested in that idea.
Rothko lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Duane !
Rothko tries to control but Duane wriggling away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Rothko jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Duane manages to avoid the submission attempt.
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 Walter Rothko will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Duane tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Duane keeps the fight on the outside.

Duane scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Duane is trying to control the action in half guard but Rothko is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Duane throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Rothko is defending against the submission attempts here by Duane .
Rothko flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Duane throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Duane is keen to just control but Rothko is a slippery customer.
Rothko makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Rothko .
Duane wanted to stand there but Rothko had control of the position.
Duane trying to control the position from guard on top but Rothko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Duane is breathing heavily.
Rothko is trying to keep Duane in close.
Duane tries to stand but Rothko is controlling from the bottom.
Rothko will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rothko is trying to control the position but Duane postures up.

Rothko looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Duane won't allow Rothko to sweep him here.
Rothko is trying to control the position but Duane postures up.
Rothko controlling Duane 's posture.

Walter Rothko has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Duane gets a takedown into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Duane tries to pass to full mount but Rothko defends it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Duane prevents Rothko from standing back up.
Rothko moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Rothko manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Duane manages to get himself to full guard.
Rothko wants to control from the top but Duane keeps moving.
Rothko slips nicely into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rothko thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Rothko scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Rothko frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

Rothko looking for a guillotine from mount but Duane is having none of it.
Rothko has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Duane 's face.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rothko sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Walter Rothko dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Duane jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Rothko misses with a head kick.
Duane bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Rothko throws a lazy uppercut

so Duane counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Duane trying to control the position from guard on top but Rothko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Rothko pushes Duane off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Rothko is looking to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Duane looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Duane gets a takedown into half guard.
Duane takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Rothko is pressing down on Duane 's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Rothko manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Duane manages to get himself to full guard.
Duane trying to control the position.
Duane keeping moving, preventing Rothko from controlling successfully.
Rothko makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Duane 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.
Rothko wants to control from the top but Duane keeps moving.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Duane looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Rothko passes into side control.
Duane is letting Rothko control him for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rothko landing a few strikes.
Rothko misses with the ground and pound.
Duane is not content to let Rothko control the position.

Rothko decides to stand up, so the ref orders Duane to his feet.
Rothko moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Rothko tries to clinch up.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rothko is defended easily by Duane .

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rothko misses with a takedown attempt - Duane sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Rothko misses with a body shot.
The fight stays on the outside here - Duane looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rothko closes this distance looking for a takedown but Duane circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Walter Rothko . That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rothko has a takedown stuffed.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rothko shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Duane pinned against the cage. Duane gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Mark Duane has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Walter Rothko is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Duane misses with a kick to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Walter Rothko .
Well Rothko 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge George Francis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Walter Rothko !