PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Vernon Rookshaw (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rex Harris (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rex Harris struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 186.8lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Rookshaw
vs
Harris

180 cm
22
198 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

195 cm
21
195 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Tends to cut

Green Spirit Supplements

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Vernon Rookshaw!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Rex Harris!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Gregory Folan and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rookshaw wants to clinch.
Rookshaw shoots in but Harris avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Rookshaw scores a takedown into full mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rookshaw looking to control and managing it successfully.
Rookshaw seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Harris for as long as he can get away with.
Harris is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Rookshaw content just to control the position here.
Rookshaw scores with a couple of good head shots there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Harris tries to lock up and control but Rookshaw gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Rookshaw punching from mount but Harris doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Rookshaw controlling his opponent.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Vernon Rookshaw.
Rookshaw shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Harris but Harris pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rookshaw has Harris up against the cage in a clinch.
Harris stops a takedown attempt from Rookshaw.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vernon Rookshaw. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Rookshaw gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Rookshaw controlling the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Vernon Rookshaw.
Rookshaw looks for a takedown but Harris sprawls well.
Rookshaw tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Harris swivels and escapes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vernon Rookshaw dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Rookshaw misses with a takedown attempt - Harris sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Rookshaw shoots in and drives through. Harris sprawls well.

Rookshaw closes the distance and clinches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rookshaw stops a takedown attempt from Harris.
Rookshaw wants a takedown but no success here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vernon Rookshaw. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rookshaw is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Harris gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Rookshaw is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Harris pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Rookshaw managing to block the knees to the body from Harris.
Rookshaw on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rookshaw avoiding damage as Harris throws knees to the body.
Rookshaw tries for a takedown. No joy.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rookshaw avoids the elbow strike from Harris, against the cage.
Rookshaw has Harris pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Harris manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Harris landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Rookshaw has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Harris is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Knees to the body from Harris.
Harris tries to land knees in the clinch but Rookshaw avoids the damage to the body.

Rookshaw jumps guard.
Rookshaw looking to hit a scissor sweep but Harris is one step ahead there.
Rookshaw is pulling down on Harris's head to control his posture.
Rookshaw lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Harris!
Harris is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Harris is trying desperately to improve position.
Rookshaw looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rookshaw thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Rookshaw lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Harris hang on?
Rookshaw controlling his opponent.
Harris is working to get back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rookshaw scoring with strikes but Harris is staying in there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rookshaw postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Harris looks a forlorn figure.

It looks like Rex Harris has been cut.
Rookshaw controlling the pace for now.
Rookshaw has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Vernon Rookshaw.
Nice takedown defense from Harris. No joy for Rookshaw on that attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harris clinches but Rookshaw breaks the clinch

and Rookshaw counters with a takedown into side control.
Rookshaw controls the position.
Rookshaw creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Harris sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Rookshaw working the head and body with strikes.
Rookshaw staying calm.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vernon Rookshaw dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Rex Harris's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Harris tries to clinch

and Rookshaw moves into the clinch.
Rookshaw on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Harris throws a knee to the head but misses.
Rookshaw wants a takedown.

Rookshaw gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Rookshaw tries to pass to full mount but Harris defends it.

Rookshaw is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Harris doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Rookshaw.
Rookshaw slows the pace down in half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Rookshaw can do anything to dispel that myth.
Rookshaw lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Harris takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harris keeping hold of Rookshaw's head, controlling as best he can.
Rookshaw keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Rookshaw tries to pass to full mount but Harris defends it.
Rookshaw is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Ground and pound from Rookshaw.
Rookshaw is figuring out what he wants to do next.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Vernon Rookshaw.
Rookshaw shoots in for a takedown but Harris shows good takedown defense.
Rookshaw fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vernon Rookshaw. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Harris stuffs the takedown attempt from Rookshaw. Rookshaw gets slowly back to his feet.
Rex Harris is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rookshaw closes this distance looking for a takedown but Harris circles away.
Rookshaw shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Harris pinned against the cage. Harris gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Harris clinches up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Rookshaw on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Rookshaw has Harris pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Harris manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Rookshaw is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Harris gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Rookshaw tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Harris just stands there and leans against the cage.
Rookshaw drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rookshaw drops down looking for an ankle pick but Harris pulls his leg out and moves away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Harris has managed to clinch.

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 Vernon Rookshaw.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Rookshaw, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Yves DeLean scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 30:27
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Vernon Rookshaw!