PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Erick Rootmans (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lazarus Tate (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rootmans kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Busta Rhymes - Put your hands where my eyes can see. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rootmans
vs
Tate

190 cm
26
202 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

190 cm
27
197 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Dangerous knees
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Determined

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 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Erick Rootmans!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Lazarus Tate!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Daniel Franklin and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Tate drops Rootmans with a beautiful combination! Rootmans stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Tate is looking for the KO!

It looks like Erick Rootmans has been cut.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rootmans throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Lazarus Tate seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tate fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Rootmans has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Jef Li's MMA(13 coaches, 49 cap) in the buildup to the fight.
Rootmans swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Tate tries to close the distance and clinch but Rootmans swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Rootmans pushes Tate up against the cage in a clinch.
Tate drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Tate tries to score a body lock takedown but Rootmans shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Rootmans is pressed up against the cage. Tate has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Rootmans down to the mat. Rootmans avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Erick Rootmans has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lazarus Tate.
Tate doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Rootmans tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Tate paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Tate pushes Rootmans up against the cage in a clinch.
Rootmans blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Rootmans gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Tate.

Tate jumps guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Rootmans gets to his feet - Tate follows without any prompting.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tate tries to close the distance and clinch but Rootmans swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Tate thuds his shin into the meat of Rootmans's side.
Rootmans will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Tate tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rootmans swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Rootmans gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Come on Rootmans - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Tate wants to take the fight to the mat but Rootmans manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Tate tries to pull guard but Rootmans forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Rootmans gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Tate.
Tate wants a takedown.
Rootmans stalling in the clinch but Tate improves position.
Rootmans gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Tate.
Rootmans trying to control the position but instead, Tate has worked for underhooks and has pushed Rootmans into the cage.
Tate has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Rootmans after a bit of a struggle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rootmans is fighting off a takedown attempt but Tate is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Rootmans to the mat. Rootmans regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rootmans wants to stand up but Tate is controlling him.

Tate drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Rootmans dives on top into guard.

Rootmans stands and steps away. Tate gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Tate fails in his attempt to clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tate wants to take the fight to the mat but Rootmans manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Rootmans with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Tate has Rootmans pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Rootmans manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Rootmans trying to control the position but instead, Tate has worked for underhooks and has pushed Rootmans into the cage.
Tate takes a knee right on the jaw!
Tate changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Rootmans fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Tate has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Rootmans circles away from the clinch attempt
and Tate takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Tate tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rootmans paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rootmans throws a right and a left that both miss.
Tate wants to clinch up but Rootmans keeps it at a distance.

Rootmans moves into the clinch.
Tate is looking to take this one to the mat.
Knees in the clinch landing for Rootmans.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rootmans blocks an uppercut.
Rootmans with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Tate takes a knee right on the jaw!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tate jumps guard but Rootmans stands there with Tate around his waist. Tate gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Tate has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Rootmans is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Tate looks winded!
Rootmans scores with a knee to the head.
Rootmans with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Rootmans using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Tate has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Tate fails to pull guard.
Rootmans taking a breather.
Tate changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Rootmans fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Tate connects with a high kick.

Rootmans drops his shoulder and cracks Tate with a huge uppercut! Tate goes down! Can Rootmans finish him?

Tate is rocked!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rootmans would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Tate is still in real trouble! Can Rootmans finish him?
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 Erick Rootmans will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Erick Rootmans's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Tate moves out of range of the body kick.
Tate seems to have recovered his senses.
Rootmans pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Tate is looking to clinch.
Rootmans goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Tate throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Tate.
The crowd cheers as Tate lands an impressive looking overhand right. Rootmans doesn't seem phased though.
Tate tests Rootmans's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Tate tries to close the distance and clinch but Rootmans swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Tate doesn't manage to clinch there - Rootmans circles away.
Tate tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Rootmans counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

Tate is rocked!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tate misses with an attempted mid kick.
Tate tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Tate looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Tate is still on wobbly legs! Can Rootmans finish him?

Tate clinches up with Rootmans and pushes him back against the cage.
Rootmans jerks Tate's head down, straight into the path of a devastating knee! Tate drops to the floor in a crumpled heap! Rootmans goes to throw a finishing haymaker but pulls out - good sportsmanship from Rootmans because Tate was completely out of it. That was a nice finish - just the right level of brutality to send everyone home happy.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Knee). Erick Rootmans!
A very excited looking Erick Rootmans rambled incoherently for about 5 minutes post fight about how awesome he is. It was kinda funny for a while but then everyone got annoyed.