PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Steve Rogers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Melvin Manhoef (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Rogers might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to WAR MACHINE by Kiss. Manhoef has chosen Killing In The Name as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the ring.

Rogers
vs
Manhoef

190 cm
41
193 lbs
34 - 32 - 0

173 cm
37
194 lbs
31 - 31 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 34 - 32 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Steve Rogers!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 31 - 31 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Melvin Manhoef!
The judges for this bout are Wagner Zegers, Aafke Stam and Paulsen Ambrosius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rogers shoots in for a double leg but Manhoef sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Manhoef misses with a double jab.
Nice shot by Rogers.
Manhoef throws a series of punches but Rogers moves out of range.
Manhoef throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A big right from Rogers misses.
Manhoef throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Rogers counters with a shoot takedown. Manhoef fights it but they end up in guard.
Rogers will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Rogers trying to control but Manhoef is working from the bottom.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rogers accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Rogers is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Rogers 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.
Manhoef can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Rogers controls the pace.
Manhoef preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manhoef is looking to stand up but Rogers isn't so interested in that idea.
Rogers in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Manhoef keeping moving, preventing Rogers from controlling successfully.
Rogers slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Manhoef told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Steve Rogers wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Manhoef is looking to score with low kicks.
An inside leg kick lands from Manhoef.
Manhoef misses with a hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Manhoef connects with a good right hand that stumbles Rogers. Rogers circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Manhoef feints and then cracks Rogers's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Rogers down.
Manhoef throws a one two combo.

It looks like Steve Rogers has been cut.
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!
Manhoef throws a series of punches but Rogers avoids them all with ease.
An inside leg kick lands from Manhoef.

Oooooh!!! Manhoef has knocked Rogers down with a huge combo! Manhoef steps away and waves a wobbly Rogers back to his feet! This one might not go much longer!
Manhoef misses with a few strikes there.
A punch combination from Manhoef misses.
Manhoef throws a right and a left that Rogers avoids nicely.
Manhoef throws a right hand that Rogers ducks under and follows up with a left that Rogers also avoids with ease.
An inside leg kick lands from Rogers.
Manhoef throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Manhoef throws a combination. Rogers tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Manhoef fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Rogers is out of range.
Manhoef rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Rogers moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Manhoef moves out of range of the strikes.
Some wild striking there from Manhoef.
Rogers misses with a takedown attempt - Manhoef sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Rogers looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Rogers throws a hook but Manhoef avoids it easily.
Manhoef misses with a low kick.
Manhoef with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Rogers to score with a decent uppercut.
Manhoef scores with a one two! Rogers had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Rogers misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Manhoef misses with a double jab
and Rogers counters with a leg kick.
Manhoef throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A combination from Manhoef does no damage.
Rogers lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rogers wants to clinch up but Manhoef keeps it at a distance.
A combination from Manhoef does no damage.
Manhoef cracks the inside of Rogers's front leg.
Rogers attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A looping hook to the body misses from Rogers. Manhoef does a little dance to reset his feet.
Manhoef misses with a jab, cross combination.
Rogers tries to close the distance and clinch but Manhoef swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Manhoef misses with an uppercut. Rogers saw that one coming.
Manhoef scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Manhoef jabs Rogers to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Manhoef throws a right and a left that both miss.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Manhoef lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Manhoef rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Rogers moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Rogers tries to bum rush Manhoef with a series of wild strikes but Manhoef uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Melvin Manhoef dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Steve Rogers's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Manhoef stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Manhoef wants it to stay on the feet.
Manhoef lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
A left and a right from Manhoef both land. Nice combination.
Manhoef fails to land with a series of punches.
Manhoef will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Manhoef throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Steve Rogers is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rogers is defended easily by Manhoef.
Rogers misses with a head kick.

Rogers has managed to clinch.
Manhoef lands a hook to the side of the head.
A frustrated look appears on Manhoef's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Manhoef tries a knee to the head but Rogers blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rogers is trying to pull guard but Manhoef turns him against the ropes and we stay in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Steve Rogers. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Manhoef is trying to break the clinch but Rogers is controlling him.

Manhoef's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Manhoef falls off balance throwing a combination
and Rogers counters with a series of strikes. Manhoef will be more careful next time no doubt.
Manhoef tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Manhoef misses with a jab, cross combination.
Manhoef lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Rogers slips under a jab from Manhoef.
Manhoef throws a right and a left that both miss.
Manhoef keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Rogers doesn't manage to clinch there - Manhoef circles away.
Manhoef throws a chopping leg kick but Rogers manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Manhoef throws a left and a right that both miss
and Rogers connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rogers moves in looking to clinch but Manhoef pushes him off.

Rogers fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Manhoef to the ground. Rogers is now in Manhoef's guard.
Rogers pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Manhoef is keeping the position for now.
Rogers stays in close to Manhoef's body and controls the position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rogers in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Manhoef is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Manhoef really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Rogers. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Rogers throws a strike but Manhoef rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Rogers looking for a guillotine here but Manhoef defends easily.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rogers wants to sweep here but Manhoef controlling him for the moment.
Manhoef must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Manhoef wanted to stand there but Rogers had control of the position.
Manhoef throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Rogers is working for submissions here. He's thrown up his legs looking for a triangle but Manhoef frees his head nicely. Oh but Rogers has switched to an armbar! Manhoef is tapping furiously! Lovely submission there!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Armbar). Steve Rogers!
Steve Rogers got down on his knees post fight and begged the management for a title shot. 'Please, I want that title shot so bad! Give it to me!'