PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Frankie Edgar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rorion Joaquin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rorion Joaquin is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Edgar
vs
Joaquin

167 cm
26
155 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

179 cm
26
155 lbs
4 - 11 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Frankie Edgar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rorion Joaquin!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Wesley Smith and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Edgar fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Joaquin sprawls well initially but Edgar persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Joaquin striking from the bottom.
Edgar blocks the strikes from Joaquin.
Joaquin is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Edgar not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Joaquin missing with punches from the bottom.
Edgar throwing shots but Joaquin is blocking nicely.

Joaquin is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Edgar pulls his head out easily.
Edgar is taking a breather. Joaquin says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Joaquin looking for submissions off his back.
Edgar looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Edgar is looking to stand up but he'll have to free his leg first. Instead, Joaquin manages to get to full guard.
Edgar tries to free his leg and advance position but Joaquin is retaining full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Joaquin had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Edgar defends it easily.
Edgar trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Edgar is pushing down on Joaquin's leg trying to pass to half guard. Joaquin is fighting to maintain full guard but Edgar has managed to sneak the leg through.
Edgar misses with a head shot. Joaquin uses the momentum to regain guard.
Joaquin keeping moving, preventing Edgar from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Edgar throws an elbow that misses. Joaquin uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Edgar's guard. Nice move by Joaquin!
Joaquin is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Edgar manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Joaquin manages to get himself to full guard.
Edgar wants to stand and escape but instead Joaquin has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Edgar is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Joaquin is aware though and is defending well.
Edgar trying to keep a closed guard but Joaquin is proving a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Joaquin trying to stand up but can't free himself from Edgar's guard.
Edgar might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Joaquin throws a strike but Edgar rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Joaquin looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Joaquin looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frankie Edgar dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Joaquin takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Jab, jab by Edgar - just one landing.
Nice takedown defense from Edgar. No joy for Joaquin on that attempt.
Joaquin doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Edgar counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Edgar has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Edgar wants to control from the top but Joaquin keeps moving.
Edgar postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Joaquin keeping moving, preventing Edgar from controlling successfully.
Edgar trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Joaquin manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Frankie Edgar overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Edgar trying to keep a closed guard but Joaquin is proving a slippery customer.

Edgar is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Joaquin is aware though and is defending well.
Edgar keeping full guard, as Joaquin tries to pass.
Edgar 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.
Edgar not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Joaquin got a little sloppy there for a moment and Edgar has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Joaquin has managed to get both his arms back between Edgar's legs - danger averted.
Joaquin wants to stand but Edgar has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Edgar wants to get back to his feet but Joaquin is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Joaquin being controlled here momentarily.
Joaquin wants to stand but Edgar has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Joaquin trying to control the position from guard on top but Edgar is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Joaquin throws a leg kick but Edgar checks it.
Joaquin gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Edgar counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Joaquin thinking.
Frankie Edgar has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rorion Joaquin.
A head kick by Joaquin misses

and Edgar counters by moving into the clinch.
Edgar lands an elbow just above Joaquin 's eye.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joaquin tries to break the clinch but Edgar is controlling the position.

Edgar jumps into guard, dragging Joaquin to the mat.
Joaquin is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Edgar throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

Joaquin stands up and waves to Edgar to follow him.
Joaquin gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Edgar counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Edgar.
Joaquin can't get the takedown.
Joaquin is breathing heavily.

Edgar has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Joaquin uses from the top position.
Joaquin trying to control the position from guard on top but Edgar is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Edgar looking for a sweep. Not yet Edgar, not yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Edgar is looking for a triangle but Joaquin pushes his legs off easily.
Joaquin wants to pass the guard but Edgar is keeping the position.

Edgar looking for a guillotine here but Joaquin defends easily.
Joaquin has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Edgar is proving hard to escape from.
Edgar is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Edgar 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.
Joaquin wants to get up but he can't break Edgar's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frankie Edgar dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Joaquin has his takedown stuffed
and Edgar counters with a big head kick but Joaquin shrugs it off.
Edgar looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.

Edgar fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Joaquin to the ground. Edgar is now in Joaquin's guard.
Edgar looking to pass the guard.
Joaquin keeping moving, preventing Edgar from controlling successfully.
Edgar landing with the ground and pound.
Edgar throwing strikes from guard but Joaquin blocks nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Edgar is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Frankie Edgar.

Edgar bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Edgar is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Joaquin knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Edgar misses with the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Joaquin wants to control but Edgar postures up.
Edgar wants to take a breather but Joaquin manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Edgar.
Edgar slips nicely into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joaquin wants to control but Edgar is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Edgar in particular looking to stall.
Edgar is looking to take a break and control but Joaquin is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Joaquin missing with punches from the bottom.
Joaquin is staying active underneath Edgar, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Frankie Edgar wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Edgar bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Edgar taking a break here but Joaquin is having none of it and regains half guard.
Edgar thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Joaquin is trying to control but Edgar manages to pass to mount!
Edgar is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Joaquin can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Rorion Joaquin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Frankie Edgar is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Edgar sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Frankie Edgar showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Edgar 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 30:27
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Frankie Edgar!
During a confident post fight interview, Frankie Edgar thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.