PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Roger Birbiglia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Scott Maxwell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Birbiglia
vs
Maxwell

186 cm
20
199 lbs
8 - 0 - 0

185 cm
23
215 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Roger Birbiglia!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Scott Maxwell!
The judges for this bout are Darius Henderson, Ben Hemmingworth and Chris Dean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Maxwell looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Maxwell tries to close the distance and clinch up but Birbiglia swats him away and circles back towards the center.
An attempted straight right counter from Birbiglia misses the target.
Birbiglia scores with a hook.
Maxwell fails with an attempt to clinch.
Birbiglia swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Maxwell throws a leg kick but Birbiglia sees it coming and moves out of range.
Birbiglia takes a kick to the side of the head.

Birbiglia closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Maxwell quickly recovers to half guard.
Maxwell has found himself in a tricky position here. He's been working his transitions in training so let's see if he can work his way out of it.

Maxwell looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Maxwell is defending against the submission attempts here by Birbiglia.
Birbiglia is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Birbiglia lands strikes from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Birbiglia slips a nice elbow through Maxwell's hands, connecting with Maxwell's forehead.
Maxwell wants to improve his position but Birbiglia is controlling well.
Well, if Birbiglia is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Maxwell trying to control but Birbiglia postures up.
Birbiglia lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Birbiglia wants to work for an arm triangle but Maxwell is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Birbiglia is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Maxwell is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Birbiglia pulls his head out easily.
Birbiglia scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Birbiglia landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Birbiglia controlling the action here.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Birbiglia lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Maxwell tries to roll over but Birbiglia keeps him under control.
Maxwell is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maxwell wants to get back to his feet.
Maxwell manages to get to full guard.

Maxwell working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Birbiglia doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Birbiglia manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
We've been hearing that Birbiglia has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Maxwell has momentary wrist control but Birbiglia slips an elbow through the middle.
Birbiglia knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Maxwell on the ground.
Birbiglia distracts Maxwell with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Birbiglia seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Birbiglia has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Birbiglia wants to control from the top but Maxwell keeps moving.
Maxwell can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Birbiglia controls the pace.
Maxwell controls Birbiglia momentarily but Birbiglia frees himself.
Birbiglia is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Birbiglia is working Maxwell over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Maxwell keeping moving, preventing Birbiglia from controlling successfully.
Birbiglia content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roger Birbiglia dominated that 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.

Maxwell lands a nice looking body kick.
Birbiglia cracks Maxwell with a right hand to the side of the head.
Maxwell throws a right and a left that Birbiglia avoids nicely.
Scott Maxwell seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A slow jab from Birbiglia misses its intended target.
Maxwell drops his hands momentarily and Birbiglia takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Birbiglia throws a body shot but no joy.
Maxwell tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Birbiglia manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Birbiglia fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Maxwell manages to avoid it.
Maxwell tries to clinch there but Birbiglia circles away.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Birbiglia here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Maxwell fails in his attempt to clinch.
Birbiglia misses the shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maxwell is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Maxwell wants to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Birbiglia looking to score a takedown here. Maxwell is defending well but Birbiglia drives through and ends up in Maxwell's guard.
Birbiglia lands a couple of digs.
Birbiglia is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Birbiglia trying to control but Maxwell is working from the bottom.
Birbiglia working some strikes from top position.

Maxwell throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Birbiglia escapes and throws Maxwell's legs to the side, diving into side control!

Birbiglia tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
You can see the frustration on Maxwell's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Birbiglia scoring with punches and elbows.
Birbiglia working the body and head with strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Maxwell gets back to half guard.
Maxwell is trying to get back to full guard.
Birbiglia looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Birbiglia trying to control the action but Maxwell is working from the bottom.
Birbiglia seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Birbiglia lands with a punch from half guard.
Roger Birbiglia overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Birbiglia slips a nice elbow through Maxwell's hands, connecting with Maxwell's forehead.
Birbiglia lands strikes from half guard.
Maxwell is trying to control but can't.

Maxwell makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Maxwell fails in his attempt to clinch.

Birbiglia gets a double leg takedown into Maxwell's guard.
Maxwell controlling the position.

Maxwell looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Maxwell is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Maxwell is breathing heavily.
Birbiglia connects with a couple of short punches.
Birbiglia passes into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!
Birbiglia scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Birbiglia is looking to take a break and control but Maxwell is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Ground and pound from Birbiglia.
Birbiglia working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Maxwell wants to control but Birbiglia is keeping busy.

Maxwell looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Birbiglia is trying to control. Maxwell wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Birbiglia is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

Maxwell looking for subs from the bottom but Birbiglia mounts him!
Birbiglia trying to control but he's not successful this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roger Birbiglia dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Birbiglia uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Maxwell.
Maxwell moves out of range of the strikes.
Birbiglia thows a left - swing and a miss!
Birbiglia misses with the combination.

Birbiglia closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Maxwell quickly recovers to half guard.
Maxwell is trying to get back to full guard.
Birbiglia winds up and cracks Maxwell with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Birbiglia slows the pace down in half guard.

Maxwell is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Birbiglia pulls his head out easily.
Maxwell is looking to control Birbiglia's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Maxwell avoid being mounted?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maxwell wants to control but Birbiglia passes into side.
You can see the frustration on Maxwell's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Maxwell is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Birbiglia is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Maxwell regains half guard.
Birbiglia not doing much here.
Birbiglia is looking to take a break and control but Maxwell is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Birbiglia working Maxwell over with strikes.

Maxwell looking for submissions off his back.
Birbiglia wants to free his trapped foot but Maxwell is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Birbiglia keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Birbiglia works his foot free and advances to mount.

Birbiglia is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Maxwell is surviving well by controlling Birbiglia's body position as best he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Birbiglia lands a big shot there that rocks Maxwell but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Maxwell tries to reverse the position but Birbiglia maintains control.
Birbiglia can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Maxwell is looking to escape.
Maxwell is wriggling around trying to escape.
Birbiglia lands a couple of good shots and Maxwell has given up his back, trying to escape the position!

It looks like Scott Maxwell has been cut.
Birbiglia connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Maxwell to escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maxwell is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Birbiglia is working the ground and pound. Can Maxwell escape?
Birbiglia controlling the position well here. Maxwell rolled but Birbiglia kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.
Maxwell wants to escape the position.
Birbiglia lands shots from the back.
The referee is taking a good look at Maxwell as he is on the wrong end of some big shots from Birbiglia!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Birbiglia controlling the position well here. Maxwell rolled but Birbiglia kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.
Scott Maxwell has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Roger Birbiglia is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Maxwell covers up after that shot from Birbiglia.

And that's the end of the fight!
Roger Birbiglia showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Birbiglia 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 Darius Henderson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Hemmingworth scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chris Dean scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Roger Birbiglia!
Roger Birbiglia retains his light heavyweight title!
An out of breath Roger Birbiglia thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.