PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between NICOLAS ROCHA (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Frenchie Le French (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

ROCHA
vs
Le French

185 cm
19
176 lbs
1 - 5 - 0

180 cm
19
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, NICOLAS ROCHA!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Frenchie Le French!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Seu Braga and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Le French misses with a two punch combination.
ROCHA looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Le French is fending him off so far but ROCHA persists. Nope, Le French circles away and we're back to standing.
Le French throws a series of punches but ROCHA moves out of range.
Le French throws a right and a left that ROCHA avoids nicely.
ROCHA takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Frenchie Le French seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

ROCHA takes the fight into the clinch.

ROCHA gets control of Le French's arms and successfully pulls guard. ROCHA will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now ROCHA is on top in guard.
ROCHA wants to control from the top but Le French keeps moving.
Le French trying to control the position.
Le French wants to stand up but ROCHA is controlling him.
Le French trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Le French working a defensive guard here.
Le French keeping moving, preventing ROCHA from controlling successfully.
ROCHA looking to pass the guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Le French can do anything to dispel that myth.
ROCHA sitting in guard here, content to control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Le French closes the distance but ROCHA moves to the side

and ROCHA counters by moving into the clinch.
Le French prevents the takedown attempt.
ROCHA keeps control of Le French as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

ROCHA escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Le French just misses with a punch to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Le French throws a one two combo.
Le French misses with a jab, cross combination.
Le French stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for NICOLAS ROCHA. That's going to take a lot out of him.
ROCHA looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
ROCHA shoots in looking for a takedown. Le French tries to sprawl out of it but ROCHA keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Le French manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
ROCHA is breathing heavily.
Le French throws a combination that misses
and ROCHA counters with a slapping leg kick.
ROCHA stuffs the takedown attempt from Le French. Le French gets slowly back to his feet.
Le French fails to land with a series of punches.
ROCHA tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Le French swivels and escapes.
Le French shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts ROCHA as he jumps to the side.
ROCHA scores with a spinning back kick!

ROCHA clinches up with Le French and pushes him back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

ROCHA wants the takedown. Le French is fighting it off but ROCHA persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Le French's guard against the cage.
Le French wants to stand but ROCHA is controlling the position.

ROCHA stands up and waves to Le French to follow him.
Le French misses with a straight left.
Le French lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
ROCHA fails with a takedown attempt.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Le French!

ROCHA moves into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
ROCHA has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Le French avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Le French is trying to break free.
ROCHA is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Le French gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Le French has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. ROCHA is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

ROCHA breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
ROCHA is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Le French.
Le French rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but ROCHA moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Le French scores with a sloppy right hand. ROCHA should have avoided that one.
Le French misses with an uppercut. ROCHA saw that one coming.
Le French fails in his attempt to clinch.
Le French misses with a series of wild punches.
No luck for ROCHA with that takedown attempt.
Le French bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps ROCHA's head backwards.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

NICOLAS ROCHA dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Le French tries to close the distance and clinch up but ROCHA swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Le French stuffs the takedown attempt from ROCHA. ROCHA gets slowly back to his feet.
Le French misses with the combination.
Le French fakes high and swings low for a body shot but ROCHA manages to avoid it.
ROCHA throws a leg kick but Le French checks it.
Le French scores with a jab to the head.
Nice straight punches there by Le French. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Le French.
Le French takes a swing at ROCHA's ribcage but misses.
Le French misses with a double jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
ROCHA throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
NICOLAS ROCHA is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Le French misses with a two punch combination.

ROCHA bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Le French is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

ROCHA is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Le French has escaped the position, nice work there.
ROCHA throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Le French is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but ROCHA has just dragged him back down to the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Le French wants to control but ROCHA postures up.
Le French is trying to get back to half guard.

Le French wants to control the position but that's not easy when your opponent is in side control! ROCHA seems to be going for some sort of submission here. Hard to say what - oh, it's a Brabo choke! He's got it! Le French is tapping! Wow, great finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:01 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Brabo Choke). NICOLAS ROCHA!