PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Vincent Assaf (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Class Rob (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Assaf comes to the cage accompanied by click click boom. Rob comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Thriller kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Class Rob has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Vincent Assaf's chin.

Assaf
vs
Rob

183 cm
22
190 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

180 cm
22
195 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

St. Paul's Apparel

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Vincent Assaf!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Class Rob!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Gwen Towbar and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rob keeps the fight on the outside.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Assaf.

Assaf thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Assaf tries for a kimura but Rob is defending well.
Rob misses with an elbow from the bottom.
Rob regains half guard.
Rob is holding on to half guard well.

Assaf is looking for a kimura here.
Assaf throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Rob has one foot on Assaf's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Rob throws a right and a left that Assaf avoids nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rob forces Assaf back against the cage and clinches.

Rob breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Rob darts in and clinches Assaf up against the cage.
Assaf is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Assaf is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Rob gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Rob's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Rob wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Assaf fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vincent Assaf. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Rob pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rob looks to land a right hand but Assaf moved out of range.
Rob with a lazy takedown attempt

and Assaf counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Assaf stops Rob from getting back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rob is holding on to half guard well.
Assaf is keen to just control but Rob is a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Assaf keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Rob regains full guard. Nicely done.
Assaf is breathing heavily.
Assaf wants to control from the top but Rob keeps moving.

Assaf thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Rob utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Rob has Assaf pulled in close to control his posture.
Rob is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Rob prevents Assaf from improving his position.
Assaf is refusing to be controlled, as Rob sits in half guard.
Rob sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Assaf defending well though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rob is working for an americana but Assaf has been sneaky and has managed to get back to half guard, whilst Rob was thinking about the submission.
Rob stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Assaf swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Rob is looking to work some ground and pound but Assaf has wrist control.
Assaf avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Rob must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Assaf throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Rob really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Assaf. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Rob wants to control from the top but Assaf keeps moving.

Assaf is looking for a triangle but Rob pushes his legs off easily.
Rob wants to control from the top but Assaf keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Rob throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Rob works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.

Rob scores a takedown into full mount!
Rob punishing his opponent with strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rob landing shots from mount.
Rob cracks Assaf with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Rob tries to control but Assaf wriggling away.
Rob putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rob trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Rob landing shots from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Rob shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Assaf has his foot on Rob's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Rob works his way back into a safe position though.
Rob wants to get up but he can't break Assaf's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Rob connects with a couple of short punches.
Rob scoring with some ground and pound.
Rob wants to control from the top but Assaf keeps moving.

Rob drops back looking for a leg! Assaf is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Assaf manages to kick Rob off! Rob jumps back into Assaf's guard.

Assaf working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Rob doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Rob manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rob wants to control from the top but Assaf keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Assaf keeping full guard, as Rob tries to pass.
Rob postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Rob trying to control but Assaf is working from the bottom.
Rob trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Assaf fails with the takedown.
Rob gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Assaf counters with a takedown into side control.
Assaf throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Rob can't do much from the bottom here.
Rob is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rob is positioning himself well to prevent Assaf advancing to mount.
Rob flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Assaf prevents Rob from improving his position.
Rob trying to control from the bottom.

Assaf is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Assaf trying to control the action but Rob is working from the bottom.
Rob is looking to improve his position.
Rob missing with punches from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Rob shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Rob showed some decent athleticism there.
Nice strikes from Rob there.
Rob thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Assaf's head.
Assaf blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rob.
Rob missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Assaf actively working from the bottom here.
Class Rob has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rob slips a nice elbow through Assaf's hands, connecting with Assaf's forehead.
Assaf wants to control but Rob is keeping busy.
Rob missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rob tries for a takedown but Assaf circles away easily

and Assaf counters with a shoot takedown. Rob fights it but they end up in guard.
Assaf postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Rob striking off his back.

Assaf avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Assaf stopping the sweep attempt from Rob.
Assaf trying to control the position from guard on top but Rob is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rob trying to control the position.

Rob working for a triangle but Assaf defends it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Vincent Assaf will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Assaf tries to clinch but Rob moves out of range.
Class Rob seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Rob feints and as Assaf raises his hands in defense, Rob changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Assaf looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Assaf is looking for a triangle but Rob pushes his legs off easily.
Rob postures up in Assaf's guard and throws a big left but Assaf blocks it.
Rob sitting in guard here, content to control.
Rob trying to control but Assaf is working from the bottom.
Rob stands up over Assaf, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rob is in close to Assaf's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Rob loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Rob with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Rob missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Assaf is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Rob lands a couple of digs.
Rob throwing strikes but missing.
Rob lands a couple of digs.
Rob postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Rob throws a hook but Assaf avoids it easily.
Rob tries for a takedown but Assaf sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Rob clinches but Assaf breaks the clinch

and Assaf counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Assaf is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Rob is trying to get back to full guard.
Rob is looking to control Assaf's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Rob avoid being mounted?
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Rob can do anything to dispel that myth.

Rob actively working from the bottom here.

Assaf is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Rob doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Assaf.
Assaf wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rob keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rob is looking to control Assaf's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Rob avoid being mounted?

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rob wants to clinch but Assaf slips to the side

and Assaf counters with a shoot takedown. Rob fights it but they end up in guard.
Rob preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rob with a couple of shots from the bottom there - nothing Assaf can't handle though.
Rob keeping busy, throwing shots from the bottom.

Rob had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Assaf is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Rob Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Assaf's back instead.
Rob throwing strikes from the back - he gets a warning from the referee for striking the back of the head but all these shots are hurting Assaf!
Rob softening up his opponent with strikes here.
Rob lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by Rob.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rob connects with a big shot to the side of Assaf's head.
Rob avoiding Assaf 's attempts to control his hands.
Rob has Assaf flattened out and is raining down punches.
Assaf wants to control his opponent's hands but Rob gets his hands free.
Assaf grimaces as he takes a shot to the body.
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards Rob.
Assaf tries to escape the position.
Assaf trying to control the position but Rob manages to sink in the hooks.
Rob slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.

Rob is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Assaf tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Vincent Assaf.
I think Assaf has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Vincent Assaf!