PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ariel Sabio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Roger Roche (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Sabio
vs
Roche

177 cm
24
177 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

180 cm
23
185 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

Decent wrestler
Counter striker
Granite chin

Cagewars Clothing
Punishment clothing

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 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ariel Sabio!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Roger Roche!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Paulo Santos and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Roche checks a leg kick.
Sabio throws a lazy right hand but Roche sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Roche avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Sabio scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Sabio misses with an uppercut. Roche saw that one coming.
Sabio fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Roche checks it well.
Roger Roche seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Some wild striking there from Roche.
Roche displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Sabio throws out the jab.
Roche throws a series of punches but Sabio moves out of range.
Roche swinging wilding here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sabio lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

It looks like Roger Roche has been cut.
Roche throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Sabio.
Sabio throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
No joy there for Roche, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Sabio throws a head kick that misses.
A clash of legs there as Roche blocks the low kick.
A head kick by Roche misses
and Sabio counters with an outside leg kick.
No joy there for Roche, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Roche throws a series of punches but Sabio moves out of range.
Roche moves out of range of the strikes.
Roche uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Sabio.
Sabio will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Sabio scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Roche fails to land with a series of punches.
Sabio circles away from the clinch attempt.
Sabio takes a swing at Roche's ribcage but misses.
Roche misses with a jab, cross combination.
Sabio throws a combination that misses
and Roche counters with a two punch combo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roche lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Sabio circles away quickly and effectively.
Roche lands a two punch combo.
Roche ducks under a wild hook from Sabio.
Roche avoids a punch combination nicely.
Roche listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Roche throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Sabio counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Roche is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Roche lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Sabio circles away quickly and effectively.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sabio avoids the head kick by Roche.
No joy there for Roche, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Roche throws a nice looking combination but Sabio bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Roche fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Sabio looks to land a left hand but Roche moved out of range nicely.
Sabio lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.

That has opened up Roger Roche's cut even more.
Roche throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Sabio.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Roche throws a head kick that half lands.
Sabio looks to land a left hand but Roche moved out of range nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ariel Sabio dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Roger Roche's cut.
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.

Sabio throws a head kick but Roche moves out of range.
Sabio lands a high kick to the side of Roche's head that stuns him and send him tumbling down to the canvas! Sabio dives into guard, looking to finish.
Roche manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Sabio really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Sabio bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Sabio stands and throws Roche's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Roche prevents Sabio from moving into mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sabio throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
You can see the frustration on Roche's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

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

Sabio is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Roche knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Sabio goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Roche has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Sabio but great work by Roche.
Sabio is trying to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Sabio is working hard here to advance position.
Roche taking a breather here.

Roche wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Sabio, who protects the arm well.
Roche is breathing heavily.
Sabio gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sabio is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Sabio on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Roche prevents Sabio from improving his position.
Sabio works his way to full guard. Good work.

Sabio looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Sabio working for a triangle but Roche defends it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sabio is looking for a triangle but Roche pushes his legs off easily.
Roche is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Sabio has his foot on Roche's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Roche works his way back into a safe position though.
Roche trying to control the position from guard on top but Sabio is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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

Ariel Sabio dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Roger Roche's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Sabio falls off balance throwing a combination

and Roche counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Roche.
Sabio misses with some punches.
Roche lands with a short shot to the head.
Sabio has had enough of the clinch but Roche keeps him there for the moment.
Sabio's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Roche misses with a short punch on the inside.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Sabio.
Roche lands with a light punch inside.
A nice left hand lands by Sabio.
Roche misses with the head strike.
A looping hook to the body misses from Sabio. Roche does a little dance to reset his feet.
Roche stalks Sabio and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Sabio's face. Sabio staggers backwards, shaken.
Roche throws a series of punches but Sabio avoids them all with ease.
Sabio looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Ariel Sabio is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Roche fails to land with a series of punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sabio throws a head kick that misses
and Roche counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Sabio throws a series of punches but Roche avoids them all with ease.
Sabio stuffs the takedown attempt from Roche. Roche gets slowly back to his feet.
Sabio throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Roche counters with a series of strikes. Sabio will be more careful next time no doubt.
Roche throws a head kick that misses
and Sabio counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

The cut above Roger Roche's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Roche throws a head kick but Sabio moves out of range.
Roche connects with a high kick.
Roche tries to bum rush Sabio with a series of wild strikes but Sabio uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A low kick from Sabio misses
and Roche counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Sabio is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Roche doesn't manage to clinch there - Sabio circles away.
Sabio throws a left and a right that both miss
and Roche counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Sabio is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Sabio avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A jab from Sabio misses.
Roche misses with a combination
and Sabio counters with a nice leg kick.
Ariel Sabio is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Roche takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Sabio connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sabio swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Roche counters with a big head kick but Sabio shrugs it off.
Sabio throws the left hand but Roche avoids the punch easily.
A nice leg kick lands there from Sabio.
Sabio lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Sabio uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Sabio cracks Roche with a good jab.
Roger Roche has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A punch combination from Roche misses.
Roche throws a head kick that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sabio misses with an uppercut.
Sabio throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Roche closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Sabio swinging wilding here.
Roche pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Roche looks to throw the jab but Sabio is out of range.
Sabio avoids the head kick by Roche.
Sabio throws a one two combo.

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 Ariel Sabio.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Sabio, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ariel Sabio!