PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Zhao An (ranked 4772 p4p, 5119 weight class) and Rousso Phobe (ranked 0 p4p, 225 weight class). An comes to the cage accompanied by Hong Ting - Lotus Out of Water. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

An
vs
Phobe

170 cm
25
135
0 - 0 - 0

173 cm
22
142
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Determined

MKFC

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Zhao An!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Rousso Phobe!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Elvis Blanc and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
An scores with a kick to the midsection.
An lands a body shot.
An lands with a thumping leg kick.
Phobe takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Phobe throws a push kick but An slaps the foot to one side.

Phobe shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Phobe is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. An doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Phobe.
Phobe not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
An is looking to escape.
Phobe performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Phobe trying to mount his opponent but An defends it.
An moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Phobe stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Phobe shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Phobe was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Phobe advances to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Phobe working An over with strikes here.
Phobe controlling from the full mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Phobe lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

Phobe goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now An is on top in guard.
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!
An looking to sit in guard and control but Phobe gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Phobe landing some decent shots from guard.
Phobe postures up in An's guard and throws a big left but An blocks it.

Phobe thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Phobe sitting in guard, not really doing much.
An wants to stand but Phobe is controlling the position.

That's four 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.
Phobe stopping the sweep attempt from An.
Phobe slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Phobe working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of An's head.
Phobe content to stall in guard here.
Let's hope that Phobe has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Phobe stands and steps away. An gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Rousso Phobe dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

An closes this distance looking for a takedown but Phobe circles away.
An lands a two punch combo.
An fails in his attempt to clinch.
An throws a head kick that misses.
Phobe blocks a head kick by An.
An closes this distance looking for a takedown but Phobe circles away.
An misses with a body kick.
Phobe displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from An.
Phobe feints the counter takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Zhao An. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
An looking to land some kicks to the body here.
An throws a lazy right hand but Phobe sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

Phobe throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. An tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Phobe is in An's guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
An can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Phobe controls the pace.
Phobe pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. An is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Phobe sitting in guard here, content to control.
Phobe distracts An with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Phobe controlling from the top position.
An is trying to keep Phobe in close.
An being controlled here, momentarily.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

That's two 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.
Phobe loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Phobe passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Phobe cracks An with an elbow. That is naaassty.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Phobe controls the position.

Phobe tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Phobe has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Phobe scoring with punches from side control.
An is being controlled here.

Phobe stands up.
Phobe has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
An tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Phobe shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
An wants to get back to his feet but Phobe is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Phobe is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Phobe sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed An's guard.

Phobe decides to stand up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Phobe throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. An was covering up waiting for the punch and Phobe finishes the takedown easily into guard.

Phobe gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Rousso Phobe showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Phobe manages to get an easy takedown there - catching An on his heels. He'll look to pass An's guard now, I'm sure.
An is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
An keeping full guard, as Phobe tries to pass.
Phobe content to stall in guard here.
Phobe trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
An wants to stand but Phobe is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Phobe throwing strikes from guard but An blocks nicely.
Phobe is stalling in the full guard.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Zhao An is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
An misses with a wild combination.
A punch combination from An misses.
An tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
An rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Phobe moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
An throws a leg kick but Phobe sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Phobe unleashes a big counter combination but An bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
An fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Phobe drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Phobe swings around for an armbar but An sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Phobe's guard.
Phobe looking for a sweep. Not yet Phobe, not yet.

Phobe has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but An can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Phobe manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. An manages to get himself to full guard.

Phobe stays in close to An's body and controls the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
We're seeing a lot of stalling here from Phobe.
Phobe postures up.
Phobe keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of An's head.
Phobe controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Phobe stands up over An, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Phobe thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Phobe looking to pass the guard.
An wants to stand but Phobe is controlling the position.
Zhao An has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
An being controlled here, momentarily.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Yet more stalling tactics from Phobe.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Rousso Phobe.
I've got Phobe winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Alec Ball scores the fight 27:30
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rousso Phobe!
In defeat, Zhao An stepped up to the mic, saying 'Evil wins this one. But peace always returns.'.