PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Mason Rogers (ranked 2181 p4p, 2041 weight class) and Dirk Van Beest (ranked 238 p4p, 222 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Rogers
vs
Van Beest

168 cm
34
152
13 - 9 - 0

186 cm
31
152
7 - 6 - 1

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 9 - 0, fighting out of London, Mason Rogers!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dirk Van Beest!
The judges for this bout are Darius Henderson, John Mangel and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Van Beest scores with a hook.
Sloppy strikes from Rogers. Those never looked like landing.

Van Beest closes the distance and clinches.
Rogers throws a punch but it's blocked by Van Beest.
Van Beest scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Rogers is stalling here.
Van Beest tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Van Beest landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Rogers tries a knee to the head but Van Beest blocks it.
Van Beest misses with an elbow strike.
Rogers takes a shot to the head.
Rogers with an attempt at a knee that misses.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Van Beest.
Van Beest blocks a body shot from Rogers.
Van Beest gets through Rogers's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
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!
Rogers blocks a body shot from Van Beest.
Rogers working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Rogers fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Rogers trying to land knees to the body.
Van Beest scores with a shot to the side of Rogers's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A short left from Van Beest.
Van Beest is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Rogers lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Van Beest or not.
Rogers blocks an elbow strike from Van Beest.
Van Beest dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Van Beest lands an elbow that stopped Rogers in his tracks for a moment.
Van Beest on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Rogers tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Van Beest creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Rogers is trying to stall.
Van Beest unloads a knee to the mid-section. Rogers lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Rogers using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Van Beest has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Rogers blocks an elbow strike.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Van Beest just misses with a elbow thrown towards Rogers's brow.
Van Beest lands a damaging elbow.
Rogers takes a knee right on the jaw!
Van Beest lands a right hand.
Van Beest using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Van Beest lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Rogers misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Van Beest.
Van Beest lands with a light punch inside.
Rogers with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Van Beest misses with some punches.
Still in the clinch, Van Beest scores with a nice short uppercut.
Nice elbow from Van Beest.
A short right from Van Beest.
A right hand to the body from Van Beest.
Van Beest comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Van Beest lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
A short left from Van Beest.
Van Beest lands with a short shot to the head.
Rogers using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Van Beest has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Rogers tries to land knees in the clinch but Van Beest avoids the damage to the body.
Nice elbow from Van Beest.
Van Beest misses with a hook from the clinch.
Van Beest lands with a right to the head.
Van Beest misses with a body punch.
Van Beest lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Beest lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Nice body punch from Van Beest - that landed with a thud.
Van Beest lands a nice elbow.
Van Beest tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Rogers's elbow.
Rogers misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Rogers throws a head punch that misses.
Van Beest lands an elbow just above Rogers 's eye.
Van Beest looks to throw an elbow but misses.
A shot in the inside from Van Beest.
Van Beest utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Van Beest unloads a knee to the mid-section. Rogers lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Van Beest lands an elbow that stopped Rogers in his tracks for a moment.
Rogers takes an elbow to the temple.
Van Beest lands a left hand that snaps the head of Rogers backwards.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rogers throws a head punch that misses.
Van Beest lands a left hand that snaps the head of Rogers backwards.
Van Beest is working Rogers over against the cage.
Van Beest stalling in the clinch.
Rogers throws a head punch that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Beest stalling in the clinch.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Van Beest.
Van Beest lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Van Beest lands a hook that snaps the head of Rogers backwards.
Van Beest drops down looking for an ankle pick but Rogers pulls his leg out and moves away.
Van Beest with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Van Beest lands a glancing blow to the side of Rogers's head.
Rogers takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rogers thuds his right hand into Van Beest's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Rogers takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
A big right from Van Beest misses.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Dirk Van Beest dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Van Beest lands with an uppercut that bounces Rogers off the cage and back into range.
Van Beest lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Rogers dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Van Beest misses with a combination
and Van Beest takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Van Beest connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Rogers's hands.
Rogers tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Van Beest was well out of range. Poor timing from Rogers.
Van Beest wants to counter with a clinch but Rogers pushes him away.
Van Beest throws a jab but it's blocked by Rogers.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Van Beest swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Van Beest moves out of range of the strikes.
Rogers throws a body shot but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Beest will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Rogers swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Rogers walks into a jab.
Van Beest lands a slapping body shot.
Rogers misses with a looping right.
Rogers throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Van Beest counters by clinching up.
Van Beest tries to land knees in the clinch but Rogers avoids the damage to the body.
Van Beest trying to land knees to the body.
Rogers misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Van Beest.
A nice right hand lands inside from Van Beest.
Van Beest creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Rogers's defenses.
Van Beest lands with a left to the head.
Rogers throws a punch but it's blocked by Van Beest.
Van Beest softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Van Beest blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Van Beest goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Van Beest lands with a right to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rogers makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Rogers working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Van Beest stalling in the clinch but Rogers improves position.
Van Beest has a couple of punches blocked by Rogers.
Rogers blocks a body shot from Van Beest.
Rogers lands a hook that snaps the head of Van Beest backwards.
Van Beest has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Rogers misses with the head strike.
Van Beest scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Van Beest digs a right hand into Rogers's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Rogers's gas tank.
Van Beest managing to block the knees to the body from Rogers.
Van Beest makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Van Beest stalling in the clinch.
Van Beest lands an uppercut.
Van Beest blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Van Beest on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
A short right from Rogers on the inside.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Van Beest obliges.
Rogers working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

Van Beest gets a trip takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rogers wants to control but Van Beest is keeping busy.
Rogers wants to improve his position but Van Beest is controlling well.
Rogers desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Rogers wants to improve his position but Van Beest is controlling well.
Van Beest is controlling the pace.
Rogers is refusing to be controlled, as Van Beest sits in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Van Beest throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Van Beest not doing much here.
Rogers regains full guard. Nicely done.
Van Beest controlling from the top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rogers seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Dirk Van Beest showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Rogers lands a body shot.
Van Beest lands with a good body shot.
Rogers buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Rogers moves forwards but Van Beest connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Rogers throws a body shot but no joy.
Van Beest fakes the leg kick and cracks Rogers in the body.
Van Beest is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Van Beest throws a sloppy body shot
enabling Rogers to counter with a crisp jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Van Beest connects with a leg kick.
Rogers swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Rogers sets himself, and Van Beest steps forward looking for the clinch! Rogers avoids it this time.
Rogers misses with a low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Beest connects with an inside leg kick.
Rogers throws a low kick but it's checked well by Van Beest.
Van Beest thows a body kick. Rogers tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Van Beest is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Van Beest shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Van Beest, as that shot connected.
Rogers throws a leg kick that misses.
Rogers avoids the body shot from Van Beest.
Rogers uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Van Beest.
Dirk Van Beest seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Van Beest uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Rogers.

Van Beest clinches.
Rogers swings away with an uppercut that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Beest blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Van Beest.
Rogers takes an elbow to the temple.
Van Beest digs a right hand underneath Rogers's ribcage. Rogers let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Rogers tries a knee to the head but Van Beest blocks it.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Rogers lands a good knee to the midsection. Van Beest won't want to take too many of those.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Van Beest trying to control the position but instead, Rogers has worked for underhooks and has pushed Van Beest into the cage.
Rogers blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Mason Rogers has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rogers wants to stall.
Rogers lands a left hand that snaps the head of Van Beest backwards.
Van Beest working Rogers over with knees to the body.
Rogers misses with the head strike.
Van Beest tries to stall but Rogers uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rogers working aggressively here.
A shot in the inside from Van Beest.
Van Beest stops a takedown attempt from Rogers.
Van Beest has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Van Beest working Rogers over with knees to the body.
Dirk Van Beest seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Van Beest is looking to control Rogers's arms but Rogers gets an underhook and turns him. Now Van Beest has his back to the cage.
Van Beest looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Rogers wants to stall.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Rogers fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Still in the clinch, Van Beest scores with a nice short uppercut.
Rogers tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A nice left hand lands by Rogers.
Van Beest with an attempt at a knee that misses.
A body shot lands from Van Beest.
Van Beest throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Van Beest struggles to land a body shot inside as Rogers controls his hands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Beest takes a shot to the head.
Van Beest lands an elbow inside that Rogers shrugs off.
Van Beest blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Rogers blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Rogers tries a knee to the head but Van Beest blocks it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Van Beest lands an elbow inside.
A short body shot lands from Rogers as the two fighters clinch.
Rogers taking a breather.
Dirk Van Beest is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Rogers lands a knee to the head.
Rogers struggles to land a body shot inside as Van Beest controls his hands.
Rogers misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Van Beest.
Rogers throws a knee to the head but misses.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Van Beest lands a nice knee to the body.
Van Beest blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Rogers is looking to take this one to the mat.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dirk Van Beest comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Van Beest has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 27:30
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 27:30
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dirk Van Beest!
Dirk Van Beest very nearly forgot to thank KOMBAT KLOTHING amongst all the excitement of his win but just as the interview came to a close, he screamed their name. Hopefully he'll get a few nice freebies in the mail as a thank you.