PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Joshua Robles (ranked 4404 p4p, 4452 weight class) and Luis Garcia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Robles
vs
Garcia

180 cm
20
135
0 - 0 - 0

173 cm
18
134
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 New York, Joshua Robles!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Luis Garcia!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Reed Andrews and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Garcia shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Robles's guard.
Garcia trying to control but Robles is working from the bottom.
Garcia stopping the sweep attempt from Robles.
Garcia 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.

Robles is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Garcia is aware though and is defending well.
Robles keeping moving, preventing Garcia from controlling successfully.
Robles has Garcia pulled in close to control his posture.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Garcia trying to control the position from guard on top but Robles is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Robles working for submissions but it's allowed Garcia to get to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Garcia thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Robles's head.
Garcia is controlling the pace.
Garcia is keen to just control but Robles is a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Robles is trying to control but can't.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Robles tries to close the distance and clinch but Garcia swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Garcia moves in looking to clinch but Robles pushes him off.

Garcia throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Robles tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Garcia is in Robles's guard.

Robles pushes Garcia off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Robles fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Robles looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Garcia is fending him off so far but Robles persists. Nope, Garcia circles away and we're back to standing.
Garcia moves into range and connects with a jab.
No luck for Garcia with that takedown attempt.

Robles gets the takedown into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Robles working away.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Robles working away.
Robles wants to control but Garcia is keeping him busy.
Garcia controls the position for a moment.
Garcia is looking to reverse the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Garcia is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Robles is controlling him well.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Robles shoots and misses
and Garcia counters with a right hand to the body.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joshua Robles. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Robles has a takedown stuffed.
Robles is breathing heavily.
Garcia fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Robles has his takedown stuffed

and Garcia counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Robles is refusing to be controlled, as Garcia sits in half guard.
Garcia is controlling the pace.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Luis Garcia dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Garcia forces Robles back against the cage and clinches.
Robles drops down looking for an ankle pick but Garcia pulls his leg out and moves away.
Garcia will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Garcia fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Garcia fails to land the takedown.
Joshua Robles has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Luis Garcia.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Garcia throws a right and a left that both miss.
Left hook, right uppercut from Robles.
Robles shoots in but no luck this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garcia tries a head kick but it misses.

Robles has Garcia up against the cage in a clinch.
Garcia has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Robles avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Garcia has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Robles avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Garcia blocks a body shot from Robles.

Robles's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Garcia leaves Robles with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Garcia tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Garcia takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.

Garcia scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Robles moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Garcia wants to pass the guard but Robles is keeping the position.

Garcia gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Garcia misses with an attempted mid kick.

Garcia scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Robles manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
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!
Garcia misses with the body kick

and Robles counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Robles really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Garcia is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garcia wants to stand and escape but Robles is having none of it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Garcia looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Robles passes into half guard.
Robles wants to control but Garcia is keeping him busy.
Garcia has a hand on Robles's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Robles takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Robles wants to control the pace but Garcia is squirming around nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Robles looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Garcia working to try and regain half guard.
Garcia wants to hold on but Robles pushes him away.
Joshua Robles overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Garcia is looking to get to half guard.
Garcia is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Joshua Robles dominated that second 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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Garcia fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Robles sprawls well initially but Garcia persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Robles manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Garcia dives in and grabs Robles's left leg, looking for a takedown. Robles pushes down on Garcia's head and hops out.
Garcia stuffs the takedown.
Garcia shoots in looking for a takedown but Robles manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Garcia's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Garcia misses with a combination

and Robles counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Robles lands a left hand.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Garcia has had enough of the clinch but Robles keeps him there for the moment.
Robles will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Garcia up against the cage.
Robles is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Garcia is defending well for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Robles changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Garcia fights it off and pushes away nicely.
The fight stays on the outside here - Garcia looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Robles appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Garcia misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Robles half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Garcia tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Robles defends well and Garcia ends up having to push Robles into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Joshua Robles has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Luis Garcia.
Garcia takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Garcia tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
No luck for Garcia with that takedown attempt.
It looked like Robles was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Garcia changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Robles tries to avoid it but Garcia manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Robles to the ground. Robles escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Garcia tries to clinch there but Robles circles away.
Garcia stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Garcia wants it to stay on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Garcia tried to score with a low kick but Robles checks it.
Robles throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Garcia.
Robles is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Garcia can do to turn this around?
Garcia tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Robles paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Robles checks a leg kick.
Horrible takedown attempt by Robles or perhaps it was just good defense by Garcia, which made it look bad.

Garcia darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Robles is refusing to be controlled, as Garcia sits in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Robles is looking for a sweep. Garcia is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Robles actively working from the bottom here.
Robles on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Garcia controlling the pace.
Robles is pressing down on Garcia's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Garcia is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Garcia would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Robles looking to control.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Garcia fails with a takedown attempt.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Robles shoots in and drives through. Garcia sprawls well.
And Garcia tries to counter it with a takedown but Robles pushes his down on his head and steps out.

Garcia forces Robles back against the cage and clinches.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joshua Robles showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Robles has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 John Kavanagh scores the fight 29:28
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 29:28
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joshua Robles!