PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Wayne Rooney (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Henri Rousseau (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Wayne Rooney looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Rooney
vs
Rousseau

178 cm
18
185 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

170 cm
20
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 St Petersburg, Wayne Rooney!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Henri Rousseau!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Konstantin Menshow and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rousseau is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Rooney's half guard.
Rooney looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Rousseau is trying to control the action in half guard but Rooney is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Rousseau tries to pass to full mount but Rooney defends it.
Rousseau content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Rousseau thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Rousseau stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Rooney tries to clinch

and Rousseau counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Rousseau performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Rousseau is looking to advance position but Rooney won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rousseau is keen to just control but Rooney is a slippery customer.
Rousseau uses his free foot to push down on Rooney's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Rooney.
Rousseau works his way to his opponent's back.
Rousseau tries to keep control of the position but Rooney is staying busy.
Rooney rolls, trying to escape but Rousseau keeps control of the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Oooh a big shot gets through from Rousseau. Many more shots like that and the referee will have to think about stepping in!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rousseau wants to control but Rooney is keeping busy.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.
Rousseau loading up with punches from the back mount - how long can Rooney hold on?
Rousseau has Rooney flattened out and is raining down punches.
Rooney manages to reverse the position and now he's in Rousseau's guard. Nice work there by Rooney.
Rousseau wants to stand and escape but Rooney is having none of it.

Rooney stands up and waves to Rousseau to follow him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rousseau tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Rooney scores with a takedown into Rousseau's guard.
Rooney has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Rooney trying to control but Rousseau is working from the bottom.

Rousseau is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Rooney wants to pass the guard but Rousseau is keeping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rousseau keeping moving, preventing Rooney from controlling successfully.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Rooney stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rousseau swivels though and keeps the full guard.

We're going to have a standup here because Wayne Rooney wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Rousseau fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Rooney to the ground. Rousseau is now in Rooney's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Henri Rousseau dominated that 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.

Rousseau drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Rooney regains half guard there - taking advantage of Rousseau's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Rousseau stops Rooney from getting back to his feet.
Rousseau trying to control the pace.
Rousseau scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rousseau stalling.

Rousseau is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Rooney sees it coming and defends easily.
Rousseau is figuring out what he wants to do next.

Rousseau wants to work for an arm triangle but Rooney is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Rooney regains full guard. Nicely done.

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.
Rousseau passes Rooney's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Rousseau is looking for a kimura here.
Rousseau is thwarting Rooney's attempts to control the position.
Rousseau throwing shots but Rooney is blocking nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rousseau prevents Rooney from improving his position.
Rooney trying to control but Rousseau postures up.
Rousseau wants to stand up but Rooney has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Rooney is staying active underneath Rousseau, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Rousseau lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

Rousseau escapes and gets back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Rousseau gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Rooney holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Rooney landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Rooney stops a takedown attempt from Rousseau.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Rousseau as Rooney tries to tie him up.
Rooney wants to break the clinch but can't.
Rooney has Rousseau pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Rousseau manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Rousseau tries to stall but Rooney uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Rousseau is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Rooney can't fight it off and eventually Rousseau manages to take the fight to the floor. Rooney looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Rousseau sitting in guard here, content to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Henri Rousseau showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Rousseau paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Wayne Rooney is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rooney gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Rousseau counters by clinching up.
The referee is keeping an eye on Rousseau - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

Rousseau gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Rooney is staying active underneath Rousseau, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Rooney wants to sweep but Rousseau has passed to side control!
Henri Rousseau has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rooney is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rousseau is looking to take a break and control but Rooney is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rooney tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Rousseau wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Rousseau controlling the position.
Rooney is not content to let Rousseau control the position.

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.
Rooney struggling a bit here.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Rousseau has worked his way into a potential kimura here. Rooney is trying to get out of the position but his squirming has just got him deeper into trouble. Rousseau yanks on the arm and Rooney is forced to tap due to a very painful looking submission! Nice work by Rousseau.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:40 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Henri Rousseau!