PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dallas Rooney (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tipene Rawhiti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rooney
vs
Rawhiti

192 cm
19
240 lbs
0 - 6 - 0

186 cm
18
266 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dallas Rooney!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tipene Rawhiti!
The judges for this bout are Steve Montenegro, David Schapiro and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rawhiti moves into the clinch.
Rooney is trying to break free.
Rawhiti tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Rawhiti holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Rooney wants to get back to striking at distance but Rawhiti won't allow it.

Rawhiti drags the fight down to the ground.
Rawhiti has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Rooney knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Rawhiti on the ground.

Rooney avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Rooney wanted to stand there but Rawhiti had control of the position.
Rooney wants to stand and escape but instead Rawhiti has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rooney wants to stand up but Rawhiti is controlling him.
Rawhiti is pushing down on Rooney's leg trying to pass to half guard. Rooney is fighting to maintain full guard but Rawhiti has managed to sneak the leg through.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Rawhiti in particular looking to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rawhiti is looking for a kimura here.
Rawhiti sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Rooney defending well though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rawhiti thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rooney's head.
Rawhiti wants to stand up but Rooney has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Rooney is trying to stand back up but Rawhiti is controlling him
Rooney is breathing heavily.

Rawhiti is trying to work for a kimura but Rooney is defending well.
Rawhiti slows the pace down in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rawhiti is working for a submission of some sort.

Rawhiti is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Rooney has managed to free his arm - good work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tipene Rawhiti dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Rooney fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rawhiti manages to avoid it.
Rooney lands with an overhand left.
Dallas Rooney is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rooney throws a nice looking combination but Rawhiti bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Rooney swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Rawhiti counters with a takedown into side control.
Rooney is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Rawhiti asserts his dominance and retains side control.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Let's hope that Rawhiti 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 referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

Tipene Rawhiti has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
A slow jab from Rooney misses its intended target.
Rooney misses with a double jab.

Rawhiti closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Rawhiti fails to pull guard.
Rooney wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rawhiti has him pressed against the cage.
Rawhiti is stalling here.
Rooney managing to block the knees to the body from Rawhiti.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rooney wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rawhiti has him pressed against the cage.

Rawhiti escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rooney throws a right hand that Rawhiti ducks under and follows up with a left that Rawhiti also avoids with ease.

Rawhiti feints and as Rooney raises his hands in defense, Rawhiti changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Rawhiti controls from within his opponent's guard.
Rooney keeping moving, preventing Rawhiti from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Tipene Rawhiti.
Rawhiti tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rooney paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rooney misses with a hook to the body

and Rawhiti counters with a single leg into guard. Rooney didn't expect that.
Rooney on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Rooney tries to get out of the position.
Rawhiti throwing strikes from guard but Rooney blocks nicely.
Rawhiti controls from within his opponent's guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Rooney avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Tipene Rawhiti was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Rooney throws a right and a left that Rawhiti avoids nicely.

Rawhiti looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rooney is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tipene Rawhiti showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Rawhiti looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Rooney!
Rawhiti is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Rawhiti should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Rawhiti advances nicely into full mount.

Rawhiti stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Rawhiti.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Rawhiti wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Rooney, who protects the arm well.
Tipene Rawhiti has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rawhiti wants to control but Rooney is keeping him busy.
Rawhiti landing a few strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rawhiti controlling the position from side mount.
Rooney pushes Rawhiti away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Rawhiti gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Rawhiti taking a breather here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rooney is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Rawhiti asserts his dominance and retains side control.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Tipene Rawhiti.
Rawhiti scores with a three punch combo!

It looks like Dallas Rooney has been cut.
Rawhiti thows a body shot but no joy.
Rooney tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rawhiti was well out of range. Poor timing from Rooney.
Rooney wants to clinch.
Rooney's jab looks to have found its range, popping Rawhiti under the eye.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rooney misses with a hook.

Rawhiti shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Rooney manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Rawhiti sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Rooney's guard.
Rawhiti wants to take a breather but Rooney is having none of it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rooney won't allow Rawhiti to pass to mount.
Dallas Rooney has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tipene Rawhiti is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rawhiti keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tipene Rawhiti comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Rawhiti 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 Steve Montenegro scores the fight for Tipene Rawhiti!
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight for Tipene Rawhiti!
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight for Tipene Rawhiti!

Tipene Rawhiti wins by unanimous decision!