PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Josiah Wilkerson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steven Van Rooij (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Wilkerson
vs
Van Rooij

201 cm
18
177 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

181 cm
18
176 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Josiah Wilkerson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Steven Van Rooij!
The judges for this bout are Radbod Blank, Patrick Alders and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Van Rooij leaves Wilkerson with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Van Rooij feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Wilkerson's calf.

Van Rooij feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Van Rooij would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Wilkerson is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Wilkerson is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Van Rooij is controlling him.
Wilkerson doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Rooij controls from within his opponent's guard.
Van Rooij is standing up over Wilkerson. Wilkerson looks to escape but Van Rooij dives into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Van Rooij taking a break here but Wilkerson is having none of it and regains half guard.

Wilkerson makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

Van Rooij dives in and scores a takedown into Wilkerson's guard.
Van Rooij is fighting to break Wilkerson's control of his arms but Wilkerson is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Wilkerson kicks Van Rooij off and gets to his feet.
Van Rooij throws a body kick that misses.
Wilkerson is looking for a counter combo.

Van Rooij darts in and clinches Wilkerson up against the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Van Rooij breaks from the clinch.

Van Rooij clinches.
Wilkerson is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Van Rooij is keeping busy.

Van Rooij breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Van Rooij clinches.
Van Rooij gets underhooks to prevent Wilkerson's takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Van Rooij breaks from the clinch.
Some wild striking there from Van Rooij.
Wilkerson appears to be looking for a big counter.

Van Rooij decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Wilkerson makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

Van Rooij pushes Wilkerson up against the cage in a clinch.

Van Rooij breaks from the clinch.
Van Rooij throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

Van Rooij looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wilkerson bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Van Rooij's guard.

The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Wilkerson stopping the sweep attempt from Van Rooij.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Wilkerson throwing strikes from guard but Van Rooij blocks nicely.
Wilkerson postures up in Van Rooij's guard and throws a big left but Van Rooij blocks it.
Wilkerson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Wilkerson loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Van Rooij wants to sweep but no luck.
Wilkerson trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steven Van Rooij dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Van Rooij connects with a crisp jab.

Van Rooij closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Wilkerson struggling a bit here.

Wilkerson throws Van Rooij to one side and escapes!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Van Rooij scores with a takedown into Wilkerson's guard.
Van Rooij has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Wilkerson is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Wilkerson pulls Van Rooij in to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Rooij wants to control from the top but Wilkerson keeps moving.
Van Rooij pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Wilkerson is keeping the position for now.
Van Rooij must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Wilkerson has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Van Rooij working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Wilkerson is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's two 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.
Wilkerson is pulling down on Van Rooij's head. It's preventing any offense from Van Rooij, at least for the moment.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Van Rooij shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Wilkerson is trying to defend but Van Rooij finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Wilkerson trying to hold on to Van Rooij's head to control him but Van Rooij postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wilkerson wants to get back to full guard.
Van Rooij thows a huge punch but Wilkerson dodges it nicely.
Van Rooij trying to pass the guard but Wilkerson defending well.
Wilkerson pushes Van Rooij off looking to stand but Van Rooij dives back in and keeps control.
Van Rooij throws a strike but Wilkerson avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Van Rooij wants to pass the guard but Wilkerson is keeping the position.
Van Rooij wants to control from the top but Wilkerson keeps moving.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

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.
Wilkerson avoids the head kick by Van Rooij.
Wilkerson tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Van Rooij defends well and Wilkerson ends up having to push Van Rooij into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Wilkerson fails with a takedown attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Wilkerson gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Van Rooij to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Van Rooij throwing strikes from guard but Wilkerson blocks nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steven Van Rooij showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Van Rooij darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Van Rooij is trying to control. Wilkerson wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Wilkerson gets full guard.
Wilkerson is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Steven Van Rooij has got the better of the ground game so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Van Rooij trying to control but Wilkerson is working from the bottom.
Wilkerson trying to keep a closed guard but Van Rooij is proving a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Rooij wants to control from the top but Wilkerson keeps moving.
Van Rooij engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Van Rooij looking to sit in guard and control but Wilkerson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Wilkerson postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Van Rooij wants to stand but Wilkerson is controlling the position.

That's two 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.
Wilkerson lands a couple of elbows.

Van Rooij throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Wilkerson cracks Van Rooij with a solid left hand.
Van Rooij takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Van Rooij has momentary wrist control but Wilkerson slips an elbow through the middle.
Wilkerson lands a couple of digs.
Wilkerson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Van Rooij really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Wilkerson. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Van Rooij utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wilkerson misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Steven Van Rooij seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Van Rooij shoots in and gets a takedown into Wilkerson's guard.
Wilkerson is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Wilkerson really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Wilkerson is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

Wilkerson breaks the clinch.

Van Rooij is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Wilkerson's half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wilkerson is trying to stand.
Wilkerson keeping control of the position.
Van Rooij stops Wilkerson from getting back to his feet.
Wilkerson slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Van Rooij trying to control but Wilkerson is working from the bottom.
Josiah Wilkerson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Steven Van Rooij is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Van Rooij would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Steven Van Rooij.
Well Van Rooij 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 Radbod Blank scores the fight 28:29
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 27:30
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steven Van Rooij!