PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mauricio Roberson (ranked 20400 p4p, 0 weight class) and Balan Ishkander (ranked 5311 p4p, 0 weight class). Mauricio Roberson has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Roberson
vs
Ishkander

207 cm
19
177 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

175 cm
18
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mauricio Roberson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Balan Ishkander!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Roberson throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Roberson throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Ishkander sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Ishkander is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Roberson misses with a few strikes there.
Roberson really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Roberson thuds his right hand into Ishkander's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.

Roberson darts in and clinches Ishkander up against the cage.
Roberson lands an elbow inside.
Roberson has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Ishkander is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Ishkander is trying to pull guard but Roberson turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Ishkander tries for a takedown but Roberson manages to get underhooks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ishkander looking for a takedown.
Mauricio Roberson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Balan Ishkander.
Roberson misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Ishkander.
Roberson tries to stall but Ishkander uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Ishkander utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

Ishkander breaks from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ishkander with a lazy takedown attempt
and Roberson counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Nice body kick from Roberson.
Ishkander throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Roberson's waist but Roberson gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Ishkander off to one side.
Ishkander changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Roberson tries to avoid it but Ishkander manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Roberson to the ground. Roberson escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Ishkander closes this distance looking for a takedown but Roberson circles away.
Ishkander with a lazy takedown attempt
and Roberson makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Ishkander looks winded!
Roberson thuds his right hand into Ishkander's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Ishkander closes the distance but Roberson moves to the side

and Roberson counters with a shoot takedown. Ishkander fights it but they end up in guard.
Roberson is standing up over Ishkander. Ishkander looks to escape but Roberson dives into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Roberson is chipping away with strikes.
Roberson working the head with strikes.
Roberson landing strikes.
Ishkander is trying to get back to half guard.
Roberson working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Ishkander is pushing Roberson's head away, looking to escape. Roberson manages to hold on to the position though.
Ishkander is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Roberson is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Roberson blocks Ishkander's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roberson cracks Ishkander with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Roberson lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Roberson raining down shots from the mount!
Ishkander is squirming around, avoiding Roberson's attempts to control the action.
Roberson with good strikes from the mount here!
Roberson fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Roberson lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Roberson landing punches.
Roberson scores with a couple of good head shots there.
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!
Roberson breaks from Ishkander's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Roberson landing shots from mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ishkander wants to hold on but Roberson pushes him away.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Ishkander tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Roberson has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Ishkander's face.
Roberson avoids the attempt from Ishkander to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mauricio Roberson 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.

Roberson clinches up against the cage.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Ishkander letting Roberson take a breather here.
Ishkander tries to pull guard but Roberson holds him up against the cage and eventually Ishkander drops back down to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Roberson fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Ishkander decides to pull guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Roberson is standing up over Ishkander. Ishkander looks to escape but Roberson dives into side control.
Ishkander throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.
Ishkander tries to bench press Roberson off him but Roberson keeps the position.
Ishkander looking for a sweep but Roberson has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Roberson is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Ishkander can do to turn this around?
Ishkander is squirming around, avoiding Roberson's attempts to control the action.
Ishkander tries to hold on but Roberson pushes him away.
Mauricio Roberson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Roberson raining down hammerfists from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ishkander is in all sorts of trouble here.
Roberson lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Ishkander hang on?
Ishkander is breathing heavily.
Roberson scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Ishkander?
Ishkander takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Roberson will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
A nice elbow there by Roberson.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ishkander tries to hold on but Roberson pushes him away.
Roberson putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
BOOM! Roberson connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Ishkander is trying to escape the mount.
Ishkander in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Ishkander is desperately trying to improve his position but Roberson has a good base and remains in mount.
Roberson dominating with strikes here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Roberson looking to finish Ishkander with some ground and pound. This is bad for Ishkander!
Roberson avoids the attempt from Ishkander to control.
Roberson lands a big elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Roberson avoids the attempt from Ishkander to control.
Roberson working Ishkander over with strikes here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ishkander working to try and regain half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Roberson with shots to the head and body - Ishkander looks very uncomfortable down there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mauricio Roberson dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Roberson connects with a looping right hand.
Ishkander fails with an attempt to clinch.
Roberson blocks a head kick by Ishkander.
Ishkander looks for a takedown but Roberson sprawls well.
Roberson throws a hook but Ishkander avoids it easily.
Roberson throws a right and a left that Ishkander avoids nicely.
Mauricio Roberson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ishkander doesn't manage to clinch there - Roberson circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The fighters circling - Roberson throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Ishkander shoots and misses
and Ishkander takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Ishkander takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Ishkander blocks the body kick.
Balan Ishkander seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Roberson loads up on a big right hand but Ishkander slips the punch.
Roberson moves in looking to clinch but Ishkander pushes him off.
Ishkander closes the distance looking to clinch
and Roberson counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Ishkander closes the distance and pushes Roberson back into the cage.

Ishkander's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Roberson takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Roberson swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Ishkander.
Mauricio Roberson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Balan Ishkander.
Ishkander uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Roberson.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Roberson throws a right and a left that both miss.
Ishkander misses with a takedown attempt - Roberson sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Ishkander gets tackled into the cage by Roberson. Roberson maintains the clinch.
Ishkander tries for a takedown. No joy.
Roberson misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Roberson gets control of Ishkander's arms and successfully pulls guard. Roberson will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

Ishkander is sitting in close to Roberson's body. Roberson has gone for a guillotine from the bottom. Oh damn, that looks pretty tight! Ishkander is panicking - it looks like this one could be all over! Yes, Ishkander is tapping! That was a very nice submission by Roberson.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Mauricio Roberson!