PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Akhmed Dudayev (ranked 529 p4p, 215 weight class) and Samuel Rodrigues (ranked 66 p4p, 26 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Dudayev
vs
Rodrigues

180 cm
21
160
9 - 0 - 0

187 cm
28
170
14 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Dark Knight Nutrition
Conviction

Savage Fightwear
Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Akhmed Dudayev!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Samuel Rodrigues!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Edson Gomes and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dudayev circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rodrigues just misses with a punch to the body.
It looked like Dudayev wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Rodrigues tries to clinch up.
Dudayev circles away from the clinch attempt.
Dudayev is looking to counter punch.
Rodrigues closes the distance but Dudayev moves to the side
and Dudayev counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Dudayev avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rodrigues tries to clinch but Dudayev moves away
and Dudayev counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

Rodrigues clinches.
Rodrigues fails to pull the fight into his guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rodrigues is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Dudayev to keep the fight standing.

Dudayev's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rodrigues closes the distance but Dudayev moves to the side
and Dudayev counters with a stiff right hand.
Dudayev has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Rodrigues wants to clinch up but Dudayev keeps it at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodrigues closes the distance looking to clinch
and Dudayev counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

It looks like Samuel Rodrigues has been cut.

Rodrigues moves into the clinch.
Rodrigues fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Akhmed Dudayev has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Samuel Rodrigues.
Rodrigues tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Dudayev just stands there and leans against the cage.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Dudayev takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

Rodrigues drags the fight down to the ground.

Rodrigues working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Dudayev doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Dudayev manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Rodrigues is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Dudayev is aware though and is defending well.
Dudayev stays in close to Rodrigues's body and controls the position.

Rodrigues is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Dudayev is aware though and is defending well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rodrigues is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Dudayev is aware though and is defending well.

Rodrigues is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Dudayev got a little sloppy there for a moment and Rodrigues has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Dudayev has managed to get both his arms back between Rodrigues's legs - danger averted.

Dudayev avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rodrigues looking for a guillotine here but Dudayev defends easily.

Rodrigues has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Dudayev can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Rodrigues had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Dudayev defends it easily.

That's four 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.

Rodrigues is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Dudayev is aware though and is defending well.
Dudayev sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Rodrigues looking for a guillotine here but Dudayev defends easily.

Rodrigues looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Dudayev passes into side control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Dudayev controlling from side mount.
Rodrigues regains half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Akhmed Dudayev will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Samuel Rodrigues's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Rodrigues wants to clinch but Dudayev slips to the side
letting Dudayev counter with a right hand.

Rodrigues gets a clinch.
Rodrigues jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Dudayev walks away with a smile on his face. Rodrigues gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Dudayev avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rodrigues closes the distance looking to clinch
and Rodrigues takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Rodrigues shoots for a takedown but Dudayev saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Dudayev gets tackled into the cage by Rodrigues. Rodrigues maintains the clinch.
Rodrigues tries to pull guard but Dudayev forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Akhmed Dudayev has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Samuel Rodrigues.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rodrigues tries to pull guard but Dudayev forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Rodrigues is trying to pull guard but Dudayev has him pressed against the cage.
Rodrigues tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Dudayev smiles and moves away.
Rodrigues wants to clinch up but Dudayev keeps it at a distance.
Rodrigues tries to clinch up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodrigues wants to clinch but Dudayev slips to the side
and Dudayev counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Samuel Rodrigues seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rodrigues fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rodrigues fails in his attempt to clinch.
It looked like Dudayev wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.

Rodrigues rushes Dudayev and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Dudayev breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rodrigues tries to clinch up but Dudayev circles away and keeps his distance.
Akhmed Dudayev is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Dudayev waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Rodrigues.
Rodrigues is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Rodrigues throws a sloppy body shot
and Dudayev counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Rodrigues throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Dudayev stalks Rodrigues and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Rodrigues's face. Rodrigues staggers backwards, shaken.
Dudayev keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Rodrigues with a lazy takedown attempt
and Dudayev counters with a right hand to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rodrigues tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Dudayev manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Dudayev misses.
Dudayev sets himself, and Rodrigues steps forward looking for the clinch! Dudayev avoids it this time.
Rodrigues tries to close the distance and clinch up but Dudayev swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Dudayev is looking to counter punch.

Dudayev gets tackled into the cage by Rodrigues. Rodrigues maintains the clinch.
Dudayev is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Rodrigues tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Dudayev smiles and moves away.

Rodrigues closes the distance and clinches.
Rodrigues tries to pull guard but Dudayev forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Rodrigues is trying to pull guard but Dudayev has him pressed against the cage.

Dudayev breaks from the clinch.
Dudayev pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rodrigues looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Dudayev throws a hook but Rodrigues avoids it easily.
Dudayev is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Rodrigues darts in trying to clinch
and Dudayev counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Dudayev scores with a jab to the head.
Rodrigues tries to clinch up but Dudayev circles away and keeps his distance.
It looked like Dudayev wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Rodrigues's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Dudayev connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Rodrigues scrambles back to his feet.

Rodrigues is rocked!

That has opened up Samuel Rodrigues's cut even more.
Dudayev cracks Rodrigues with a big right hand that sees him stumbling back against the cage! Rodrigues falls to his knees and Dudayev doesn't need a second invitatation - he rushes in and fires off several unanswered shots that force the referee to stop the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:54 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Akhmed Dudayev!
Akhmed Dudayev retains his lightweight title!
A relieved looking Akhmed Dudayev thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.