PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Hinski Grang (ranked 787 p4p, 3322 weight class) and Santiago Rodriguez (ranked 104 p4p, 404 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Grang might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to JID - Ed, Edd & Eddy. Hinski Grang has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Grang
vs
Rodriguez

186 cm
30
222
11 - 6 - 0

186 cm
23
215
8 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Hinski Grang!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Santiago Rodriguez!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Steve Smith and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rodriguez loads up on a big right hand but Grang slips the punch.
A little feinted left hand from Grang on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Rodriguez throws an off balance right hand
and Grang connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Rodriguez misses with an uppercut
and Grang cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

It looks like Santiago Rodriguez has been cut.
Grang moves out of range as Rodriguez strikes.
Rodriguez jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Grang is looking for a counter combo.
Grang moves out of range as Rodriguez strikes.
Rodriguez connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Rodriguez throws a hook but Grang blocks it.
Grang swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Grang moves out of range of the strikes.
An attempted straight right counter from Grang misses the target.
Rodriguez throws a poor cross that misses
and Grang counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Rodriguez rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Grang counters with a stiff right hand.
Rodriguez throws a hook but Grang blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriguez misses with an uppercut
and Rodriguez takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Rodriguez misses with a hook. Grang ducked under it nicely.
Grang is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Grang ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Grang is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Grang avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Grang was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Grang looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Rodriguez rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Grang counters with a straight right hand.
Rodriguez's jab looks to have found its range, popping Grang under the eye.
Rodriguez throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Grang counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Rodriguez lands with a hook. Grang tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Nice defenses there by Grang.
Grang swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Rodriguez scores with a nice right hand.
Rodriguez might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Rodriguez throws a big shot that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Grang displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Rodriguez throws out the jab.
It looked like Grang wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Grang takes one to the side of the head.
Rodriguez misses with a hook. Grang ducked under it nicely.
It looked like Grang was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Rodriguez misses with an uppercut
and Grang counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Rodriguez throws a jab but it's blocked by Grang.
Grang bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A quick step to the side and Grang tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Grang uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Rodriguez.
Rodriguez throws an ugly left hook that misses
letting Grang counter with a right hand.
Grang defending well as Rodriguez loads up on a big left hand.
Grang throwing a counter right hand but Rodriguez manages to avoid it.
Grang ducks under a wild hook from Rodriguez.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez missing with a left hand there. Grang was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Rodriguez misses with a lunging right hand
and Rodriguez takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Rodriguez misses with an uppercut. Grang saw that one coming.
Grang swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Grang bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Rodriguez throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Rodriguez throws out a loose jab but Grang uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rodriguez misses with a hook. Grang ducked under it nicely.
Rodriguez misses with an uppercut
and Grang counters with a stiff right hand.
Rodriguez's corner calls for a 1-2. Rodriguez obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Santiago Rodriguez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rodriguez rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Grang counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez swings widly with a right hand
and Grang counters with a straight right hand.
Grang takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Rodriguez rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
letting Grang counter with a right hand.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rodriguez throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
enabling Grang to counter with a crisp jab.

That has opened up Santiago Rodriguez's cut even more.
Rodriguez throws out a loose jab but Grang uses good head movement to avoid it.
Grang moves out of range as Rodriguez strikes.
Grang avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Rodriguez misses with a left hand
letting Grang counter with a right hand.
Rodriguez throws a poor cross that misses
and Rodriguez takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Rodriguez throws a big shot that misses.
Grang swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Grang slips a jab from Rodriguez.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Hinski Grang will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Santiago Rodriguez's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Rodriguez misses with a lunging right hand
and Grang connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Rodriguez is rocked!
Rodriguez rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Grang moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Grang was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Grang slips a jab from Rodriguez.
Grang swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Rodriguez throws an off balance right hand
and Grang counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Rodriguez thinking.
Grang takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Rodriguez looks to throw the jab but Grang is out of range.
Grang throwing a counter right hand but Rodriguez manages to avoid it.
Rodriguez falls off balance throwing a combination
and Grang counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rodriguez misses with a left hand
and Grang counters with a stiff right hand.
Rodriguez misses with a hook
and Grang counters with a nice body shot.
Rodriguez misses with an uppercut
and Grang counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grang uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Rodriguez.
Rodriguez throws a right hand that misses
and Grang counters with a stiff right hand.
Rodriguez throws a looping overhand right but Grang ducks down to avoid it.
A quick step to the side and Grang tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Rodriguez rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
enabling Grang to counter with a crisp jab.
Rodriguez throws a right hand that misses
and Grang counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Rodriguez thinking.
Rodriguez throws a poor cross that misses
and Rodriguez takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Rodriguez is still on wobbly legs! Can Grang finish him?
Rodriguez misses with a hook. Grang ducked under it nicely.
Rodriguez seems to have recovered his senses.
Grang slips under a jab from Rodriguez.
It looked like Grang was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Rodriguez.
Rodriguez misses with a straight right.
Grang swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with each other but Rodriguez might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Grang has got the better of the exchanges.
Rodriguez misses with an uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez throws a jab but it's blocked by Grang.
Rodriguez misses with an uppercut.
Grang is looking to counter punch.
Rodriguez rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Grang moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Grang was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Rodriguez misses with a lunging right hand
and Grang counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Rodriguez misses with a right hand
and Rodriguez takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rodriguez throws an off balance right hand
and Grang cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

The cut above Santiago Rodriguez's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Rodriguez rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Grang counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Rodriguez misses with a right hand
and Grang counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Rodriguez misses with a hook.
Rodriguez thuds his right hand into Grang's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Rodriguez throws a shot from downtown. Grang moves away and avoids it.
Grang seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez throws a lazy right hand but Grang sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A counter left hand to the body from Grang misses its target.
Rodriguez misses with a looping left.
Rodriguez is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Grang.
Rodriguez is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Grang.
Rodriguez misses with a straight right.
Rodriguez has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Rodriguez misses with an uppercut
and Grang counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Rodriguez will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Rodriguez misses with a left hand

and Grang counters with a nice right hand that sends Rodriguez toppling to the canvas! Rodriguez scrambles and gets back to his feet - can Grang finish him?!
Rodriguez misses with an uppercut
and Grang counters with a stiff right hand.

Santiago Rodriguez's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Grang blocks a jab.
Grang slips a straight right by Rodriguez.
Rodriguez throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Grang counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Rodriguez looks to throw the jab but Grang is out of range.
It looked like Grang wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Rodriguez throws the left hand but Grang avoids the punch easily.
Rodriguez throws a poor cross that misses

and Grang counters with a crisp right hand that drops Rodriguez! Grang lets Rodriguez back up to his feet, looking for a finish!
Grang slips under a jab.
Grang appears to be looking for a big counter.
Rodriguez throws a jab but it's blocked by Grang.
Grang is looking to counter punch.
Rodriguez swings widly with a right hand

and Grang counters with a crisp right hand that drops Rodriguez! Grang lets Rodriguez back up to his feet, looking for a finish!

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Santiago Rodriguez's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Hinski Grang!
Hinski Grang retains his light heavyweight title!
After the fight, Hinski Grang was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.