PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rico Rodriguez (ranked 2979 p4p, 3376 weight class) and Eoin Chai (ranked 376 p4p, 418 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Rodriguez might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Latin Lingo. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rodriguez
vs
Chai

181 cm
20
170
3 - 2 - 0

183 cm
19
170
2 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Conviction

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 Tokyo, Rico Rodriguez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Eoin Chai!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Yves DeLean and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Chai displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Rodriguez.

Rodriguez shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Rodriguez was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Rodriguez wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Chai, who protects the arm well.

Rodriguez is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Chai knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Rodriguez tries for a kimura but Chai is defending well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Rodriguez is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Chai is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rodriguez tries for a kimura but Chai is defending well.

Rodriguez is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Chai is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Rodriguez working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Rodriguez tries for a kimura but Chai is defending well.
Chai felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rodriguez tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Rodriguez has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Rodriguez has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Rodriguez trying to control the position but Chai is working away.

Rodriguez working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Chai is not content to let Rodriguez control the position.

Rodriguez is trying to get an arm triangle but Chai is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rodriguez wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Chai, who protects the arm well.
Chai stops Rodriguez from passing to mount.
Rodriguez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Chai keeps working.
Chai tries to bench press Rodriguez off him but Rodriguez keeps the position.

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.

Rodriguez is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Chai is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Rodriguez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Chai keeps working.

Rodriguez thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Rodriguez thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Rodriguez tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Rodriguez has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Rodriguez tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Chai stuffs the takedown.
Chai throws a nice inside leg kick.
Chai ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Chai takes a swing at Rodriguez's ribcage but misses.
Rodriguez looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Chai is fending him off so far but Rodriguez persists. Nope, Chai circles away and we're back to standing.
Rodriguez backing away here, and Chai unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Rodriguez has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Rodriguez there as he acknowledges the shot.

It looks like Rico Rodriguez has been cut.
Rico Rodriguez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Chai stuffs the takedown attempt from Rodriguez. Rodriguez gets slowly back to his feet.
Chai looks like he wants to counter punch here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rico Rodriguez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Chai dips to his left and cracks Rodriguez with an uppercut!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Chai, as that shot connected.
Rodriguez ducks under a wild hook from Chai.

Rodriguez 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.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Rodriguez is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriguez throwing strikes but missing.
Rodriguez controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Rodriguez thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Rodriguez stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Chai moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Rodriguez is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Chai can do to turn this around?

Rodriguez gets a takedown into half guard.
Chai really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Rodriguez. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chai is refusing to be controlled, as Rodriguez sits in half guard.
Rodriguez throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Rodriguez wants to work for an arm triangle but Chai is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Chai blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rodriguez.

Rodriguez is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Chai has managed to free his arm - good work.

Rodriguez looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Rodriguez content to control rather than advance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rodriguez wants to work for an arm triangle but Chai is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Chai is trying to control but can't.

Rodriguez is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Chai is defending against the submission attempts here by Rodriguez.

That's four 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.

Rodriguez has hold of the far side arm. He's working for the Kimura, can Chai defend it? Rodriguez steps over the head and cranks it - Chai is tapping out! That was textbook stuff right there - nice submission victory for Rodriguez!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:14 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Rico Rodriguez!