PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Cornelius Sulla (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Abe Rodgers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rodgers has a niggling injury. He would have liked to come in 100% fit but that's not always possible. Abe Rodgers told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Sulla
vs
Rodgers

191 cm
18
212 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

179 cm
19
195 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Likes ground

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Cornelius Sulla!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Abe Rodgers!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Robert Twigg and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A head kick misses from Sulla.
Rodgers slips a straight right by Sulla.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rodgers looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rodgers scoring well with a low kick there.
Sulla is breathing heavily.
Rodgers fails with a takedown attempt.
Sulla tries a head kick but it misses.
Rodgers's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Rodgers duly obliges.

It looks like Cornelius Sulla has been cut.

Rodgers rushes Sulla and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Sulla stops a takedown attempt from Rodgers.

Rodgers breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Rodgers gets the takedown into side control.
Rodgers trying to control the action but Sulla is working from the bottom.

Sulla throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
Sulla misses with an attempted mid kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sulla misses with a head kick.
A swing and a miss from Sulla.
Rodgers will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Cornelius Sulla has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Abe Rodgers.
Sulla throws a combination that misses
and Rodgers counters with a nice kick to the body.
Rodgers throws out a powerful jab.
Sulla goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Rodgers shoots in for a takedown but Sulla shows good takedown defense.
Cornelius Sulla is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Sulla throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Sulla misses with an uppercut

and Rodgers counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Rodgers.
Rodgers wants to control from the top but Sulla keeps moving.
Sulla will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Rodgers wants to pass the guard but Sulla is keeping the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Rodgers gets to his feet - Sulla follows without any prompting.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rodgers darts in and clinches Sulla up against the cage.
Rodgers is working for takedown but Sulla is calmly controlling the position for now.
Rodgers manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Rodgers wants a takedown but no success here.
Sulla lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Rodgers backwards.
Sulla lands a body shot.
Rodgers tries to stall but Sulla uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Sulla breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Sulla stuffs the takedown attempt from Rodgers. Rodgers gets slowly back to his feet.
Sulla connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

Rodgers fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Sulla sprawls well initially but Rodgers persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sulla looks like he's trying to stand up.
Rodgers looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Sulla on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sulla manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Sulla misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Rodgers counters with a nice double leg into side control. Sulla won't be happy with that.
Rodgers landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.

Sulla is rocked!
Sulla on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Sulla tries to get out of the position.
Rodgers controls the position.
Oh Sulla is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Sulla is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Rodgers has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Sulla taking punishment in the form of punches.

Rodgers stands up.

Rodgers shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Sulla is trying to stand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodgers is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Sulla!
Sulla seems to have got his legs back now.
Sulla trying desperately to get to his feet.
Rodgers has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Rodgers tries to control but Sulla wriggling away.
Sulla really wants to buck Rodgers off and get back to his feet.
Rodgers looking to control but Sulla is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Sulla is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Rodgers jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Sulla manages to avoid the submission attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Abe Rodgers dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Cornelius Sulla's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

A shot to the body from Sulla misses

and Rodgers counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Rodgers.
Rodgers landing with the ground and pound.
Rodgers trying to control the position from guard on top but Sulla is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sulla wants to get back to his feet but Rodgers is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Rodgers gets to his feet. Sulla looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Sulla throws a lazy head kick
and Rodgers counters with a leg kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sulla misses with a wild body shot.
Rodgers dodges the punch combination from Sulla.
Sulla misses with a head kick.
Cornelius Sulla seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sulla goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rodgers closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Rodgers prevents Sulla from escaping the position.

Sulla throws Rodgers to one side and escapes!

Rodgers darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Rodgers is working for a kimura but Sulla is defending it quite comfortably.

Sulla kicks Rodgers off and gets back to his feet.
Sulla misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Sulla jabbing away but nothing is landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodgers scoring well with a low kick there.
Rodgers avoids the head kick by Sulla.
Rodgers shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Sulla as he jumps to the side.
Rodgers takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Sulla throws a right and a left that Rodgers avoids nicely.
Sulla has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Rodgers.
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!
Sulla throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rodgers.
Rodgers throws a front kick that sends Sulla stumbling back into the cage.
Rodgers thuds his shin into the meat of Sulla's side.
Rodgers tries to clinch up but Sulla circles away and keeps his distance.
Whack! Sulla lands a heavy head kick that drops Rodgers. The ref tackles Sulla to stop the fight - a great save by the referee because Rodgers was done.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:37 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Head Kick). Cornelius Sulla!