PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tye Ruotolo (ranked 5560 p4p, 25172 weight class) and Frankie Rodriguez (ranked 553 p4p, 633 weight class). Frankie Rodriguez has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Ruotolo
vs
Rodriguez

180 cm
18
180
0 - 1 - 0

183 cm
26
170
0 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

PWNAGE™
White Gorilla

Silverguard Outfitters
White Gorilla

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tye Ruotolo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Frankie Rodriguez !
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Dillan Fox and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rodriguez lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Ruotolo circles away quickly and effectively.

Rodriguez moves into the clinch successfully.
Rodriguez is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Ruotolo is keeping busy.
Ruotolo stalling in the clinch but Rodriguez improves position.
Rodriguez is looking to control Ruotolo's arms but Ruotolo gets an underhook and turns him. Now Rodriguez has his back to the cage.

Ruotolo has Rodriguez pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Ruotolo pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Rodriguez tumbling to the mat - Ruotolo dives into Rodriguez 's guard.
Ruotolo passes Rodriguez 's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Ruotolo seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rodriguez is trying to stand up here but Ruotolo is controlling him well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ruotolo is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Ruotolo is trying to control. Rodriguez wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Ruotolo tries to pass the half guard into mount. Rodriguez knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Ruotolo is trying to control the action in half guard but Rodriguez is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Rodriguez won't allow Ruotolo to pass to mount.
Ruotolo works his way into full mount!
Ruotolo content just to control the position here.
Rodriguez slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruotolo is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Ruotolo moves into full mount! Rodriguez won't be happy about that!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruotolo controlling the pace for now.

Ruotolo swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Rodriguez is now in Ruotolo's guard. A big mistake from Ruotolo there, giving up the dominant position!

Ruotolo working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Rodriguez doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Rodriguez manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Ruotolo on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Ruotolo tries to get out of the position.
Ruotolo wants to control but Rodriguez passes easily into half guard.
Rodriguez is stalling here. Ruotolo is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Rodriguez seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Ruotolo has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ruotolo is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Rodriguez knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ruotolo has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Ruotolo fails to move to back control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ruotolo controlling from mount.
Ruotolo is trying to take his opponent's back.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Tye Ruotolo dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Ruotolo fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Ruotolo throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Rodriguez was covering up waiting for the punch and Ruotolo finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Rodriguez wants to stand and escape but Ruotolo is having none of it.
Ruotolo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rodriguez is keeping the position for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ruotolo controls from within his opponent's guard.
Ruotolo wants to control from the top but Rodriguez keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Ruotolo pushing down on Rodriguez 's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Rodriguez wants to control but Ruotolo is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Ruotolo wants to control but Rodriguez is keeping him busy.
Ruotolo is looking to advance position but Rodriguez won't allow it.
Rodriguez is staying active underneath Ruotolo, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Ruotolo controlling the action here.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Frankie Rodriguez is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Rodriguez has closed the distance and engaged Ruotolo in a clinch.
Ruotolo tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Ruotolo drops down looking for an ankle pick but Rodriguez pulls his leg out and moves away.
Rodriguez tries to clinch but Ruotolo is having none of it.
Rodriguez misses with a wild body shot.

Rodriguez moves into the clinch.
Knees to the body from Rodriguez .
Ruotolo stalling in the clinch but Rodriguez improves position.
Rodriguez gets underhooks to prevent Ruotolo's takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tye Ruotolo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ruotolo takes an elbow to the forehead.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Rodriguez landing knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Ruotolo looking for a takedown.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rodriguez prevents the takedown attempt.
Rodriguez gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
A short uppercut from Rodriguez .
Rodriguez lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Rodriguez tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Ruotolo drops down looking for an ankle pick but Rodriguez pulls his leg out and moves away.
Tye Ruotolo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rodriguez misses with an attempted mid kick.
Ruotolo attempts a counter takedown but Rodriguez avoids it well and moves away.
Ruotolo circles away from the clinch attempt.
Nice sprawl there from Rodriguez as Ruotolo shoots in.
A left lands for Rodriguez .
Nice takedown defense from Rodriguez . No joy for Ruotolo on that attempt.
Ruotolo moves out of range as Rodriguez throws a body kick.
Ruotolo staying out of range there.
Ruotolo has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ruotolo avoids the body shot from Rodriguez .
Frankie Rodriguez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.

Ruotolo is rocked!

Rodriguez moves into the clinch.
Oh Ruotolo is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Rodriguez is stalling here.
Rodriguez works on Ruotolo's body with a couple of short punches.
Nice elbow from Rodriguez .
I was talking to Ruotolo's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
A knee to the head by Rodriguez .
Ruotolo is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Rodriguez is defending well.
Rodriguez has the Thai clinch. He lands a big knee to the head that stumbles Ruotolo - he's in trouble! Another big knee to the head from Rodriguez , and another! Ruotolo is out on his feet - the ref jumps in to save him and ends the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:29 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Knees). Frankie Rodriguez !